Teach. Tech. Math.
Learning Manifesto
Looking back on my years as a student, I cannot tell you the lessons I learned, the vocabulary words I defined, the elements on the periodic table, or the historical importance of every battle in World War One. What I do remember is my teachers, my classmates, and the experiences we shared. I remember the fantastic teachers who made their classrooms safe, friendly, and open. I also remember the teachers who were not passionate about their teaching; students often struggled in these rooms and dreaded attending those classes.
“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
― Maya Angelou
Unveiling My Educational Enthusiasm
My passion for education started in early childhood. My second-grade bedroom was my classroom, and my stuffed animals were my students. I have always wanted to be a teacher, and through high school, I discovered my passion for mathematics education. Some of my math teachers did not have a passion for what they were teaching and just read from the book's pages, expecting us to understand. Many students struggled with the content, but I did not. I thrived by teaching myself and then explaining these skills to my peers. I taught my peers and guided them through math. The joy this brought is the reason that I am in education. Through my undergraduate program, UTeach, at the University of Texas at Tyler, I could hone in on 4th through 8th grade mathematics education. This is where I found a love of middle school mathematics learning standards and educational age frame.
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As a math teacher, I recognize that many students struggle with the content and, in turn, build an aversion to math class. I aim to build strong relationships with my students to battle these struggles. My classroom is always open, friendly, and inviting. I want students to feel safe coming to my classroom to learn, make mistakes, and have fun. As an educator, I am a lifelong learner; there is always room to grow, learn, and collaborate to better myself for my students. I aim to share this passion with other educators to enable a passion for mathematics to arise in our students.
“Every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be.”
― Rita Pierson
Education Check-In: What Needs Fixing and How We Can Improve
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We must build up our staff and students with a growth mindset and better training. Many educators are scared to try new things, but with technology, we must jump in head first without being afraid of failure. Without failure, we cannot grow and better ourselves with technology in the classroom. A growth mindset is a buzzword in education, but I do not see it being a focus in our school systems. We must prioritize fostering a growth mindset throughout our school system. If we have a whole campus push to foster growth mindsets in our students and staff, we will have better academic outcomes.
“Every teacher needs to improve, not because they are not good enough, but because they can be even better.”
Dylan Wiliam
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Looking at our current state of education, it is clear how far behind we are with technology. Technology has advanced tenfold in the last twenty years, but the school systems need help to keep up with it. COVID forced many teachers to use technology to deliver content, yet there remains a pressing need to leverage technology for nurturing academic advancement. Educators are tasked with implementing technology to keep up with the digital age but must be given the proper training to utilize it successfully. Proper training needs to be provided for students and staff to use technology. Professional development training is often “sit and get,” but training an educator must be hands-on; educators must use the technology in a safe training session before using it in the classroom. Educators must leave a training session ready to implement new technology skills the next day.
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Navigating the Realm of Digital Education
I am passionate about being a driving force to engage students in mathematics using technology. I eagerly explore new and exciting math technologies to use in my classroom. One of the main tools I utilize is Desmos, a free online learning platform where educators can create and use digital activities to foster mathematical growth. I have successfully implemented Desmos activities and the Desmos graphing calculator to get nearly 100% of my 8th-grade students to Master the Algebra 1 STAAR EOC (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness End of Course Exams). I have also gained professional development on learning platforms, such as edpuzzle, which allows video content to be made interactive. I became a certified edpuzzle trainer to better implement the learning tool for my students and support my colleagues. Another powerful digital platform is MagicSchool AI, which allows educators to create assignments and send emails, among other tasks, easily. I have gained professional development from MagicSchool AI and am a certified trainer to support my colleagues in using artificial intelligence in the classroom.
I am also continually reading and researching to advance technological integration at my school. Continued learning is essential to bringing technological advances to the education system. Digital learning constantly evolves, and educators must take action and use technology to help their students achieve more.