San Francisco CEO Strives For All Students To Have Remarkable Teachers
Ellen Moir was the first in her family to go to college thanks to her Spanish teacher who helped her see new possibilities for herself. With Miss Hayward as Moir's model, she kickstarted her teaching career, earning a B.A. in Spanish from California State University, Northridge and an M.A. in elementary education from San Jose State University.
Moir became a bilingual teacher, and went on to become director of teacher education at UC Santa Cruz. There, she found growing numbers of her top performing students were leaving the profession after only a few years. Moir realized she could no longer send new teachers into classrooms knowing they would probably fail. So, along with a group of like-minded educators, she launched New Teacher Center, an organization with a solution to better equip new educators for the realities they face as they enter their own classrooms for the first time.
What are the responsibilities of your current role?
"As founder and chief executive officer of New Teacher Center, I set vision for and lead a staff of about 240 (and growing!) as we partner with school districts across the country to accelerate effectiveness of new teachers and school leaders, increase overall teacher retention, and improve student achievement, while reducing district teacher recruiting costs. I find and create opportunities to push our organization as we meet an ambitious goal: making sure every student, regardless of their zip code, gets a remarkably talented teacher."
What is your favorite part of your daily duties?
"I wake up every day driven to ensure that every child in America gets the best education. I meet with people who are working to make a difference for students across the country. Our conversations range from truly inspirational to deeply tactical, and leave me even more committed to the work than the day before. That is absolutely my favorite part."
Do you feel your education prepared you for your current role?
"My degrees gave me a solid foundation. Equally important is what I continue to learn along the way through collaboration and being open to meaningful feedback. I surround myself with the most talented people in their field, all mission aligned and clear on their scope and responsibilities. I continue to learn from my colleagues and they help me continually grow and develop. We are also fortunate to have an incredible board. I learn new things from them every time I talk to them and they help me lead this organization through their guidance and wisdom."
Do you have any advice for people who desire to pursue a similar career?
"Ask yourself one question: How can you make life a little better in your corner of the world? Take it upon yourself to find out how you – your experiences, skills, knowledge – can uniquely contribute. Talk with others who have done something entrepreneurial and for social good. Find communities of like-minded people. Be open to the ideas you hear. Then, start. Know you may not see the fruit of your labor immediately, but with persistence and patience, you will."
Michelle Guilbeau is a writer, reviewer, teacher and business owner living in Chicago, Illinois. She also has experience in school administration, literacy coaching and is proud founder of CraftKitsForKids.com and MichelleGuilbeau.com Michelle enjoys sharing her knowledge of Chicago, food, travel, education and parenting issues with her readers. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.