Baltimore education innovators are diving into the ‘Shark Tank’

Baltimore will be well-represented at a “Shark Tank”-inspired event focusing on teacher professional development this week.
The virtual competition, organized by Edsurge and the Gates Foundation, is set for 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 8. Three companies will pitch four educators. But it’s the audience who decides the winner.
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The companies were chosen as the organizers set out to find startups “producing effective, easy to consume professional development” materials.
One of the companies set to pitch is Lessoncast Learning. Cofounder Nicole Tucker-Smith is set to pitch the Towson University incubator company. The startup recently developed a platform specifically for the Baltimore Teachers Union to help teachers grow in specific areas that will be evaluated, said cofounder Khalid Smith.
A pair of educators from Baltimore will be hearing the pitches. Jenna Shaw, who is the technology director at Liberty Elementary School in Northwest Baltimore is one of the “sharks.” According to Liberty Principal Joe Manko, Shaw teaches design thinking (what’s design thinking, you ask?) in the school’s Idea Lab, and provides technology assistance to the rest of the school through workshops, projects and other support. Emmanuel Andre, who works as an instructional coach and pairs teachers with specific professional development experiences in Baltimore County Public Schools, will also be in the tank.