Elevated Engagement | About Me
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About TaTanisha Talton

I am an educator. Teaching is my second nature, and I genuinely love teaching. I enjoy helping students grow in knowledge, confidence, character, and courage. My love for teaching started well before entering a classroom. I have always been nurturing and willing to share any knowledge obtained. So it only felt natural for me to return to school and become an educator. I will be wrapping up my 8th year teaching students, and I have enjoyed watching students excel in their academic growth and life. I have observed, mentored, and guided new teachers, emergency cert, interns, and veteran teachers in the transformational methods taught through the Innovative Learning Program at Touro University. I enjoy learning new technics and passing on my knowledge. I continuously contribute to students' success by bringing compassion, commitment, and excellence to the classroom each year and getting students excited to learn.
My philosophy of education is never to give up. Every lesson, every pitfall, every stressful night or exhausting day builds the magical person you are. Every child can learn, deserves an excellent education, and deserves a great teacher that believes in them, even when they do not believe in themselves.
My philosophy of education is never to give up. Every lesson, every pitfall, every stressful night or exhausting day builds the magical person you are. Every child can learn, deserves an excellent education, and deserves a great teacher that believes in them, even when they do not believe in themselves.
Link to my Blog
TPACK Reflection
Understanding my TPACK journey has been a true testament to dedication. My understanding has thoroughly developed a firmer grip on all the components that comprise TPACK. My pedagogical knowledge has developed through the experiences I have had teaching for the last eight years. I have learned to play up to my strengths while still understanding and embracing my struggles in my teaching knowledge. A solid classroom management style, high student expectations, and a whimsical personality have built a healthy, loving environment for my class.
Basic technology knowledge has always been one of my strengths, allowing me to change with 21st-century classroom expectations. I can quickly integrate purposeful usage of technology to support student growth. Technology knowledge has allowed students to gain a safe understanding of technology, support for skills taught, and engaging component to drive inquisitions. Regarding the content knowledge component of TPACK, my content knowledge has also gained strength allowing the knowledge to build upon itself each year. I understand content in a way that guides me to support strong student outcomes or pivot at the rise of misconceptions and struggles. My TPACK journey continues to develop because my technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge continue to evolve. |
TPACK in regards to my Research
The TPACK framework helped me combine my technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge to create a purposeful and effective learning experience. The technological knowledge gave purpose, know-how, and engagement to the processes taught in class. The technology in the classroom no longer represented entertainment but developed as a support to convey messages and plot knowledge learned. My pedagogical knowledge supported the high expectations I had for student self-accountability. To move student growth forward faster, students need to see the importance of investing in the learning process. Lastly, the glue to my research was content. Content knowledge guided me through the unknown, understanding where I wanted my students to end up and where they began. The process presented hurdles and pitfalls, but the content remained the same. The journey had detours; for many, we arrived at our destination and helped others find their way.
Reflections on your Journey

Professional Next Steps
First, let me start by saying this has been one fantastic journey. I started this journey in 2014, wondering where I was going or what I would do once I got there. The one clear thing was that I wanted to be an innovative educator who changed the lives of those I encountered. You might be thinking; you started in 2014; it is 2023. My journey in this program has been long and fantastic, but I have encountered many challenges. Those challenges have placed pitstops along the way. But I’ve persevered, and Touro stuck with me, making my journey richer. The knowledge I gained has ignited a fire, and I can not wait to see where it takes me.
Importance of Student Self-Accountability
My research began with a feeling of despair and desperation. Every summer, I reflect, and the school year, I am anguished; it saddens me to see the number of students who come into my fourth grade not knowing their basic skills. I attempt to prepare for such an issue but have yet to prevail. The problem advances every year, but I hold to my philosophy of never giving up. I am determined to have my students leave me better than they came to me and on grade level, which is an uphill battle. I realized long ago how important it is to be clear and concise about what I want students to learn. I explain why they need the knowledge I am attempting to teach them, "With knowledge, there's power." Empowering students is my job! Helping them get there can be tricky if students need help understanding how self-accountability drives their engagement and learning progress.
Influential Texts
The Innovative Learning Program was rigorous, introducing me to outstanding authors. The reading material required prepared me in such a way that has me constantly reflecting on my practice. A few texts that were not required but supported me in my research and will remain on my nightstand are: Confronting the Crisis of Engagement and Brain Rules. We are in a crisis when it comes to our educational system here. I want my students to be able to compete with the world. To accomplish this goal, we must be willing to confront the elephant in the room by addressing why students are coming with deficiencies and gaps in their learning. Then use the knowledge shared by those wonderful people who chose to write a book to share their knowledge.
First, let me start by saying this has been one fantastic journey. I started this journey in 2014, wondering where I was going or what I would do once I got there. The one clear thing was that I wanted to be an innovative educator who changed the lives of those I encountered. You might be thinking; you started in 2014; it is 2023. My journey in this program has been long and fantastic, but I have encountered many challenges. Those challenges have placed pitstops along the way. But I’ve persevered, and Touro stuck with me, making my journey richer. The knowledge I gained has ignited a fire, and I can not wait to see where it takes me.
Importance of Student Self-Accountability
My research began with a feeling of despair and desperation. Every summer, I reflect, and the school year, I am anguished; it saddens me to see the number of students who come into my fourth grade not knowing their basic skills. I attempt to prepare for such an issue but have yet to prevail. The problem advances every year, but I hold to my philosophy of never giving up. I am determined to have my students leave me better than they came to me and on grade level, which is an uphill battle. I realized long ago how important it is to be clear and concise about what I want students to learn. I explain why they need the knowledge I am attempting to teach them, "With knowledge, there's power." Empowering students is my job! Helping them get there can be tricky if students need help understanding how self-accountability drives their engagement and learning progress.
Influential Texts
The Innovative Learning Program was rigorous, introducing me to outstanding authors. The reading material required prepared me in such a way that has me constantly reflecting on my practice. A few texts that were not required but supported me in my research and will remain on my nightstand are: Confronting the Crisis of Engagement and Brain Rules. We are in a crisis when it comes to our educational system here. I want my students to be able to compete with the world. To accomplish this goal, we must be willing to confront the elephant in the room by addressing why students are coming with deficiencies and gaps in their learning. Then use the knowledge shared by those wonderful people who chose to write a book to share their knowledge.
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Lasting Learning from the Innovative Learning ProgramThe success of any educator is the ability to adapt to change. Innovation is the action. The action can be what you choose. The Innovative Learning Program showed me that innovation appears in many forms. The idea is never to think you're finished innovating because situations change, needs change, and you change. What worked yesterday may not work today. We, as teachers, are very aware of that! As my journey continues and I encounter new dilemmas, I am confident the knowledge gained through this program will guide me to find innovative ways to support student growth and circumvent any problem.
“Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity -not a threat.”
- Steve Jobs. |