Opportunity Culture, a Way to Move Forward

As a dedicated teacher who was looking for more, I felt that my options were limited. My heart has always been called to serve the students in the inner city of Charlotte. When I wanted to make a bigger impact, I wasn’t sure what do to… Go back to college and get another degree? Move to an office and work at a district level?

None of the options to move forward kept me where I wanted to be, at Allenbrook Elementary School, passionately and directly impacting students.

Along came Opportunity Culture, which has opened doors for me that I never expected. Through this initiative I have been able to grow through three different positions, all while staying at Allenbrook. I began as a specialized teacher, expanding the impact of my content knowledge to an entire grade level. After two years in that role, I moved into a Blended Learning Reach Teacher role in which I used my love for technology to reach more students in a different way. Today, I am a Multi-Classroom Leader supporting and guiding the reading lab at Allenbrook, and coaching teachers to improve their instructional practice.

My impact grew from 20 students to 80, and now 150 students. I’ve developed my knowledge and my capacity as an educator. I didn’t have to leave Allenbrook for this growth to occur. I didn’t have to leave our students – the true reason for what I do – in order to see my influence grow. My capacity for leadership has also increased thanks to the high-quality professional development provided by Project L.I.F.T.

With each move up the Opportunity Culture ladder, I have grown as a professional. Each step forward has demanded more of me, encouraging me to stretch my abilities. Thankfully, I have been rewarded for my effort with pay increases.

With Opportunity Culture I didn’t simply move up. I moved forward.

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