Teacher Creates Greater Impact Beyond Classroom

Kirby Gibson fully embraced her identity as a classroom teacher. Then, she was chosen for the IMPACT Arkansas Principal Fellows Program that includes earning a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Arkansas.

“When I first heard about the IMPACT program, my principal encouraged me to apply because she saw leadership qualities that I didn’t even see in myself,” Gibson said. “Throughout the program, it really shifted my thinking that, instead of just right here in these four walls, my reach can be so much greater.”

Gibson realized she could have greater impact at Hermitage Elementary School by moving to an administrative position. The aptly named IMPACT Arkansas program based in the College of Education and Health Professions at the U of A is designed to develop effective leaders for Arkansas’ highest-need schools. It pays 90% of tuition and fees, an increase from 80% when Gibson was accepted, and provides professional development and other support services during the 18-month-long program.

Gibson began new roles with the district this school year – district English as a Second Language coordinator, Gifted and Talented coordinator and testing coordinator.

“So, with all of those roles, I’m going to be able to use a lot of the things that I learned through IMPACT – the reflective debrief, the adult facilitation,” she said. “I’m going to be able to do a lot of that through my new role.”

Gibson believes teachers in her district will benefit from her education.

“I just came out of the classroom,” she said. “I was just there with them, and I remember the load and I remember how it felt when leaders came in, so I will be able to ease them a little bit and use some of the techniques that I’ve learned through the IMPACT program.”

 

Razorbug Diploma Tour

John Bacon, executive director of IMPACT Arkansas, traveled to south Arkansas to present Gibson’s diploma to her on June 11 during the Razorbug Diploma Tour.

The U of A’s Global Campus takes the Razorbug, a Volkswagen Beetle outfitted with snout, tusks, hooves, tail and razor-edged spine, on the road each summer to celebrate graduates of online degree programs across Arkansas. These graduates stayed in their home communities to continue working and taking care of families and other responsibilities as they earned degrees.

Bacon also presented a second framed diploma earlier that day to a former teacher in a neighboring county who also completed the IMPACT Arkansas program. Kirby Gibson was also promoted to an administrative role in her district after completing her Master of Education degree in educational leadership.

School officials attended both ceremonies along with family and friends.

 

Program Highlights

Gibson said the action research project, her favorite part of the IMPACT program, pushed her to look beyond her classroom role more broadly at systems in the school district and how she could help more students by moving to a leadership position. 

“My action project was focused on increasing student practice within the classroom,” she said. “It started with a baseline data pull, then provided professional development and intentional observations revolving around student practice. By the end of the year, we showed significant growth in student practice in K-2 classrooms.”

Communicating with her cohort in an online program wasn’t a challenge, Gibson said.

“Virtual platforms helped us to be able to build the rapport with each other and really bounce ideas off of each other and develop relationships,” she said. “We used Zoom quite a bit. I was able to meet with Dr. Allison (Prewitt Kinkaid). She was my mentor through this program and, through that, I developed a wealth of knowledge to be able to bring back to Hermitage.”

Those relationships were a highlight of the program for Gibson. 

 

Back to School

Going back to school was a little intimidating, Gibson said, but U of A resources such as Blackboard Help were always available to assist students.

“Online for some can be kind of scary, but you really get a sense of community even though it’s spread out, so 100% do it,” Gibson said she would tell others considering the program.

She felt fortunate to be a naturally organized person, Gibson said, but she still had to make some sacrifices, such as missing her son’s first cross-country run. Professors understood students were working professionals and were willing to work with them as life issues arose. 

“I think there was one (assignment) that I actually was late on,” she said. “I said, ‘This has come up, I can’t get it in,’ and they were like, ‘No worries,’ so just being proactive and communicating to your professors definitely helps you with the online platform. The University of Arkansas online program and IMPACT Arkansas is support; you have it if you communicate.”

 

Role Model

Gibson has two daughters and a son with her husband, Kyle. She said her son jokes with her about how many tassels she plans to get, referring to the tassel on a mortar board hat worn at commencement. 

“Even my children, at a younger age, recognized that their mom’s a lifelong learner and so the expectations that I hold for myself transfer to my classroom kids but also my own kids,” she said. “They have seen me sit up, late nights, coffee in hand, working on the online platforms, but it’s encouraged my kids. They know that, hey, mom expects the best because she strives to be the best herself.”