Three instructors represented West Georgia Technical College at the fourth annual Georgia Master Teacher Experience.

Dental Assisting instructor Kimberly Nolan, Biology instructor Dr. Jeremy Bishop were participants in the week-long event for the Technical College System of Georgia’s best and brightest instructors.

Early Childhood Care and Education instructor Dr. Angela Hines Brown was part of the GMTE staff. Staff members were selected based on excellence in teaching, high ethical and leadership standards, ability to collaborate and facilitate and a willingness to serve others. Brown was state winner of TCSG’s Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction in 2016.

The Georgia Master Teacher Experience, held in Thomasville at Southern Regional Technical College is designed to bring instructors from TCSG together for an intensive week of focus on instructional innovations, motivational techniques, situational problem-solving, contextual learning and information exchange.

The concept of a seminar designed expressly for teachers originated in 1962 by Roger Garrison at Westbrook College in Portland, Maine. Since that time, the concept has become a national movement with programs in numerous states across the nation and around the world.

The GMTE is designed as an experiential learning event developed by teachers for teachers with the goal of improving instruction by revitalizing faculty through interdisciplinary collaboration. Participants share experiences, strategies and instructional methods in the quests of improving teaching.

“The strength of this experience is in the support that each teacher receives from the other teachers that have gathered from throughout the state,” GMTE director Claudia Grooms said. “The week-long exchange of ideas and collaboration develops a network of support and encouragement that can be taken back to individual colleges to improve teaching and learning. Seeing the excitement for teaching return in an instructor who has become weary, or watching an instructor as they realize their worth is an experience that cannot be matched. We are privileged to host the Georgia Master Teacher Experience and are proud to have completed our fourth year.”

The GMTE culminates with a Celebration Event where participants are recognized for their contributions to innovative teaching. In addition to their peers, participants were recognized by TCSG Commissioner Matt Arthur, TCSG Assistant Commissioner for Technical Education Dr. Kathryn Hornsby, TCSG Curriculum Specialist Benita Moore, Southern Regional Technical College President Dr. Craig Wentworth and GMTE Director Claudia Grooms.

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson and Troup counties and class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers more than 120 associate degree, diploma and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is the third-largest of the state’s 22 technical colleges. For more information, please visit westgatech.edu.

Cutline: Instructors Kimberly Nolan, Dr. Jeremy Bishop and Dr. Angela Hines Brown represented West Georgia Technical College in the week-long Georgia Master Teacher Experience held at Southern Regional Technical College in Thomasville. Shown are GMTE staff and participants.