"Teacher? I prefer educational rock star!"
I name is Joanna. I have been teaching all over CPS for the past 6 years. Currently I am teaching at a high school on the north side of Chicago. My passion for teaching comes from my passion for history and the world we have left in the past. That is what lead me into teaching, and inspiring students to care for people, things, and the decision made in the past.
 |
| Courtesy of Me, Myla my Pup |
Since then my passions have grown from strictly content to the combination of social emotional and academic success for all the students I encounter. Technology has been a huge peak of interest for me as well. Though it has been hindered by the availability of technology in the schools I have been at through out the years. My dream is to integrate technology with a balance of traditional skills that I feel important to maintain. In an ideal classroom students would have access to documents and google classroom through a tablet with a stylist to still be able to interact with the text.
I take teaching one step at a time. I make sure to create connections with students and create laughs while we work hard to reach our goals, hence the gif.
In my personal live I enjoy traveling and connecting with nature. Hiking, snowboarding, camping, exploring the world in all forms. I also like to share this with my husband and dog!
 |
| Courtesy of Me, Malaga Spain |
Hi Joanna,
ReplyDeleteI wish you luck integrating technology into your classroom. It can be hard where there are limited resources, which sounds like what you are dealing with at your current school. At my previous school district, I had to use Donor's Choose to get iPads in my kindergarten classroom. I'm not sure if you've explored that option yet, but it's a great organization and worth a shot.
I really liked what you said about creating relationships and connections with our students. I think that this is such an important and sometimes overlooked aspect of our profession. I have found that when I really make that effort to having fun with my students and make sure they know I enjoy being the teacher, they are more engaged and excited to work hard.
I love that sweet picture of you and your dog! Also, where are you and your husband in that photo? Almost looks like you are in Spain!
Good luck this school year,
Laura
Great to meet you, Joanna. I taught in CPS for 25 years! You mentioned you are a high school teacher- I'm assuming a history teacher? Your love of history and how the past shapes/affects the future is so important to technology. There are so many media literacy connections that can be made here! Looking forward to learning with you this fall and helping you visualize some of those connections.
ReplyDeleteHi Joanna,
ReplyDeleteI too have a huge passion for history. It makes me sad to know many schools cut time off of social studies/history because they find reading or math to be a priority.
Getting to know your students and building connections with them is very important, especially in the beginning of the year because you want your students to know their classroom is a safe place. These past days with my 1st graders have been filled with lots of laughs and giggles (but also A LOT of classroom management).
My school implements Second Step, a resource that helps students learn to become more aware, grow in academic achievement, and make progress in their emotion management. We also have 1:1 iPads which students take home. It is amazing to think how tech savvy 5 year olds can be! I am looking forward to reading more about you and your journey throughout this class.
(P.S Your dog is too cute!!)
Hi Joanna! I love that reflecting on the past is what inspires you to teach. I feel that learning from the past is the key to creating a better future, and I often weave history, social justice, identity, community, and current events into my teaching.
ReplyDeleteYou dream also sounds a lot like mine. Questions I often ask myself are: How can we use technology to support a learner-centered model (not perpetuate the factory model of education)? When is it best to put technology aside because "traditional" and/or offline methods work best? How can teachers make the most of having a limited number of technological tools in the classroom, as it may be a long time before all schools have access to sufficient technology, but their students still need to prepare for a technology-powered future?
I'm excited to learn alongside such a like-minded educator this semester!
Hi! I love your page! I too love exploring nature and the outdoors. I agree with you on wanting to integrate more technology into my classroom curriculum. I am very excited to learn more about this topic. I look forward to learning more about your journey!
ReplyDelete