In January of 2001, I began my student teaching experience at Emerald Park Elementary and was afraid of computers. I did not even have an email address. At the conclusion of my student teaching requirements, I was hired at the same school as the Media Specialist. To say I came a long way is an understatement. In that period of time, I learned the amazing power of this great educational tool. Computers and technology have taken the walls out of the classroom and made anything, and everything, possible. After being the head of the technology department in a Gates Grant school for four years, I sat down with the principal and told him I was ready for the next step.
The idea of 1:1 computing (one laptop for every student in the classroom) was spreading across the Kent School District, and I wanted to ensure the success of such a great movement. I was hired to teach Seventh Grade Humanities at the Kent Technology Academy on the Mill Creek Middle School campus. At the time I made this move, I said to those close to me, "I am not 100% positive 1:1 will work, but in two years, I will know firsthand if this is the correct direction for education to go." Not surprisingly to me, after only three months, I was sold on teaching in a 1:1 environment. The fact is, with a computer in every student's hands, there are no limits. The same tools and programs that are available to world-class architects can be downloaded and used for free in Google Sketch-Up. The same audio mixing tools used by music producers in Nashville can be accessed by downloading the Audacity shareware program. Editing software, with the same basic principles used by film producers in Hollywood, can be accessed in free programs such as Windows Movie Maker and iMovie. Such examples can be made over and over again.
It is next to impossible to explain how exciting this next step in education will be. With 1:1 laptop usage, students are able to delve into whatever it is that interests them the most and become experts in the areas they see as a way to expand the curriculum they are focusing on. The possibilities are endless. The walls of the classroom have been removed and students are successfully preparing themselves for a future that will require high tech, twenty first century knowledge and skills.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Sunday, August 2, 2009
About Me
I wrote this in 2003 for my first education website. Pretty much sums up how I ended up where I am at today...
Many people ask me why I chose to become a "teacher." The fact is, I did not choose to become a "teacher," "teaching" chose me.
When I graduated from Bellarmine Preparatory School in Tacoma, Washington in 1994, there was no doubt that I wanted to major in business while in college, graduate, get a great job, make a lot of money, and retire—you know, the typical American dream. So, after graduating from College of Idaho in 1998 with a degree in Business Administration, I accepted a sales position with a major corporation, and returned to the Seattle area. Although I enjoyed my job, and made more money than anyone my age had any right making, something was missing from my life. During college, I spent a considerable time in the Middle East, where life is lived differently than what Americans are accustomed to. At that time, I knew that I wanted to make a difference in the world that I lived in. I wanted to have a hand in influencing and positively affecting the future.
As I continued with the same job, I began looking into my past. There were a number of questions that I began mulling over and over in my head: “Whom from my past do I most admire?” -- “Whom is it in my past whom had the most influence on my future?” -- “Whom do I hold the most respect for from all of the people who have touched my life?” There were many names that came to mind; and all were teachers in some sort of capacity.
It is funny to me now, to think that I have chosen to be a teacher. It is a profession I never gave any consideration to while growing up. I always enjoyed school, but I never felt that I was the type of person who could be an “educator.” But somewhere along the line, I realized that teaching is a calling to those who have a desire to influence the future. Remembering this fact, and continually bettering myself to insure that I am preparing students for the future, will guarantee my prolonged success as a teacher. The day I lose this necessary and invaluable desire, is the day I will walk away from teaching. It would not be fair to me. It would not be fair to my students.
Everyday, I touch a student in a different way than before. My influence can change their attitude and desire for school and learning in that class. Perhaps it will change their attitude for that day—maybe even the whole week, month, or year. And at some point, I will influence a child in a way that will influence the decisions they make for the remainder of their life. That is why I am a teacher. This is my way of making the world a better place to live, and I have never felt so rewarded and privileged in my life.
Many people ask me why I chose to become a "teacher." The fact is, I did not choose to become a "teacher," "teaching" chose me.
When I graduated from Bellarmine Preparatory School in Tacoma, Washington in 1994, there was no doubt that I wanted to major in business while in college, graduate, get a great job, make a lot of money, and retire—you know, the typical American dream. So, after graduating from College of Idaho in 1998 with a degree in Business Administration, I accepted a sales position with a major corporation, and returned to the Seattle area. Although I enjoyed my job, and made more money than anyone my age had any right making, something was missing from my life. During college, I spent a considerable time in the Middle East, where life is lived differently than what Americans are accustomed to. At that time, I knew that I wanted to make a difference in the world that I lived in. I wanted to have a hand in influencing and positively affecting the future.
As I continued with the same job, I began looking into my past. There were a number of questions that I began mulling over and over in my head: “Whom from my past do I most admire?” -- “Whom is it in my past whom had the most influence on my future?” -- “Whom do I hold the most respect for from all of the people who have touched my life?” There were many names that came to mind; and all were teachers in some sort of capacity.
It is funny to me now, to think that I have chosen to be a teacher. It is a profession I never gave any consideration to while growing up. I always enjoyed school, but I never felt that I was the type of person who could be an “educator.” But somewhere along the line, I realized that teaching is a calling to those who have a desire to influence the future. Remembering this fact, and continually bettering myself to insure that I am preparing students for the future, will guarantee my prolonged success as a teacher. The day I lose this necessary and invaluable desire, is the day I will walk away from teaching. It would not be fair to me. It would not be fair to my students.
Everyday, I touch a student in a different way than before. My influence can change their attitude and desire for school and learning in that class. Perhaps it will change their attitude for that day—maybe even the whole week, month, or year. And at some point, I will influence a child in a way that will influence the decisions they make for the remainder of their life. That is why I am a teacher. This is my way of making the world a better place to live, and I have never felt so rewarded and privileged in my life.
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