my "first" blog post

So that title is not exactly true…

I’ve done a little personal blogging before. And I had started this same blog (on another domain) before joining an online teaching endorsement program with my school district. I'm now moving my content to the Blogger platform. So, this is the first time I have blogged about teaching or teacher technology. So bear with me as I start out on something new here, okay?

I’ve been teaching for 7 years now, and since the inception of my teaching career technology has always been a big part of my “teacher toolbox.” I remember during my first year of teaching, QR codes had just become a big deal in our school system and I was one of the first teachers that allowed my students to use their cell phones (GASP!) to access online resources like notes and homework help videos. I was that new teacher; the one that allowed those “wretched devices” to be brought into the classroom, much to the dismay of many of my fellow teachers.

Then it happened… During my second year, our district adopted a “B.Y.O.T.” policy, allowing students to bring and use their own devices in the classrooms of teachers who permitted it. As one of “those” teachers, I sought out new ways to incorporate students’ personal technology into lab assignments, assessments, etc. I saw tremendous increases in student engagement and collaboration and an excitement about learning that I had not previously experienced, and I wasn’t the only one. I developed a new set of expectations, and along with them a reputation of being the friendly neighborhood tech-nerd. B.Y.O.T. changed my teaching practices (and the culture in our district) for good.

Fast-forward to the present…
Our district now provides all students with Google Apps for Education accounts; the school where I teach is almost completely 1:1 with Chromebooks for all students. I’m the proud “parent” of a cart of 30 Chromebooks my students use almost every day. And when our school was the recipient of a $17,000 3D virtual reality projection system, who do you think the first one to sign up and use it was? … (If you can’t guess, then check out this Tweet from my principal.)

Have you caught on yet?
Can you tell how much I love technology?!

Technology is infused into almost every aspect of my teaching practices. From engaging students, to collaborating with students/teachers, and even assessment… technology has changed my views on education and on the art of teaching. I’m excited to see where technology takes me in the future.

A new interest for me is teaching virtually. The interest developed when I first used Google Hangouts of Air to teach from home for a few weeks when my first daughter was born. It was a totally new experience for my students (and for me), and it’s allowed me to expand my instruction beyond the 4 walls of the classroom. This interest has gradually evolved into homework help video and online study sessions, like this one where my daughter  (2 y.o. here) helps me conduct an anatomy review session.

I hope to continue growing in the area of online teaching

Through the Georgia #eteacherTOOL I hope to gain strategies for effective online instruction as a supplement to my classroom instruction and perhaps even eventually transition into teaching fully online.

Thank you for joining me on this journey and for any thoughts you may have on the blog posts to follow in the coming days.