As an educator, I have taken ownership of my professional development through reading, building a global PLN, and attending conferences. I seek to learn about technology resources and tools that allow students to be producers rather than purely consumers.
In the past, I believed that as a teacher, leaders would tell me what was best for me and what I needed to know. As I began to serve on committees like Building Leadership Team and the Interdisciplinary Team, I realized I had a lot to offer. I began presenting at local conferences and organizing teacher meet ups. My leadership as a teacher has led to opportunities that allow me to advocate for students and teachers.
It is my passion to empower kids and motivate them to take ownership in their learning. My students have connected with classrooms all over the world through Skype and Flipgrid. We have participated in Global Read Aloud and Mystery Skype. Using Project Based Learning, Skype has become a necessity to connect with authors, local businesses, scientists, and inventors. I am committed to raising responsible digital citizens. In my classroom, we used Nearpod lessons supported by Common Sense Media to teach digital citizenship, along with Google's Be Internet Awesome resources.
Within my district, I have a tribe of teachers that I collaborate on engagement strategies and best practices. By diversifying the people I surround myself by, I have become a stronger and more aware educator. Connections beyond my local community help me stay up to date in our ever-changing world of technology. Through blogging and Twitter I continue to grow my professional learning network globally.
Teaching kids to collaborate with one another using patience, eye contact and appropriate tone to be successful is one way I prepare kids for their future.
Two heads are better than one, not because either is infallible, but because they are unlikely to go wrong in the same direction. -C.S. Lewis
Students remember 20% of what they hear, 30% of what they see, and 90% of what they do.
Technology has opened the door for my students to be creative in a way I could've never imagined when I started teaching 10 years ago! When designing lessons, I utilize the design thinking process, project-based learning, and the workshop model to meet the unique needs of my students. Students are able to show their learning through authentic, hands-on, creative assessments. Here are a few of my student's favorite tools for innovation:
Finding new ways to integrate technology in the classroom energizes me. Students in my classroom use iPads to communicate, enhance, and create products of their learning. Even though I have no computer science background, I have inspired my students to engage in CS. This is a risk I was willing to take because I deeply believe in the power of students having access to the principles of CS. My role quickly becomes facilitator as I take a backseat in student learning. With the support of free programs, like Scratch and Google CS First, my students are able to self-direct their learning.
Edcamp Johnson County and Teacher Talk Olathe were created from a facilitator stand point. I saw a need for teachers to have open ended time to collaborate with one another based on their individual needs. Both of these events foster a culture of teachers taking ownership in their learning.
In order to keep growing we constantly have to be assessing what we are doing and whether it's working. Formative assessments have become an integral part of keeping my students on track. I use non-traditonal forms of assessement like, Fliphunts, BookSnaps, Book Movie Trailers, Seesaw Activities Feature, and Classkick. The data I collect from these assessments then guide my future instruction. I desire to learn more about personalized learning and have started incorporating elements that allow students to track their progress and set individual goals.
Part of assessing my work as a teacher and presenter is providing forms for students, parents, and conference attendees to reflect on my practice. I take this feedback very seriously and am always looking for ways to grow!