Narrative Changer
Donna Shannon
Founder and CEO
Beyond Mis-Education
@PgKidsNeedYou
Bio: I consider myself a public-school survivor, and my son a public-school escapee. My college degree (BS in Biological Sciences from the University of Southern California) enabled me to home-school my son in Virginia without needing approval for my methods. (Different states have different requirements.) Left in public school, my son would have dropped out; with homeschooling, he started college classes at age 14.
From being a classroom volunteer when my son was little, to a substitute teacher after he grew up, I continually observed that public schools didn't seem to be making meaningful changes in the best interest of students. I saw that it wasn't rare for students to suffer at the hands of inflexible educators and administrators that didn't "get it." I wrote BEYOND MIS-EDUCATION to share my son's story along with information and suggestions to help other parents advocate for their public-school children. I speak to concerned groups about the public education crisis faced by children in general, and Black boys and the highly gifted.
Personal Motto: Be the Advocate Your Child Needs You to Be.
Q How is your work changing the narrative? I am helping parents get a better understanding of how vital it is for them to interact with their children's teachers, to advocate effectively when it's clear their children aren't being educated appropriately, and to avail themselves of alternative education options if advocacy fails to get their children what they need and deserve. Parents need to understand that it's irresponsible to send their kids to school and never visit their class(es) to see what's going on and be prepared to "have their child's back" if things aren't right.
From being a classroom volunteer when my son was little, to a substitute teacher after he grew up, I continually observed that public schools didn't seem to be making meaningful changes in the best interest of students. I saw that it wasn't rare for students to suffer at the hands of inflexible educators and administrators that didn't "get it." I wrote BEYOND MIS-EDUCATION to share my son's story along with information and suggestions to help other parents advocate for their public-school children. I speak to concerned groups about the public education crisis faced by children in general, and Black boys and the highly gifted.
Personal Motto: Be the Advocate Your Child Needs You to Be.
Q How is your work changing the narrative? I am helping parents get a better understanding of how vital it is for them to interact with their children's teachers, to advocate effectively when it's clear their children aren't being educated appropriately, and to avail themselves of alternative education options if advocacy fails to get their children what they need and deserve. Parents need to understand that it's irresponsible to send their kids to school and never visit their class(es) to see what's going on and be prepared to "have their child's back" if things aren't right.