Dr. Rhonda Idris
Early Childhood Education Conference Speaker
Biography
Dr. Idris currently resides in Prince George’s County, Maryland, with her husband and three kiddos. She is typically consumed with teaching adult learners and helping her kids pursue their dreams. She earned a BS in Human Development/Family Science from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Master of Science in Education from Johns Hopkins University. Through a highly competitive selection process, she started her career in education as a Teach for America Corps member in Washington, DC. She taught mathematics and science in urban schools from the 4th to 8th grades during her time as a K-12 teacher. She also served as a math inclusion teacher, instructional coach, in various school leadership roles, and assisted in the development of the math department at a newly opened middle school. She also taught courses to teachers in preparation for renewing or obtaining their teacher certification. During her time in education, she managed end-to-end hiring teachers, developed credential courses, and managed a team of specialists to write an interdisciplinary project-based learning curriculum in Washington, DC. She earned her Ed.D. from Liberty University after defending her dissertation about the benefits of whole-child education and barriers to teacher implementation. Her passion is ensuring all students can access high-quality instruction, which led her to explore whole-child education and how to best educate students with varying abilities.
Jennifer Ballard-Barkett, Ed.D. has a background in educational leadership, special education, cognitive therapy, assessment/evaluations, and social work. She served 17 years as the principal of a boarding school for children with exceptionalities. Her work has crossed over several school districts, in and out of the United States. She focuses on behavior modification in various settings, specifically in the workplace. Jennifer is dedicated to helping educators gain a collection of tools that can easily and readily be used in the field when interacting with individuals who are making bad choices.