Philosophy of Education

My role as an educator is to provide a safe and secure learning environment in which students feel comfortable being part of the learning process.  I believe all students can learn and that it is my responsibility to differentiate my instruction to meet the needs of all my students.  It is my responsibility to diagnose issues students face in particular areas of their education and develop a plan as to how we are going to overcome these obstacles.

I believe that students should be active participants in their learning environment and that they should use technology with ease.  Students should actively seek out information and answers to questions by utilizing a diverse set of educational tools which includes technology.   I want to challenge my students to recognize that through the use of technology possibilities are endless.  Technology is more than a tool that will assist them in completing traditional assignments efficiently.  Technology will allow them to see new things, experience parts of the world that may be out of reach, and will allow for exploration of any area of interest thus giving them and education that would not be possible without technology.

Finally, I know that I will continue to grow and change as trends in education, technology, and society evolve.  I will not stop seeking ways to better myself as a person, student, and educator.  In doing so, I hope to instill the desire in my students to also become lifelong learners.

     This is my second online technology course that I am taking.  I am currently enrolled in the Introduction to Blended and Online teaching course.  I have learned so much in the short time I have participated in this first course that I am excited to find out what new things I will learn in this course as well.  I love technology and love using it in my classroom.  Technology changes so fast it is hard to keep up with the new resources that are available.  Taking courses is a way to ensure that I continue to move forward in teaching with technology and that I utilize it as a student centered learning tool.  I am very comfortable with creating flipcharts, prezis, powerpoints....... but those are all teacher directed activities.  I want the students to use their iPads as a learning tool.  I want them to produce work on their iPads which is why I am taking these courses so that I can utilize the technology in my classroom more effectively.
     I am very comfortable in creating lessons using technology.  I often help my fellow teachers with their questions or give them ideas on how to create a specific lesson.  What I want to know is how can I use my student iPads for them to produce work and to use it as a learning tool instead of a practice tool.  My hope is that I will gather a multitude of ideas from this course that I can use to enhance my curriculum and share with my fellow colleagues.