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Today’s children are the future of the world.  They hold the secrets and promises of tomorrow.  I am honored to have a voice, some influence, and the opportunity to nurture these leaders of the future.  Every child has the potential to change the world.  They are individuals with different thoughts, feelings, problems, passions, and dreams.  It is my privilege as an educator to help my students learn how to use their potential. This involves; being a good role model, helping students understand, interact with, and influence the world around them, and challenging them to pursue their dreams. 

The principles and standards outlined in the Illinois State Board of Education, (ISBE), the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), and the National Education Technology Standards for Educators (NETS) give me a strong base for my teaching philosophy and methodology. They structure the learning goals I set for myself and my students, and the methods I employ to reach these goals. Their precepts are incorporated daily to guide students to a deep understanding and appreciation of math and technology.

Currently, I teach three levels of seventh grade math classes at a junior high in Northbrook, Illinois, and my lesson planning is a multi-faceted process. I am continually seeking resources and tools for actively engaging students in the learning process. Factors such as: motivation, materials, direct vs. indirect instruction, and pacing go into constructing how new ideas will be approached, but an increasingly determinate factor is technology. I'm beginning to think as a teacher who is seeking to secure meaningful learning with technology in my classroom (Asburn & Floden, 2006). Many of my students come to school with a working knowledge of computers and they are receptive to the learning opportunities that can accessed with computers and the internet. As a teacher I acknowledge and accept the place of technology in my curriculum, and welcome its inclusion. I consider technology to be a practical, complementary, and increasingly necessary component for strengthening the school experience for many children. As part of their development physically, emotionally, and intellectually, middle school students are beginning to think abstractly (Knowles and Brown, 2000). They are also ready to develop a deep understanding of content and its application in new real-world contexts. In math, I believe, technology can help many individuals to make the connections between the concrete and abstract of algebra and geometry. I challenge myself and my students to approach math with a critical and creative eye. Instead of solving equations through rote memorization of steps, we use the technology of computers, cameras, calculators, etc. to collect and record data, analyze information, reflect on patterns, represent relationships, and present conclusions. My knowledge of both the technology and math standards allows me to concentrate on providing new and interesting challenges for learning in a supportive environment. I use computers, software, DVD, projectors, interactive whiteboards, etc. for daily assignments, assessments, long-term projects, and supplemental activities to scaffold learners with a range of strengths, interests, and learning backgrounds.

Assessment in my classroom takes on many different forms. In order to fairly assess a variety of students, and as a result of this masters program, I incorporate technology in a variety of capacities. I want my assessment to be as authentic as possible and I am using combinations of math software, rubrics, spreadsheets, and multimedia presentations in order to give students avenues for connecting curricula to events and people in their lives. Shurr suggests that this authentic assessment should engage students emotionally and involve them in real-life contexts (as cited in Knowles and Brown 2000). In the last two years of this program I have challenged myself to create two new math projects for my students that were embedded with strong technology components. I am proud of these projects and the feedback that I received from students indicating an overwhelming preference for continuing to use computers in the classroom. One constant theme in my classroom has been communication. I believe that it is important for students to be able to express their thoughts and problem-solving strategies using math vocabulary, diagrams, and tables in coherent oral, written, or multimedia formats. This helps me determine whether true learning has occurred or whether the student is just going through the motions. Competent and comprehensive assessment embedded in the learning activities provides informative feedback for both the learner and the teacher (Cunningham, 2000). Using this feedback, adaptations to methods and lessons shaping student understanding can be implemented.

My professional development has been an ongoing process. After graduating college in 2000, I began working as an associate teacher at Baker Demonstration School in Evanston, Illinois. I was working in a math classroom and teaching sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. Since Baker shared its campus with National Louis University, I was well-aware of the opportunities available to me. In order to continue to meet the needs for a diverse and dynamic body, and to introduce myself to the fast-advancing world of technology, I decided to continue my education and pursue a M.Ed. in 2002. I chose the Technology in Education program with the hope that it would help me learn more about the resources and materials available for challenging and supporting my students.

Five years later, as I finish up my degree, I look back on all the eye-opening experiences I have had at NLU. At five different campuses, with a myriad of professors, and alongside numerous teachers and tech coordinators who were my peers, I have grown in my ability and understanding. Development and improvement of my skills with word processing, databases, website creating, movie and picture editing, presentations software, classroom software, internet searches, assessment, policy initiatives, and teaching philosophy have already positively affected my curriculum development, classroom management, and motivation. My passion for working with middle school students endures and it has been strengthened by the ideas, philosophy, and research I encountered and reflected upon during my studies. I continue to search for ways for extend the connections for learning math beyond the walls fo the classroom and I appreciate technology as a significant tool for this endeavor. I continue to develop relationships with teachers, tech coordinators, and administration in my building with whom I can work comfortably and who will challenge me to be innovative (Asburn & Floden, 2006). Computers are the way of the future for our children and their educational experience should reflect that.

My professional development and education will not end here. The teaching profession is constantly evolving as we learn more about the developing adolescent and his or her role in a changing society. My teaching philosophy, appreciation for technology, and passion for learning will keep me striving for personal improvement and student success.