Today we’d like to introduce you to Regina Christian.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Regina. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I am a teacher, educational consultant and author of Co-Teaching: The Professional Behind the M.A.S.K. I am a native of Atlanta, Georgia, where I attended metro area schools. Over the years, I have worked in multiple facets with youth and within the educational system. Programs that I have helped to create and implement have aided in positive school experiences, successful student transitions after high school and opportunities to effectively change the outcomes of foster children and special education children in my care.
My perspective of the educational system as well as my experiences have placed me in a position to assist colleagues or others seeking to improve their craft. As a catalyst, co-teachers have been able to build productive relationships and effectively serve students, families, and the community as a whole. My educational philosophy has evolved over the years. My mission is to not only serve students but to serve teachers who are charged with working together to enhance communication and facilitate the learning of our youth. I work tirelessly to Teach others by Investing time in order to Build leaders!
My teacher superpower is “modifying” lessons to make them accessible for all students. In as much, I created my company Teacher Mod Squad; with the goal of providing resources that will inevitably empower students to take ownership in their learning. With this focus in mind, students can become active participants in their personal, educational journey. In my classroom, you will find: Two versions of each lesson, Modifications for struggling learners, Strategies embedded for time management, engaged students with a growth mindset.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Much of my time with children has been spent with the amazing staff and foster children at Carrie Steele Pitts Home in northwest Atlanta. Working in this capacity was unlike any other work that I had done. Several of my family members had been foster parents and I had always wanted to do the same. However, my age was a factor as I wasn’t old enough to be a foster parent. Someone suggested that I work at a foster home instead, and I took that idea and ran. The job was even more difficult than anything that I could have imagined. Still, I spent a great deal of time building and cultivating those relationships. After becoming extremely attached to the young ladies that I was caring for, I committed to staying at Carrie Steele until the now middle school aged girls, graduate from high school. My decision was a difficult one that came with a tremendous amount of trials and late nights of counsel and prayer. However, witnessing the growth and transformation in the young ladies brought me a sense of accomplishment and purpose. Through the years, it took a strong relationship with God, many days of fasting as well as a reliance on Him for wisdom and direction. Overall, though challenging, the decision to remain at Carrie Steele created stability and a home for “my girls,” which gave me hope for their futures.
After their graduation, my journey in the education system began. When I became a special education teacher, I was excited to tackle this new experience. After some time, I began to realize that in many classrooms there is no room for a co-teacher. Was it a personal issue with me, a sense of ownership, or was it a lack of proper training? No matter the reason, it was a problem that required a solution. Those coteaching experiences led me to write a book called: Co-Teaching: The Professional Behind the M.A.S.K. – Managing Accepting Strengthening Keystones. The book is my contribution to the educational community. Co-Teaching: The Professional is based on personal situations with my the dilemma/solution sections and it includes activities to strengthen any partnership. Special education is a reality in today’s society, we must transition to a collaborative setting that is conducive to not only special education but all struggling learners.
We’d love to hear more about Teacher Mod Squad.
Teacher Mod Squad is a group of certified teachers who serve as Educational Consultants. We are proud to offer professional development opportunities for schools and college leveled staff. We strive to create a PD opportunity that helps to meet the organization’s strategic goals and target key objectives that will enhance employee performance. We work directly with employers to design professional learning that addresses the company’s performance outcomes. As part of each participant’s personal development, we focus on the attainment of skills through application. We also support employers by providing feedback as participants become risk-takers and challenge themselves with new skills. We currently offer the following three workshops that addresses the professional needs of a collaborative space.
– Co-Teaching: The Professional Behind the M.A.S.K. (managing accepting strengthening keystones)
– Building Blocks of Communication (effective communication)
– P.O.P. (Purposeful Organizing & Planning for Teams)
Teacher Mod Squad also has a course available for institutions of higher learning. It is our belief that both general education and special education teachers should receive an in-depth course on co-teaching and effective communication. Our course, “The Co-Teaching M.A.S.K.” is designed to aid teachers in working effectively in a collaborative setting for the primary goal of supporting students with disabilities mainstreamed into general education classrooms. Through processes, this course will further develop communication skills to meet the varying needs of the classroom. There is a focus on open-honest communication, proper incorporation of co-teaching models, effectively planning a collaborative space, techniques to prevent common pitfalls in collaborative relationships, and instructional strategies used to differentiate instruction based on special education support and general education expectations.
Contact TMS for more information on professional development for your school or organization. Pricing contingent upon workshop choice and number of participants.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
My innate ability to help others and create a sense of community has led me thus far. My parents have instilled a sense of compassion with a willingness to serve. Placing myself in a position to understand varying perspectives helps me to remain humbled and empathetic to the needs of the people that need it most. I value my ability to adapt to diversity in circumstances or people and manage unforeseen events with a sense of calm and professionalism. My journey within the education system has not always been pleasant, yet it has taught me invaluable lessons that were needed for personal and professional growth in the field. As a strategist, I work diligently to find the best means to educate students and staff. I am able to measure the quality of my success, by the impact that I make in the lives of others.
Pricing:
- Co-Teaching: The Professional Behind the M.A.S.K. Book – $14.99
- Available on Amazon and www.teachermodsquad.com
Contact Info:
- Website: www.teachermodsquad.com
- Email: teachermodsquad@yahoo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teachermodsquad/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teachermodsquad
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/teachermodsquad
Image Credit:
Council of Exceptional Children, AMLE, IDEAS Conference
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