Masters of Arts in Educational Technology

Michigan State University

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August 2018

This site is for my academic portfolio of graduate work, completed as part of the Masters of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET) program at Michigan State University between May 2017 and August 2018. The pages herein contain educational artifacts of my own making, my teaching philosophy, goals, synthesis essays, annotated transcript, and resumé, all of which I have featured for the interested reader to gain a better understanding of my life, work, education, beliefs, and goals.

Upbringing, Background, and Teaching

I grew up one of five children in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where I attended Loy Norrix High School. I earned my bachelors in history in 2004 and a post-baccalaureate in 2nd Ed and teaching in 2006, both from Western Michigan University. With a deep interest in antebellum history, I was awarded the Margaret Macmillan Writing Award for my research on the founding and construction of Central Park in its relation to health reform, sports, and recreation. Thinking I would be on my way to earning my master’s in history, I found myself pulled towards service to my community in adult education.

Quickly, I returned to university to become a history teacher. Upon earning my second degree, a small school in the Phoenix Valley, in Gilbert, Arizona–an experimental school in blended and personalized learning–reached out to see if I would be interested in teaching Latin. Wanting to teach history, I had to think it over. But then it hit me. Teaching Latin is about language and history and so much more, so I went for it. And thus, the Gilbert Classical Academy was my first teaching gig. (They also gave me two social studies classes to satisfy to appetite.) A few years later, I went on to teach Latin at the University of Illinois at Chicago College Preparatory, where took my experience in blended and personalized learning at GCA and applied it to students who had never been given choice, autonomy, or work that suited their interests, abilities, and learning styles. With Google Apps for Education making their way into the mainstream, I was able to enhance the content, my pedagogy, and use of technology in ways I never thought possible, making students from low-resourced neighborhoods our focus, giving them the knowledge, tools, and skills to lead the way, demonstrate what they know and can do, and connect their families, cultures, and communities to their learning.

I should include that during my last year of teaching, I provided students with even more choice in a foreign language, as the school had one option: Latin. I had students tell me that they wish they could learn other languages, so we brought it! During my final year at UICCP, I gave students the choice of Italian, French, Russian, German, Italian, and Latin on Rosetta Stone (Latin was also offered as it were before.) It was the best we could do with the resources, space, and time that we were given. Students had one year for foreign language, so we created a schedule that enabled them to earn two credits over two semesters, helping them compete for spots at top universities.

Educational Travel

Most fondly, I look back on my time in the classroom…out in the world, sharing the wonders of the Roman Empire first hand with my students. During my time at UICCP, I led students on annual tours of provinces of the old Roman Empire, including Italia (Italy), Hispania (Spain), and Gallia (France). If I had taught there longer, we would have hit another former province each year. I sometimes wonder where in the Empire we would have gone next. Which makes me think — maybe I should start these tours back up, this time for adults.

Here are my “happy” students in Nice, France!

Inspired by my students’ urge to want to see the world, I founded Touraise, a crowdfunding site for students, artists, and volunteers to raise needed funds for their travels. In fact, the last group of students I took abroad used the site to raise money for all the tips for our tour directors, bus drivers, and local tour guides. And like so many other campaigners, they exceeded their fundraising goal! The company, between 2013 and 2016, helped over two dozen individuals and groups raise funds for their travels.

Administration and Leadership

I made the transition from the classroom into instructional leadership and management in 2014. First, as Assessment Coordinator, then Manager of Student Assessment. From a series of successes with teams across the network, I was promoted to Assistant Director of Student Assessment and Educational Technology. Having pushed for 21st Century education reforms within our schools, I took on the position of Instructional Lead for Personalized Learning and Student Assessment, both at Acero Schools. As well, I was the founding coordinator of the Aequora Paideia site at Bartolomé de las Casas in Pilsen on Chicago’s Southside, which brought Classics to English language learners through fun with Latin and Spanish. So, I guess you could say I never left the classroom.

Drumming

And I would be remiss if I did not mention that I have been a drummer since middle school. For one of my courses, I composed and recorded a song about street drummers as makers, i.e. part of the Maker Movement – for CEP 810 Teaching for Understanding with Technology, my first course in the MAET program at Michigan State University in early 2017.