Sara Worley, B.S., M.Ed., Ed.D.

EDUCATION:

Ed.D.: Adult Education, Research in Diversity Education, National Louis University, and Chicago, IL

M.Ed.: Special Education, North Georgia State College and University, Dahlonega, GA

B.S.: Therapeutic Recreation: Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY

HIGHLIGHTS OF QUALIFICATIONS

∙     Engaged 300+ university student-volunteers in STE(A)M program with 1-million-dollar grant. Observed this program transform a socio-economically challenged neighborhood.

∙     University and College Professor: collaborating in with community Artists, Museums to integrate art into every course I taught while training teachers K-12 teacher candidates.  Used Renaissance in the Classroom as a textbook.

∙     Built brand new Education Department Significant earning National and State Accreditation. Teaching Public School Education in California, Texas and Georgia. 

AWARDS:

  • Chatham County: Crystal Apple Teaching Award

  • Dean Rusk Middle School: Favorite Teacher Award

  • Reinhardt College: Convocation Honored Faculty Speaker

  • Kennesaw State University: Nominated for Outstanding Professor and Advisor

  • Macon State College: 2X- Student Choice: Most Influential Professor Award

EXPERIENCE:

  •  2020-2022: Writing, speaking and teaching about Smart Art:  Statewide Art Conference, Local Parent Group, Engaging students in the highest level of academic thinking while they express subject content by creating a new form of Art from an older idea.

  • 2015-2019: National Board Member: Creator and Chair of Diversity Committee for an organization serving forty-thousand girls. Utilized Arts Integration in a variety of activities for girls such as puppetry, storytelling, improvisation, and visual art. 

  • 2014-2016: Worked for the Ohio Magistrates Association to prepare Keynote presentation for certification of Ohio Magistrate Judges: Perceptions Deception (or Bias on the Bench). Utilized improvisation, local peacemaking team, music, video and group collaborative activities in presentation.

  • 2013- 2018 Facilitator for Love and Logic International: promoting mature responsibility in children and youth. Training teachers, parents and grandparents raising grandchildren.

  •  2012- 2013: Truett-McConnell University: Associate Professor in Education: Accreditation Director for Middle Level Education; Created new programs on state and national level for Middle Level certification utilizing Arts integration into each course, afterschool programs and outreach to struggling students.

  • 2006-2012 Macon State College: Assistant Professor Ed Arts Council/Community Arts Integration: Creating arts integration curriculum to engage students in local museums, nature centers, with diverse races and cultures.

STE(A)M (Science, Technology, Engineering Math) trainer recruiting 300+ college student volunteers to serve At-Risk Middle and Elementary students through 

1-million-dollar grant.

  • 1998- 2004: Reinhardt College. Assistant Professor of Education

Recruited from public education to serve students with a variety of Learning Disabilities in a College. Utilized a variety of visual art, kinesthetic movement, improvisation, music and to reteach history and religion courses. 

  • 1998- 2006: Kennesaw State University. Part-time then Full time Assistant Professor.  Hired first as Adjunct specifically to teach about my work at Dean Rusk Middle School Inclusion Education with Arts Integration.

  • 1992- 1998: Dean Rusk Middle School Special Education Teacher.  Special Educator in one of the first successful Middle School Inclusion class with regular education teachers: puppetry, visual-arts, improv, video and kinesthetic activities. Invited to teach at University about this experience.

 Art significantly increases participation and motivation while learning.  But there is another intellectual benefit.  When a student is asked to use any form of Art to express an intellectual idea (Artist expression)they will utilize the highest levels of critical thinking.  Why? Because a person must sequentially move through each level of intellectual thinking in order to CREATE a new form of an current idea.  Creating is the highest level of thinking.

 An individual can take two inventories: Multiple Intelligence and Individual Learning Styles. These begin the enlightening process of discover as they utilize their personal strengths not the just educator strengths who is instructing them.  When allowed to choose from a variety of Art forms they will naturally gravitate toward their strengths

Last, Blooms Taxonomy has been studied and re-evaluated for over since 65 years. Creativity was not originally at the top. But has had that honor the last 18 years!  That is the Key.  First, a student discovers her strength and then is given the freedom to use that strength!  She utilizes her strength to create a totally new art form to master any subject material.