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JP Castillo Home Learn More Inspiration About the Author |
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About JPMy full name is John Paul Martinez Castillo, pronounced “KA-STEEL-YO” - you will also come to know me as JP. So I come to my classroom with 6 plus years working in the video game industry as a environment artist. What that means is that I have worked with art directors, other artists and game designers to create the worlds and levels the player interacts with. Video games are the result of countless hours of feedback and iteration. Nothing is ever right the first time.
My Origin StoryLike many of our students there was a point in time that I knew what I enjoyed and what I was good at, but didn’t have a direction to go in. At the time I was in college there were no sure fire “pathways” to break into the entertainment industry. Eventually I landed at Ex’pression College, at the time a very rare school that focused primarily on digital media. This is where I learned a sort of “total immersion” working environment that mimicked the long working hours that are required to produce the amazing art and visual effects we see in film and video games. This digital art school, taught me how to use tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects, and Adobe Premiere - tools I now teach in my own classroom as a Career Technical Education (CTE) Digital Media Teacher.
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My Students
Students in my classroom are either in front of a computer, or behind the camera. A focus on the principles of design and elements of art is emphasized in the projects and the assignments I give my students. Feedback is also super important, so as to not work within a vacuum. Like our students, every teacher is unique and we do not all share the same life and work experience. I love seeing the eyes of my students light up when figure out how to make something really cool - the Innovative Learning Program at Touro University is giving me the opportunity to share great digital tools that can bring design thinking, feedback and the iterative process to the classroom. These innovations will not only open up great learning opportunities for my peers, but ultimately prepare our students for the ever evolving workplace.
Reflections on My Journey
I cannot believe this is it. It was a long road, where there were times when I felt overwhelmed and questioned my life's choices. Who was I to think that I could actually get a Master's degree? Me, who only got B's and C's in high school and barely passed community college. Only entering into my 3rd year of teaching at the time, and still needing to complete 1 more year of Induction to clear my credential? On top of taking on some additional duties as department chair, an after school club, a side hustle recording video for the school choir, and my regular job as a teacher?! let us not even count just the responsibilities of being a husband and dad! What was I thinking?
Well, I was actually thinking that if I am going to fully commit to my new life as a high school digital media teacher, I need to soak up as much as possible if I am actually to be any good, and reach my students. Sure, there will be days when I'll really not want to be in class - but ultimately these kids, I mean young adults can tell the difference - if you are really there for them or not. I want to be as fully equipped to bridge the learning gap with my students, and the Innovative Education program has definitely helped me down that path.
Learning about transliteracy definitely helped me to look at my students from the perspective of ever changing technology and being able to adapt and communicate across any platform. With our website - it was an exercise in learning how to effectively articulate what we have learned in our overall capstone journey. We were also exposed to some really great tools to become more innovative in our classrooms. And lastly in the beginning we learned what meant to really dig deep and problem solve and research the environment of our classrooms.
I didn't think I would ever have the opportunity or even think I was capable of such thoughts. This program allowed me to see a side of myself that I didn't know I had the potential for. I am so used to expressing myself with creative tools on the computer. Now in this point of the journey, I see the relationship between knowing that content, using the technology to share that content, and the different means to teach that content to my students! Ha, I think I just described TPACK.
I am so thankful that I pushed forward, made the decision to enroll in the program and didn't give up. I also had some amazing instructors to help guide me and an amazing cohort to help push and inspire me along the way.
Well, I was actually thinking that if I am going to fully commit to my new life as a high school digital media teacher, I need to soak up as much as possible if I am actually to be any good, and reach my students. Sure, there will be days when I'll really not want to be in class - but ultimately these kids, I mean young adults can tell the difference - if you are really there for them or not. I want to be as fully equipped to bridge the learning gap with my students, and the Innovative Education program has definitely helped me down that path.
Learning about transliteracy definitely helped me to look at my students from the perspective of ever changing technology and being able to adapt and communicate across any platform. With our website - it was an exercise in learning how to effectively articulate what we have learned in our overall capstone journey. We were also exposed to some really great tools to become more innovative in our classrooms. And lastly in the beginning we learned what meant to really dig deep and problem solve and research the environment of our classrooms.
I didn't think I would ever have the opportunity or even think I was capable of such thoughts. This program allowed me to see a side of myself that I didn't know I had the potential for. I am so used to expressing myself with creative tools on the computer. Now in this point of the journey, I see the relationship between knowing that content, using the technology to share that content, and the different means to teach that content to my students! Ha, I think I just described TPACK.
I am so thankful that I pushed forward, made the decision to enroll in the program and didn't give up. I also had some amazing instructors to help guide me and an amazing cohort to help push and inspire me along the way.
Lasting Learning from the Innovative Learning Program
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Technology has always been a part of my life. From our very first Television, Atari 2600 and Microwave to building my own PC for the first time, to owning all the major video game consoles and owning the latest Iphone, I am no stranger to tech. When I became a teacher, especially with all the great tools and tech at my fingertips, I began to wonder. I wondered, how can I make tech and tools more than just a shiny new pencil in my classroom? How can I impact my students and not just teach them the tools to make ridiculous memes?
The Innovative Learning program has taught me a lot, especially in terms of taking what I already knew and looking at it from a totally different perspective. I simply cannot take the content of my class and expect a "one size fits all" approach. Even though, honestly it was how I was taught growing up and in college. Learning about how about 85% of all learners are visual learners, made me rethink and even helped support a lot of how I present my content in my class. It was very validating, because ALL my lessons are taught using some sort of presentation software, with heavy visuals. Pursuing feedback as part of my capstone, also allowed me to reflect on what really matter when it comes to teaching my students about digital media and design. Students must understand that projects are iterative and they cannot work in a bubble, they must get feedback. Thinking outside the box, to come up with innovative ways to use existing tech tools was also a joy. Lastly, I am super thankful to have done this work early in my teaching career, as it helps to set me off on the right foot. |