Peyton Williams Jr. calls his father, who was a minister, his "first hero and role model," yet from an early age he says he was also fortunate to have teachers who reinforced what he learned at home and inspired him to enter the education profession.
Williams singles out his 1st grade teacher, the late Daisy P. Jones, for her "caring and devotion to her students" that continued into their adulthood. She had an impact on her students that all teachers can aspire to, he says. "She touched me very deeply," Williams recalls, and like his parents "always reminded me that I had a contribution to make in life."
His contribution to education began in the mid-1960s upon graduation from college. Williams took up the challenge of being an English teacher and an assistant principal in his first job at a high school in rural Sylvania, Ga. In both roles, Williams learned the art of being a good listener. Whether working with students with diverse instructional needs or collaborating with fellow teachers and families, Williams found that valuing the opinions and ideas of others served him well.
"You have to condition yourself to be a good listener, and not feel that you have to respond to everything you hear," Williams says. "Listening is an important part of collaboration so you can work with people to get things done."
Several years later, Williams was ready to take the helm of Sylvania's first middle school—1,000 students strong. As principal, he wanted to make sure he had the information he needed to make the school succeed, so pioneers of the then new middle school concept were brought to Sylvania. "Our strongest feature was our staff development program to help teachers understand the middle school student," Williams says.
On the Ship of State
Williams's success in leading the school caught the attention of state education authorities, and then governor George Busbee invited him to join his task force on education. It was only the beginning of his work with instructional programs for the state of Georgia. In 1977, Williams was the first African American appointed as an assistant state superintendent of schools. Later, as associate state superintendent for instructional services, he helped to shape Georgia's quality core curriculum, to foster a seamless system of education from preschool through postsecondary, and to oversee development of an early intervention program for families who have children with hearing impairments.
Throughout his teaching and administrative career, Williams continued his studies, earning a master's degree in education at the Tuskegee Institute, an education specialist's degree at the University of Georgia, and a doctorate at Georgia State University.
Now, as deputy state superintendent of schools for external affairs, Williams heads the Georgia Leadership Academy and the professional staff development unit in the Georgia Department of Education. Williams aims to find ways to lighten the burden of teachers caught in the middle of successive waves of reform and job burnout.
"We want to increase student achievement, but we can't place all of the blame at the doors of the schools. Student achievement is part of the community's responsibility," advises Williams, who wants to strengthen the ties between school and home.
Community and Family
In his spare time, Williams is active in directing education programs for his church and volunteering as a mentor to young people in the Atlanta community, along with his wife Sandra, a principal of an inner-city elementary school. One of their daughters, Rachelle, is studying for a master's degree in music at the University of Maryland, and another, Tara Alyce, works as a management consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Williams also enjoys reading, gardening, and listening to jazz, gospel, and classical music. Another hobby he pursues is photography; his favorite subjects include landscapes and informal portraits of individuals and groups.
Inspiring Teachers and Students
During his tenure as ASCD president, Williams intends to be a champion for both teachers and students by addressing complex issues in education. The voices of teachers "on the front line of delivering instruction" have to be heard as part of the decision-making process for reforms, Williams says. Administrators should also inspire teachers to become lifelong learners by giving them the time to reflect on their practice. Only then will a teacher seek creative ways to engage students in learning, Williams asserts. "We can't ignore the task we have of instilling in students both a sense of urgency and excitement about learning."
