“Education Building” CC by my_new_wintercoat
What methods or resources do you use to continuously improve your professional practice? What impact does this have on your school or professional community?
In the Canyons School District I am fortunate to work with a variety of people in a variety of departments and schools. I therefore have many opportunities for improving my professional practice. I am learning to view things from new perspectives and from others’ points of view. It can be difficult to keep good communication flowing between administrators, coworkers, departments, and agencies, not to mention the 160 principals, teachers, and specialists I work with at my assigned schools. To improve my communication I have learned to better utilize tools like GoogleDocs, Microsoft Exchange, weekly principal emails, and daily Twitter and Foursquare updates to keep everyone in the loop. This benefits each individual in my professional community.
My coworkers help me improve as well. When I do not know the answer to a question, I know I can find someone among my colleagues who does. I learn from working closely with everyone in the Education Technology department and from working on interdepartmental projects. Some of my current district projects include keyboarding, the new math core, student data management, report cards, and assessment. These projects require collaboration between many district departments. I can better assist educators I work with as I gain a better understanding of the role all departments play in educating our students.
I have been able to keep on the cutting edge of educational technology by using new tools and applications. Over the last two years I have been involved with four different technology pilot programs: an iPod pilot at Willow Canyon Elementary, an iPad pilot at Sunrise Elementary, and NetBook pilots at Sprucewood and Willow Springs Elementary. I meet with the directors of the IT and Ed Tech departments, administrators, teachers, and students to discuss the vision of how these tools can be used to enhance student engagement and learning. I study products, discuss tech specs, plan lessons, experiment with apps and software, research best teaching practices, and write project reports so I can be better prepared to help teachers use these tools.
I have participated in and presented at various conferences and workshops. (See the “Representing ISTE” section of my webpage for details.) I received my Master’s degree in Instructional Design and Educational Technology in 2009, and I keep in touch with professors and classmates. I have earned my multimedia and educational technology endorsements and plan to earn more. I contribute to and read blogs related to my field. I attend webinars and virtual classes and share ideas via Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. I am constantly connecting with new ideas and resources by participating in professional networks like Classroom 2.0, ISTE’s Special Interest Groups, and ISTE’s Young Educator Network.
When I keep my teaching practices current, model life-long learning, participate in professional development, and strive to improve as an educator, I set an important example for all of the educators and students I work with. I expect them to try new tools and strategies for teaching and learning, so I must do the same.
What methods or resources do you use to continuously improve your professional practice? What impact does this have on your school or professional community?
In the Canyons School District I am fortunate to work with a variety of people in a variety of departments and schools. I therefore have many opportunities for improving my professional practice. I am learning to view things from new perspectives and from others’ points of view. It can be difficult to keep good communication flowing between administrators, coworkers, departments, and agencies, not to mention the 160 principals, teachers, and specialists I work with at my assigned schools. To improve my communication I have learned to better utilize tools like GoogleDocs, Microsoft Exchange, weekly principal emails, and daily Twitter and Foursquare updates to keep everyone in the loop. This benefits each individual in my professional community.
My coworkers help me improve as well. When I do not know the answer to a question, I know I can find someone among my colleagues who does. I learn from working closely with everyone in the Education Technology department and from working on interdepartmental projects. Some of my current district projects include keyboarding, the new math core, student data management, report cards, and assessment. These projects require collaboration between many district departments. I can better assist educators I work with as I gain a better understanding of the role all departments play in educating our students.
I have been able to keep on the cutting edge of educational technology by using new tools and applications. Over the last two years I have been involved with four different technology pilot programs: an iPod pilot at Willow Canyon Elementary, an iPad pilot at Sunrise Elementary, and NetBook pilots at Sprucewood and Willow Springs Elementary. I meet with the directors of the IT and Ed Tech departments, administrators, teachers, and students to discuss the vision of how these tools can be used to enhance student engagement and learning. I study products, discuss tech specs, plan lessons, experiment with apps and software, research best teaching practices, and write project reports so I can be better prepared to help teachers use these tools.
I have participated in and presented at various conferences and workshops. (See the “Representing ISTE” section of my webpage for details.) I received my Master’s degree in Instructional Design and Educational Technology in 2009, and I keep in touch with professors and classmates. I have earned my multimedia and educational technology endorsements and plan to earn more. I contribute to and read blogs related to my field. I attend webinars and virtual classes and share ideas via Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. I am constantly connecting with new ideas and resources by participating in professional networks like Classroom 2.0, ISTE’s Special Interest Groups, and ISTE’s Young Educator Network.
When I keep my teaching practices current, model life-long learning, participate in professional development, and strive to improve as an educator, I set an important example for all of the educators and students I work with. I expect them to try new tools and strategies for teaching and learning, so I must do the same.