Dr. Marsha Samuels
Dr. Marsha Samuels is a dedicated results driven educator with a proven track record of pedagogical and andragogical excellence in science instruction and is committed to fostering a culture of innovation and improvement.
Dr. Samuels is a life-long learner, adept at utilizing growth mindset principles to navigate dynamic environments, encourage critical thinking, practice inquiry-based learning and make informed decisions.
She is an adaptive communicator, skilled in using technology, multimedia resources, cutting-edge research to enrich presentations, promote learning, active participation to increase student achievement.
Education:
BARRY UNIVERSITY – Miami Shores, Florida
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Curriculum, Evaluation and Research
Dissertation: “Climate Change Impact on Choosing Natural Science: A Direct Logistic Regression Analysis”
Courses: Advanced Quantitative Research, Theory & Research, Contemporary Issues in Urban Education, Curriculum Evaluation, Mixed Methods, Research Methodology, and Applied Research in Curriculum
BARRY UNIVERSITY – Miami Shores, Florida
Education Specialist (EdS) in Educational Leadership
Courses: Visionary Leadership in Education, Ethics and Communication for Leaders, School Finance, Leadership for Assessment and Accountability, and School and Community Relations
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY- Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Master of Science (MS) in Agronomy (Applied Genetics)
Published Thesis: “Optimization of Apex-Mediated Transformation in Rice”
Courses: Quantitative Genetics in Plant Improvement, Principles of Plant Breeding, Advanced Plant Genetics, Advanced Soil Chemistry, Plant Biology and Ecology
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY- Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Bachelor of Science (BS) in Plant and Soil Systems
Courses: Principles of Genetics, Introductory Plant Physiology, Fundamentals of Applied Entomology, Biology, Biology Lab, Organic Chemistry, Soil Science, Economic Principles, General Plant Pathology
Kenia Brown
Ms. “K” Brown as she is called by students and colleagues loves information, English, reading, libraries and science. Her love of science was sparked in high school as a participant in the University of Florida Summer Science Program studying Diplodia natalensis in grapefruit at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences extension located in Fort Pierce, Florida.
After high school graduation, Kenia attended the University of West Florida, and completed both a Bachelor of Arts degree in legal administration and a graduate degree in communication while working as the editor of the university newspaper, The Voyager under the faculty guidance of the late Jayme Bradford (Kinard)
Additionally, Kenia has a master’s degree in library and information science from the University of South Florida and a specialist degree in Reading from Barry University.
For almost twenty years, Kenia has taught elementary, middle, and high school and currently is a high school English teacher and adjunct instructor for several colleges. During her career, Kenia has won multiple high performance merit distinction by the State of Florida as a High Impact Teacher based on the achievement growth of her students on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), Florida Standards Assessments English Language Arts/Reading (FSA) and the current Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST).
Kenia’s instructional pedagogy includes using competitive play to increase speed and accuracy and she is a staunch advocate for high stakes assessment preparation, building testing confidence through competitive academic play and teaching students how to think for assessments.
Research Interests:
- Identifying deficits in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, oral language, comprehension and writing
- Increasing high stakes achievement scores through targeted test prep for low performing students
- Integrating artificial intelligence in English and intensive reading curriculum
- Family literacy for adopted children through the Ora L. Brown Foundation
- The effects of competitive academic play on high stakes reading assessment scores
- The effects of hip-hop curriculum and intelligence perceptions on high stakes reading assessment scores
- The effects of gamification on standardized achievement assessments
- Teacher perceptions of intelligence and the effects on reading achievement.
- English and reading technology curriculum and evaluation
High Performance Merit Distinctions:
- 2023-2024 $7,500 Bonus Cash, Florida Department of Education (student reaching achievement scores on the FAST)
- 2015-2025 Highly Effective Teacher Broward County Public Schools
- 2013-2017 High Impact Teacher Florida Department of Education ($2,000 and $4,000 Bonus Cash)