Interview with an Expert: Shelley Lawrence
The latest installment of our “Interview with an Expert” series features Shelley Lawrence, a seasoned educator and school administrator who recently turned her passion for helping schools AND families into her new practice: Schoolhouse Collaborative. She offers professional development, leadership and instructional coaching to schools, as well as a family’s “educational quarterback” in navigating various complex learning needs, support services and school placement options.
Give us a short summary of the scope of your work and the population you serve.
After thirty years at Sinai Akiba Academy, 10 years as a teacher and 20 years as the Lower School Director, I knew I was ready to begin the next phase of my career. In August 2021, I started Schoolhouse Collaborative, Inc. which is an educational consulting and coaching practice that works with schools and families. The school division of my practice involves leadership coaching, instructional coaching and professional development. The work I do with families is focused on helping parents meet the various learning needs of their children. I help parents interface with the school, navigate neuropsychological reports, coordinate educational support services, and determine proper school placement. I am the family's educational quarterback.
How did you get into your field? What sparks your passion for your work?
Over the course of my 30 year career as an educator, I found myself drawn to understanding how children learn and spending a great deal of my time helping parents navigate the educational support world. I believe that every child wants to and can learn. It is up to the parents and professionals to put into place the proper supports. Children flourish when they are in the correct school with the appropriate support. It is my mission to help parents find that balance for their children.
What do you find most exciting about education right now?
I am most excited about two areas of education right now. The first is the recognition of the importance of play in early childhood education. This understanding goes hand-in-hand with our increasing knowledge about how the brain works. The powerful use of technology in education is the second area that excites me. Covid, in many ways, ripped the band-aid off of technology usage. Teachers feel more empowered to use technology to enhance the learning experience of all students. Children who are striving learners especially benefit with the use of voice-to-text technology to help circumvent dysgraphia, and programs like Learning Aly gives students with Dyslexia access to books.
Tell us an inspirational story from your career.
I don't think that there is one inspirational story from my career, but there is a big learning. I had the privilege of working with very young children who are in the process of learning and growing. When I met them at 5 years old, entering kindergarten, I never knew how amazing they would be. Some of these children were striving learners who required extra support when they were young. Fast forward to their young adulthood, I always reveled in the people they had become. Some were artists, actors, writers, doctors. You never know what will unfold for our students.
What is a message you would like to send to parents, students, and teachers who are reading this right now?
I would like teachers and parents to know that all children can and want to learn. It always requires a partnership between the two that includes open, honest conversation from both sides. In addition, it sometimes requires parents to make the difficult decision to change the learning environment for their child.
You can reach Shelley at Schoolhouse Collaborative