UTA's Teacher Induction

About the Expert

Dr. Jerry R. Burkett is an elementary school principal in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex that has worked in education for more than 12 years.

He received his doctorate in educational leadership from  Dallas Baptist University with specialization in alternative and traditional certification and its relationship to classroom management. He earned his masters in educational administration from Dallas Baptist University in 2004 a Bachelor of Science in Education from Baylor University in 1999.

His experience in education ranges from history teacher to administrator. Additionally, Dr. Burkett served as social studies grant coordinator in the Fort Worth Independent School District and was responsible for management of a $1 million grant from the Department of Education aimed at fostering the development of teacher knowledge in United States History in grades 5, 8, and 11.

Dr. Burkett has served as an advocate for education writing and speaking on educational topics ranging from school finance to educational issues in the classroom.  He was recently featured on the Scott Braddock Show on KRLD 1080 radio.

Dr. Burkett is married to Kimberly and has one son named Jackson. He plays recreational sports, guitar, and reads and writes in his spare time.

Dissertation:  Alternative and Traditional Certified Elementary Teachers: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Their First-year in the Classroom Environment

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Twitter: @DrJerryRBurkett

Facebook: “Supporters of Texas Public Education”

Reflection Questions

1. Is there more to education than just teaching and instruction?
2. The speaker mentions the term “culture shock” twice during the interview.  How does this term apply to the various experiences of a new teacher?  What do you think the expert is saying in reference to this term?
3. Can your philosophy of education change over time? Why?
4. Are the roles of a campus administrator and a classroom teacher similar? How/How not?
5. Is building relationships with students a significant part of the educational experience?

Take Aways

1. $35,000 was a lot of money just 12 years.
2. The experiences that you grow with may not be the most accurate perception of the school for which you will teach.
3. You may prepare for years in college to be an educator but you will certainly face situations that were never covered in lecture or in the textbook.
4. Campus leaders need to be able to remove barriers for teachers so they can be better teachers.
5. Teachers need to work to meet expectations so that students can meet their expectations.

Memorable Quotes

• "I still didn’t quite understand what it was like to have a parent who went to jail, drugs sold in my neighborhood or gun shots going off.”
• “I’ve had difficult situations throughout my career from being in lockdown due to a gang fight to having to give the Heimlich to a cafeteria worker.”
• “What we do and the decisions we make must be one, in the best interest of kids, two, in the best interest of teachers. If it doesn’t fit one of those two scenarios, we don’t do it.”
• “I tell my teachers: I can’t actually do what you do but my job as a principal and my job as a campus leader is to make sure that you can do your job effectively.”