Eric has been teaching for 25 years and has really run the gambit in the classes he has taught. For the last 16 years he has been teaching STEM and has received the International Technology Engineering Education Association’s Teacher of Excellence 4 separate times. He constantly looks for ways to use technology to enhance the open-source learning experience that his students enjoy. He is also a Nearpod certified educator. “Technology is not a quick fix to a lesson, it takes front loading and thinking about the whole lesson and then designing backwards.” He has experimented using 2 different software companies to teach coding to 8th grade students so that they can learn the material at their own pace and on any device. A lifelong learner he constantly seeks professional development opportunities to increase the “toolbox” he uses in the classroom.

The coding bug has bitten the students at Amherst Elementary School! Last spring a small enrichment group learned basic computer coding using a course in Code.org. This year students in first through fifth grade also started the coding journey. As a Library Media Specialist, I am keenly aware of the importance of teaching critical thinking, problem solving, logic, persistence, and creativity. Coding is an exemplary platform to support student growth in these areas. From the child’s perspective coding is fun and engaging, and they can personalize their learning environment. If you are looking for ways to unlock the potential of every child, give computer science education a try!

My name is Jamie Dailey. I am a wife, mother of 4, and an educator. I graduated with my Bachelors from the University of Tennessee and my Masters from South College. I started my teaching journey at Pond Gap Elementary School in 2014. One of the questions Shelly McGill asked when interviewing me was how I felt about technology in the classroom. I was brutally honest about my inexperience with most things technology in the classroom. Thankfully, she saw this as a learning opportunity for all of us!

Why do I embrace technology in the classroom? It’s simple: no child is the same. Every student learns in their own way and at their own rate. Lessons I create and post online allow my students to read directions, process information, and complete their work at their own pace. This allows me to work one-on-one with students who need extra guidance and conference with all students individually. Each student in my classroom deserves an education tailored just to them. Through the use of technology in the classroom, I have the ability to give them exactly what they deserve.

Technology impacts learning in our schools on a daily basis and every indication is that the role of technology and technology teachers will continue to grow in KCS. In my technology lab at Norwood Elementary School, I focus on personalized learning, problem-solving and perseverance. Personalized learning can mean different things for different teachers and school systems. I see personalized learning as the teacher helping each student achieve mastery of each goal using the best and most appropriate technology available. I believe that perseverance and problem solving are some of the most important skills we can develop in our students. I make every attempt to encourage students to solve problems on their own by seeking out and using all available resources. Hopefully, every school will have a chance to use coding as a means to help students hone in on these vital skills during this week’s “Hour of Code."