#5 Great Teacher Wanted

We all know that the quality of a teacher impacts student success. So what makes a great teacher? Are great teachers more likely to use the current resources and tools available to them to incorporate meaningful technology? When I think of the great teachers on my campus, one teacher ranks at the top of my list. To protect her privacy I’ll refer to her as Mrs. Smith. Even as a new teacher to my campus Mrs. Smith possessed a discernible confidence in her abilities from day one. Her confidence, however, doesn’t keep her from collaborating or learning from others. Technology is used in her classroom daily and I am often asked about specific tools after teachers have seen her use them. I sat down with Mrs. Smith and asked her a few questions to see if I could pinpoint what makes her a great teacher.

 

Student work displayed throughout room



Did you always know that you wanted to be a teacher?

I always knew I wanted to be a teacher since third grade. I actually found a paper that I wrote in third grade. The teacher asked us “What do we want to do when we grow up?” and I said that I wanted to be a teacher.

What do you teach? How long have you been teaching?

5 years experience - 4th grade math, 5th grade math, 3rd grade self-contained.  But mostly I teach math.

 

What was your proudest teaching moment?

My proudest teaching moment was two years ago I had a student that the mom swore up and down to me that she was not able to learn. That she was not going to get it. She just knew something was wrong with her baby. And I worked with her. I worked with her after school. I worked with her whenever I could. And she actually missed commended performance on TAKS by one question.

What technology do you use technology in your classroom.

I use Smart Notebook, Mimio Studio, the eInstruction clickers, the CPS chalkboard, PowerPoints and Alphasmarts. 





Mrs. Smith uses a variety of technology tools to make

the classroom engaging and gather data that drives

instruction.



What do you see as the biggest benefit to using technology?

It keeps the kids entertained. It gives them a different way to look at math. Using technology lets them see different ways to solve problems. Also data. The clickers make it easy to get information about the kids.

What is the biggest hurdle to using technology?

The biggest hurdle would be trying to make sure that you have time to use it. You can get overwhelmed with all of the stuff that you have to do. Technology kind of gets brushed to the side because of everything we have to do.

What can a campus technology support person do to help you use technology?

I would say introducing different ways to use what we already have. Maybe I don’t know how to use it in a different way. Giving ideas of different websites or ways to use technology helps.

What am I going to take away from this interview as a campus technology specialist? I need to be mindful of checking in with those teachers that I feel “have technology in the bag.” They are just as pressed for times as other teachers. I plan to begin sharing the way campus technology is used. Teachers often aren’t aware of what is going on in other classrooms. I have to remember that technology training must be ongoing. After introducing new tools to teachers they need not only several opportunities to practice but opportunities to discuss what's working or not working with each other. Connecting Instructional Technology Professional Development to Teacher and Student Outcomes  (Martin et al., 2010) suggests that quality instructional-technology professional development has a positive impact on both teachers and students. It’s my goal to make sure that teachers like Mrs. Smith have the technology tools they need to continue to impact students.

Reference

Martin, W., Strother, S., Beglau, M., Bates, L., Reitzes, T., & Culp, K. (2010). Connecting instructional technology professional development to teacher and student outcomes. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 43(1), 53-74. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.