Endorsements
Endorsements for Professional Learning Facilitation: Dean Gilbert, EDU Consulting LLC CEO, is committed to promoting the highest level of professional learning design and facilitation best practices. The following individuals who represent top science organizations have generously reviewed and approved of his facilitation and design skills.
“Dean has a wealth of expertise and knowledge in science education from designing science in-school and after-school programs, creating district plans, and designing and implementing quality professional learning experiences for teachers and administrators. He has a history of building successful partnerships between business and education and working with parents and community. He is a hard worker, dedicated to excellence, and skilled at meeting your needs.” Kathy DiRanna, Past Director, K-12 Alliance/WestEd
“Dean Gilbert has been at the forefront of science education in the state of California for many years. His knowledge of NGSS is exemplary and he has been a local and state professional development guru of these standards even before their adoption in California three years ago… He shares his science education expertise with CSULB science credential students by supervising their student teaching experience and is well-respected by his pre-service teachers.” Tim Williamson, Single Subject Science Credential Coordinator, CSU Long Beach; past CSTA President (Retired)
“Extremely motivated, Dean makes a positive impact on the profession of science teaching and possesses the knowledge and skills necessary to do so. He is well-known for his presentation skills and his workshops are always filled to standing room only capacity. He is also a starter and finisher. He is a constant source of innovation and new ideas. And once he begins a project he sees it through the end.” Jessica Sawko, Former Exec. Director, California Association of Science Educators (CASE)
“Dean was the Science Consultant at the Los Angeles County Office of Education while I was developing the Education and the Environment Initiative (EEI) for the State of California. He was always there to help, support, and advise when we needed feedback… Dean has always been a great pleasure to work with and very knowledgeable about the state of the art in science education.” Gerald Lieberman, CDE Environmental Literacy Steering Committee
“A long-time advocate of effective science instruction for all students, Dean is a former CSTA President. He has served as a member of the Science Expert Panel for CA NGSS and was the Science Expert in Los Angeles County and Orange County Offices of Education. He has written articles and created tools for effective instruction in science, including the Science Safety Webinar and Strategic Science Handbook. He continues to fight for what is good for ALL students.” Anthony Quan, Coordinator III, STEM, Los Angeles County Office of Education
“…As a colleague on the California Science Teacher’s Association (CSTA) Board of Directors, Dean was welcoming, supportive and inspiring. He never stepped back from making his passion for science education his first priority. Dean used his ability to articulate both concerns and solutions to promote a group of colleagues to think deeply about ideas, whether they found those ideas exciting or challenging…His professionalism modeled the commitment of a classroom teacher and policymaker all in one. Whether we agreed on every detail or not did not impact my respect for him, nor my trust that he is focused on doing what is right for students.” Marian Murphy-Shaw, Educational Services Director, Siskiyou COE
“A strong influence on my academic journey was my high school biology teacher, Dean Gilbert…His youthful energy and sense of humor made learning fun for us, and science was always an adventure that took us someplace I had never been…I make things happen in my life because Dean taught me through example, how to get things done, how to not be lazy and how to love the work you choose. I could very well say that he is the reason why I teach the way that I do, and why my focus for excellence was so intense during my college years. With a competitive perfectionism, I learned to be persistent, to complete what I started, and to never take no for an answer…. When a person resonates in your life like that, they have really done a wonderful thing.” Delayna Goins, Learning Support Teacher, Palmdale SD; Former Student, Long Beach Polytechnic HS