Reviewed by: Callie Morrison
This Birmingham school is the first of its kind in the Southeast—how UAB helped
Reading time: 4 minutes
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For almost 25 years, Dr. Patton Furman has been an educator, working with students from across the globe. Now, the Mississippi native serves as Principal of Magic City Acceptance Academy (MCAA), the first LGBTQ+-affirming public charter school in the Southeast. We recently visited with Dr. Furman to learn more about how the UAB’s Educational Leadership Program prepared her for this role.
Meet Dr. Patton Furman of Magic City Acceptance Academy
Outside of work, Dr. Furman is married, has a three-year-old son and loves going camping with her family. In the broader community, she’s involved with her church and with Birmingham AIDS Outreach.
For 14 years, Dr. Furman taught French at Oak Mountain High School. When it was time to take the next step in her career, she enrolled in UAB’s Educational Leadership Program, where she earned both Ed.S. and doctorate degrees.
After teaching, she served as Assistant Principal at Oak Mountain and Principal of the Shelby County Schools Alternative Programs before arriving at Magic City Acceptance Academy in August 2022.
UAB’s Educational Leadership Program: Q + A
Bham Now: How did this program prepare you for your current role and previous educational leadership roles?
Dr. Furman: “The program showed me a lot of different viewpoints on how to become a leader in education and more generally. In addition to courses on supervision and management, we learned about education in different countries, plus what did and didn’t work. A lot of current principals or educational leaders came in to speak to us, sharing valuable real-world experience.”
Bham Now: Can you tell us about the relationships you developed in the program and how they have impacted your career?
Dr. Furman: “Dr. Keith Gurley is the person I connected with the most—from when I first started the Ed Leadership Program, I had classes with him, and he ended up being my dissertation chair. We still keep in touch, and now he’s doing research here at our school.”
Bham Now: Can you give three concrete examples of how what you learned impacts your day-to-day life at MCAA?
Dr. Furman: For this, Dr. Furman reflected, and we summarized her answers below.
- Quick thinking: The program provided a strong foundation for making the kinds of decisions a principal has to make every day.
- Finances: Financial management is an essential set of skills for the head of a charter school.
- Leadership: From how to motivate staff and keep them energized, to figuring out the best way to do school, there are plenty of opportunities to exercise these skills.
Bham Now: What would you say to a teacher who’s considering the Educational Leadership Program?
Dr. Furman: “Go ahead and start. I remember thinking, ‘do I want to get my doctorate or not?’ And somebody said to me, ‘Three years will pass whether or not you do it. So just do it.’ I haven’t regretted it at all. It helps open doors to have a doctorate.”
Ready for your next step? Check out UAB’s Educational Leadership Program.
Educational Leadership Program at the UAB School of Education
The program offers the following degrees—all designed for K-12 educators who want to advance in their field, support high-quality learning and transform schools. Classes for all meet entirely online through a synchronous (real-time) format, meaning students have a scheduled class time with a faculty member.
- Master of Arts in Educational Leadership (MA): Designed for teachers who wish to lead an Alabama PK-12 school as a curriculum/instructional leader, assistant principal or principal.
- Post-Masters Certificate in Instructional Leadership (Reduced-Hour Option): Designed for teachers who already hold a master’s degree and wish to lead an Alabama PK-12 school.
- Educational Specialist in Educational Leadership (Ed.S.): Sharpen your skills and develop new competencies in instructional leadership, focusing on district-level leadership.
- Doctorate in Educational Leadership (Ph.D.): This program is for PK-12 administrators and teachers to attain senior administrative positions in elementary, middle and high schools, district-level offices or state PK-12 organizations.
Take the next step in your education career. Request more information or apply to UAB’s Educational Leadership Program today.
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