Kentucky Connected Educator Matthew Courtney

Executive Director Bluegrass Center for Teaching Quality

In what ways are you a connected educator?

I am a connected educator because I strive to keep my finger on the pulse of education.  It is important to me to always be aware of upcoming changes in policy, legislation, and research based practices.  These are the things that effect what teachers do every day.  By making sure that I am a part of these conversations, I am able to build lasting relationships with teachers across the state.  

How does being connected impact your practice in schools/classroom?

Having a wide network of friends and colleagues across the state has greatly strengthened my work in the schools.  As a teacher, I was able to reach out to a diverse and supportive group of peers when I needed help or guidance.  It also helped me adjust to major transitions in the school, such as the implementation of CIITS or PGES.  Having other people who knew what I was experiencing and who could lend perspective and new ideas helped me greatly.

How does being connected impact you as a professional?

Being a professional is all about being connected.  Professionals know about the shifting tides of their profession.  More importantly, they know where to go when they don't know!  When you are well connected, you may also be called on to speak about your profession.  These opportunities, while intimidating at first, help you grow.  They help you to build networks outside of your classroom that later can be used to help bring resources back to your students.

What advice or resources would you recommend to colleagues interested in becoming connected?

The biggest piece of advice for someone interested in becoming a connected educator is to join and participate in multiple teacher networks.  Network membership is like a gym membership.  It is only as good as you make it.  Be involved in the discussion.  I also suggest being in multiple networks because each network has their own perspective and it is important that leaders are open minded and hear a wide range of ideas.

Bio:

Matthew B. Courtney is the Founder and Executive Director of the Bluegrass Center for Teacher Quality.  Before creating the Bluegrass Center for Teacher Quality (BCTQ), Matthew worked as an elementary music educator at Mayfield Elementary in Richmond, KY.  After spending several years watching his friends and collegues struggle to meet their professional learning goals, Matthew created BCTQ with the mission of providing high quality, research based professional learning opportunities to teachers; free of charge.  In his role as Executive Director, Matthew works with teachers to ensure that they have the professional knowledge and skills they need to be successful in a wide variety of situations.  He is also engaged in researching professional learning techniques and travels to speak about the importance of teacher leadership in professional development.