Overview
Welcome to my teaching portfolio. The content and design of this site have been carefully planned. Each link along the navigation bar has a sub-menu of related topics to lead you further into an understanding of my teaching beliefs and practice. Below are some important sections you should be sure to visit.
Teaching Philosophy On my Teaching Philosophy page I share my core beliefs as an educator and explain how I try to infuse those into my teaching. My beliefs center on a desire to encourage creativity and collaboration, as well as using technology to empower students with the 21st skills that are necessary for them to succeed in the future. Pages in this subsection include a rationale for my classroom design, my professional interests, and a description of service learning work I have led. |
Student Work
Helping students produce work of which they can be proud is the goal of every teacher. In my Student Work section I have created a showcase of exceptional and creative products by some of my students. In addition, I share the background of each project and lead viewers through my teaching methodology. The inclusion of links, student handouts, and other practical materials should be useful for other educators wishing to repurpose these lessons for their own situations. |
Where to Find Me on the Web
Building a personal learning network or PLN has become a vital tool for professional development for me. Over the past two years, I have worked to create a web presence and connect with other educators interested in literacy and educational technology. My Where to Find Me on the Web page shares several websites I maintain and my professional Twitter and Facebook information. I am always looking to grow my PLN and invite teachers who share my interests to connect with me. |
Lessons Learned...
As I've mentioned, the process of building this portfolio has been a journey of reflection and growth. The metacognitive act of thinking about what you do and why has much value. As a teacher, it has helped me put my practices into perspective and allowed me to reflect on what is most important to me and my students.
Being a "techy" person, the technical challenges of constructing the portfolio have been enjoyable. I love problem solving and looking for ways to tweak elements to fit my needs. I spent quite a bit of time in Photoshop customizing pictures and website elements as well as modifying HTML and CSS code to give the site the look I wanted. Our digital native students often see information as readily accessible and only motivation separates them from a solution or answer (see this article for an example). I tried to think that way as I made decisions about my portfolio and worked to solve the inevitable questions and problems I had (For instance, since some pages became quite lengthy, I needed to figure out how to customize the template to add a "Return to top" link.). Maybe most people will not notice the differences, but it has given me a sense of pride to be willing to get my hands "dirty" in this way.
Being a life long crafter, I also tried to share that and envision the site resembling a scrapbook of sorts. I hope the snapshot-style and timeline of photos from my teaching career give the site a more personal feel, as if you have had a chance to visit my classroom. I truly believe my portfolio is reflective of my teaching practice and professional interests. Thank you for taking the time to look through it.
Being a "techy" person, the technical challenges of constructing the portfolio have been enjoyable. I love problem solving and looking for ways to tweak elements to fit my needs. I spent quite a bit of time in Photoshop customizing pictures and website elements as well as modifying HTML and CSS code to give the site the look I wanted. Our digital native students often see information as readily accessible and only motivation separates them from a solution or answer (see this article for an example). I tried to think that way as I made decisions about my portfolio and worked to solve the inevitable questions and problems I had (For instance, since some pages became quite lengthy, I needed to figure out how to customize the template to add a "Return to top" link.). Maybe most people will not notice the differences, but it has given me a sense of pride to be willing to get my hands "dirty" in this way.
Being a life long crafter, I also tried to share that and envision the site resembling a scrapbook of sorts. I hope the snapshot-style and timeline of photos from my teaching career give the site a more personal feel, as if you have had a chance to visit my classroom. I truly believe my portfolio is reflective of my teaching practice and professional interests. Thank you for taking the time to look through it.