We recently connected with Michelle Singh and have shared our conversation below.
Michelle, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the best or worst investment you’ve made?
Investing in myself is the best investment I have ever made on this entrepreneurial journey. Why? Because personal development has become just as important to me as professional development.
One of the first things I did when I started my business was hire a coach. I needed help, and I acknowledged that. So many times as educators, we wear many hats and have expertise in copious areas, so we rely on ourselves. Well, this mindset of doing it all is exhausting and unhealthy. I recognized early on that I did not have specific skillsets in the business arena, and so I sought help. Little did I know that hiring my coach would not only shift (and scale) my business practices but also shift my mindset.
I learned that to be successful starts with you. Your mindset influences your actions. Your actions impact your results —what you put out in this world. How can you be great for yourself and others if your mindset is not right? Therefore, the best investment is always one in which I am bettering myself. For me, this investment looked like hiring a coach, seeing a therapist, and being part of groups and organizations that hold me accountable. These investments helped me do the behind-the-scenes work that strengthened who I am on the inside so I can be a solid leader on the outside in my business and industry.
Every day, my work impacts the black and brown students sitting in classrooms across the globe. So I must change (improve) myself to make a change in this world, one teacher and one student at a time. That is why investing in myself is the best investment I have ever made as a business owner.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I am Michelle Singh, an award-winning education consultant and author who helps educators bridge cultural gaps and build stronger relationships with their students. I am also the CEO of LCT-E Learning Solutions. Our company is a distinguished leader in teacher professional development. We design and deliver strategies that ensure students from all backgrounds and cultures succeed in the classroom. My work with LCT-E Learning Solutions helps educators develop culturally responsive instructional methods that address their students’ unique learning needs, specifically students from diverse cultural backgrounds. LCT-E Learning Solutions also embraces digital tools for enhancing instructional dynamics and is integral to improving educational accessibility.
At LCT-E Learning Solutions, we recognize that 53% of the students who sit in the classrooms in the United States are black and brown. Each year, this number steadily increases as our population diversifies. We also acknowledge that although most of our public school system students are students of color, the most significant challenges facing K12 education today relate to the lack of equity and diversity in these students’ educational experiences. That is one reason we designed the EQUAL Methodology, which focuses on some of the toughest challenges facing schools today. These include challenges related to:
1. School culture and climate
2. Teacher practices and pedagogy
3. Student skill set and mindset
4. Stakeholder relationships and partnerships
5. Equitable formative assessments
But let’s go back a little bit. Before I was an entrepreneur, I had several roles in public education. In fact, I dedicated 15 years to my local school district, the fourth largest school district in the United States. During my tenure, I was a teacher of the gifted, teacher-leader, department chairperson, District curriculum specialist, and District technology trainer. In addition, I am an adjunct professor specializing in preparing pre-service teachers to enter the workforce and helping in-service teachers achieve certification in gifted education. Lastly, I am a doctoral candidate for organizational leadership and hold several certifications, including the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
As a teacher, I met the demands of assessment benchmarks despite often lacking resources and tools to ensure all of my students’ needs were met. As a CEO, my unique ability to understand the needs of students, parents, teachers, administrators, and district leaders sets our company, LCT-E Learning Solutions, apart. Our diverse and dynamic experience and expertise improve performance and social and emotional health outcomes for the districts we serve. In addition, by helping districts prioritize diversity and inclusion, we help transform classrooms into innovative spaces that promote a deeper appreciation for learning.
My experiences as a young student served as the catalyst for my work as a 20-year “edupreneur.” After immigrating to the U.S. from Jamaica at 9, I initially struggled to acclimate to the U.S. public school system. This formative experience set the stage for my relentless drive to ensure the needs of minority students are not only being met, and their gifts are cultivated. As an educator, I implemented creative solutions to meet my students’ social, academic, emotional, and cultural needs. I continue this work by teaching educators globally how they can do the same.
I launched LCT-E Learning Solutions in 2020 after identifying a need for educators to engage in effective teaching practices that respond to the diverse needs of their students in a complex and ever-changing modern society. LCT-E Learning Solutions answers the call for innovative and inclusive teaching by showing educators how to meet their students’ social, emotional, academic, and cultural needs. Our signature services include culturally responsive professional development, educational programs, and coaching services.
I also wrote a book for educators during that time in 2020. My book, “Educational Continuity During Uncertainty: Online Learning Considerations for Educators,” provides considerations educators can use to achieve continuity with students, parents, and families during online learning. It has been praised as a vital resource. Teachers turned to it as a resource, especially during the uncertain educational landscape due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Finally, I take pride in giving back to my community in Miami as well as Jamaica (my country of birth). I am involved with several nonprofits and charitable causes. When I am not igniting a love for learning in my community, you can find me searching for the best Jamaican food in Miami with my teenage daughter (who is a Howard University Bison) and husband or spending time with my four rescue dogs.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
LCT-E Learning Solutions is a leader in professional development for teachers in the K-12 education space. I believe we built our reputation within our market from (1) having the right mindset, (2) being authentic, and (3) embracing our creativity.
When it comes to mindset, we recognize that we are indeed experts and authorities in our field because of the impact of our work. Our professional development is highly regarded in our space. Our track record for effective training spans from educators across the U.S.A to the middle east. We are trusted by corporate leaders such as Microsoft.
Next, we lean into our authenticity. We are bold in our values of supporting equity and excellence in teaching. Our focus on culturally responsive instructional practices and educational technology integration is integral to our professional development, programs, and coaching. Our services help teachers address and meet their students’ social, emotional, academic, and CULTURAL needs.
Finally, we embrace our creativity. Our passion and relentless drive ensure the educational needs of all students, especially those from diverse cultural backgrounds, are met and that their gifts are cultivated. We do this with our EQUAL methodology, which is at the heart of our offerings. EQUAL offers solid, tangible, practical examples and solutions for teachers to address some of the toughest challenges facing schools today. These include limitations related to:
1. School culture and climate
2. Teacher practices and pedagogy
3. Student skill set and mindset
4. Stakeholder relationships and partnerships
5. Equitable formative assessments
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Friday, July 19, 2019, was the day I quit my 15-year career. I left the only job I knew. I left the field of my expertise where I had all my degrees and experience. I worked hard to get to a place in my vested career where I impacted hundreds of classrooms and thousands of teachers, students, and administrators. I did not, however, have the joy that would come from my role as a district leader in the nation’s 4th largest school district.
Instead, I felt frustrated. I felt resistance. I felt stagnant. I often witnessed our black and brown students sitting in the back of their classrooms with their heads downs and voices silent. They deserved more. They knew it. Their teachers knew it. And I knew it. That is when I realized our broken educational system could not be fixed even at the level I had reached in the district. I needed to be and do more for the black and brown students that made up and continue to make up the majority in our K12 public educational system. So I started my entrepreneurial journey with just experience, expertise, and empathy.
Fast forward to now. Our company, LCT-E Learning Solutions, supports teachers worldwide in implementing best practices and innovative strategies that help their students improve their achievement and outcomes. I am proud and blessed that our work positively changes the lives of minority students all over the WORLD, levels the playing field for them, and gives them opportunities for success in their educational experiences.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lctelearning.com
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- Facebook Community for Teachers: www.eetcommunity.com
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