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Using Google Classroom in the Elementary Classroom Feinberg Home Learn More Standards Inspiration About the Author |
About the Author
My journey into an educational career began in my childhood garage, when I was young child pretending to be a teacher, as I playfully taught all the neighborhood children. Needless to say, my own personal struggles as a student influenced how I teach today. My focus as a teacher has been to make sure that I reach all of my students by providing them with a variety of instructional methods, strategies, and technological tools in order to engage them into taking ownership of their learning. I believe that when students are empowered in the process of their own learning, then desired learning outcomes can be achieved. This is why I decided to go back to graduate school and earn my master’s degree in Education with a focus on innovative learning. My master’s program has allowed me to be able to collaborate with colleagues to share ideas on instruction and student engagement in the classroom utilizing educational tools to support and enhance student learning. I started my teaching career with the Whisman Elementary School District as a fourth grade teacher in Mountain View, California. In my third year of teaching, I switched to teaching fifth grade. Then, my family and I moved to American Canyon, CA, where I started working for the Napa Valley Unified District as a fifth grade teacher, and stayed in that grade level for over 15 years! I have spent the last two years serving Yountville Elementary school as its Academic Specialist and will be returning to the classroom (budget cuts) this coming school year as a third and fourth grade combination teacher.
Reflections on my Journey
Twenty-nine years ago I started college with a type writer and a card catalogue in the library to complete my research papers. Fast-forward twenty-nine years and I use a laptop and the internet to complete my masters degree. When I started teaching, my 4th grade class visited the computer lab once a week to insert CD-ROMs and play educational games. Gradually, more computers were available and I was able to allow students to complete classroom assignment and make slide shows. For a good decade, I used computers to teach READ 180 and for sharing documents with me. Very few of these assignments required group collaboration and technological savviness. Technology was changing so fast, I couldn't keep up with it! I found myself asking my students for help and a sense of direction in terms of learning and understanding the latest technological innovations. I decided to further my education and background with understanding advancements in technology and how these programs could benefit learning in the classroom to better enhance my inquisitive nature.
Lasting Learning from the Innovative Learning program
Touro University and NapaLearns provided for me an opportunity to pick a masters degree where I could specialize in innovative learning and align it with technology. The Innovative Learning emphasis has allows me to share information and ideas with cohorts, as well as provide a sophisticated educational platform from which my students can gain greater insight and enhance their learning on a given topic. I have learned that you have to continually work with technology in order to obtain a good understanding of the tools you want your students to learn. This program has made me see learning through the eyes of a student and how important it is to learn by doing.
TPACK Reflection
Technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge are required in all aspects of teaching and learning. Students have to be able to demonstrate knowledge and mastery of core content standards and technology allows students to showcase their learning. Technology in the past, was a time filler for me. Today, I use technology to integrate learning with real world problems. TPACK allows me to instruct students with the most innovative strategies that lead to desired learning outcomes. My philosophy is all students can and will learn, when given the right tools with explicit direct instruction.
Reflections on my Journey
Twenty-nine years ago I started college with a type writer and a card catalogue in the library to complete my research papers. Fast-forward twenty-nine years and I use a laptop and the internet to complete my masters degree. When I started teaching, my 4th grade class visited the computer lab once a week to insert CD-ROMs and play educational games. Gradually, more computers were available and I was able to allow students to complete classroom assignment and make slide shows. For a good decade, I used computers to teach READ 180 and for sharing documents with me. Very few of these assignments required group collaboration and technological savviness. Technology was changing so fast, I couldn't keep up with it! I found myself asking my students for help and a sense of direction in terms of learning and understanding the latest technological innovations. I decided to further my education and background with understanding advancements in technology and how these programs could benefit learning in the classroom to better enhance my inquisitive nature.
Lasting Learning from the Innovative Learning program
Touro University and NapaLearns provided for me an opportunity to pick a masters degree where I could specialize in innovative learning and align it with technology. The Innovative Learning emphasis has allows me to share information and ideas with cohorts, as well as provide a sophisticated educational platform from which my students can gain greater insight and enhance their learning on a given topic. I have learned that you have to continually work with technology in order to obtain a good understanding of the tools you want your students to learn. This program has made me see learning through the eyes of a student and how important it is to learn by doing.
TPACK Reflection
Technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge are required in all aspects of teaching and learning. Students have to be able to demonstrate knowledge and mastery of core content standards and technology allows students to showcase their learning. Technology in the past, was a time filler for me. Today, I use technology to integrate learning with real world problems. TPACK allows me to instruct students with the most innovative strategies that lead to desired learning outcomes. My philosophy is all students can and will learn, when given the right tools with explicit direct instruction.
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