Dr. Julie Brown
Lecturer of Education, Assistant Professor of Education
Office: Piper Academic Center (PAC) 203
Email: jmbrown@mckendree.edu
Education
Ed.D., Educational Leadership, Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville
Ed.S., Administration, Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville
M.S., Educational Leadership, Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville
B.S., Elementary Education, Eastern Illinois University
Teaching Interests
Educational leadership
Teaching Philosophy
For my entire life, I have immersed myself in the educational arena as student, teacher, parent of students, daughter of educators, mother of an educator, and mentor. Each of these roles has provided me with an opportunity to feed my love of learning and see educational experiences through not only my lens, but those of the people I surround myself with. I can honestly say, without a doubt, that I have always been driven to be a life-long learner and promoter of education.
As a teacher and mentor, I focus on providing several things: an environment where everyone and their opinions are accepted and respected, information and sharing experiences that will contribute to the knowledge of others, and content that is valuable and worthy of the time spent. To do this, I believe it is important to have defined goals and objectives. For adult learners, they are managing the coursework, families, and demanding careers; they must have defined goals and objectives to accomplish the focus of this course.
Advanced courses are opportunities to form long-lasting networks with colleagues, which could potentially last throughout their career. Throughout my post-graduate work, I met several other graduate students whom I still trust and confide in over 20 years later. While this may not be something directly taught, relationships are fostered via the culture of the class.
Most of my classroom activities involve examples and scenarios, discussion and interaction, presentations, and other interactive activities. Graduate level courses should not only be about content; instead, they should address other skills that go along with being an outstanding administrator. These skills include but are not limited to oral and written communication, interpersonal skills, public speaking, conflict resolution, decision making, and working effectively with the board of education, teachers, staff, parents, students, and community members.
Overall, I would like to think that I teach the content in conjunction with learning along with the students. There is always a benefit to listening to the experiences of others and establishing trusting relationships without casting judgment. Instead, the intent is to support and celebrate along with others. I have always prided myself on my open-door policy, trustworthiness, and inclusive environment. I believe education must be a mix of these things to be successful. Anyone can share content, read to students, provide assignments, etc. - sharing real situations and experiences in coordination with the content is what makes the experiences truly valuable.
Organizations and Memberships
- Illinois Association of School Administrators
- Southwestern Region Illinois Association of School Administrators
- Illinois Principals Association
- Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
- Illinois Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
