Lauren Hughes

Professional Meeting
Faculty Meeting
On October 19, the teachers and administrators at Trace Crossings had a
faculty meeting. This was part of the time where we were at the school full time, so
I decided to stay for this meeting. Sitting in this meeting reminded me of past
experiences when I sat through faculty meetings as a teachers child. Although the
memories were similar, this time was different because I was no longer the child.
Instead I was a future teacher. Having this perspective drastically changed my view
on a faculty meeting. I understood the importance of all the teachers coming
together to discuss various topics pertaining to the school as well as their
classrooms.
During this meeting, Mrs. Barber, the principal, welcomed everyone and
opened with some words of encouragement. She discussed the difference that one
degree makes and challenged the teachers to discuss ways they can implement a
one degree difference in their classrooms and at Trace Crossings. As I listened to
various answers and even gave some input, I started questioning what would
happen if every teacher focused on making that one degree difference in everything
that they did each day. I believe that this attitude would spread to the students and
they would start making one degree differences as well.
After the teachers had opportunities to share their answers, Mrs. Barber
shared a video pertaining to the topic. Then she ended the faculty meeting by
reading some inspirational quotes and encouraging the teachers. I think that the
positive ending to this meeting had a large amount of significance. First, the
teachers left the meeting ready to make that one degree difference. Second, they
saw that their principal truly cared about them as individuals and as teachers.

Listening to Mrs. Barber speak at the end of this faculty meeting made me feel
welcomed, loved, appreciated, and determined to make a difference and I am not
even a teacher at the school. I know some faculty meetings are all business, but I
value the opportunity to attend an inspirational one like this.
Lauren Hughes
Professional Meeting
Most Likely To Succeed
On Thursday, November 12, Orlean Bullard Beeson School of Educaion and Kappa
Delta Pi hosted a movie screening of Most Likely To Succeed. This film, directed by Greg
Whiteley, strives to bring school communities together in reimagining what students and
teachers are capable of doing and highlights how education should look in 21 st-century
America. It acknowledges that we all learn in different ways and that an aspect of
authenticity forms as students make something such as a model that was not there
before.
This event fell under the responsibilities of the Learning League section of the Junior
Leadership Team. Everyone on the team assisted in making it possible, but I became very
attached to this opportunity. During the planning process, I became the liaison between
the learning league, professors, panel members, Most Likely To Succeed team, KDPi, and
students. It was an overwhelming joyous experience that reminded me of various events
that I helped plan in high school. This was similar due to the fact that many people had to
come together to make this event possible. The difference was that the movie screening
was a much larger process and event than events in high school such as planning
homecoming week festivities.
Through this screening, I learned much more than I could have ever
imagined. I did not only learn about the educational system, but about networking and
leadership roles in general. For the rest of this reflection, I would like to discuss the

educational system. As Dr. Bice stated at the ARA Conference on November 13, Teachers
should imagine. This film encouraged teachers to do just that. Education in the 21 st
century should be innovative and creative. It should feature a culture where teachers and
students are allowed to create and produce without fear of one test score that measures
success. There should be an attitude that school is an experience instead of a place where
a set amount of time is spent. The authors intent was definitely to broaden individuals
concept of school and hopefully spark interest in educators to implement innovation into
their classrooms. As a future teacher, the film was extremely persuasive and I hope that I
will be able to encourage innovation and creativity among my students in the future.