Old Dog, New Tricks

• 20 years of international school teaching experience.
• 7 years of IB Diploma teaching experience (TOK, Psychology, Anthropology, Film).
• Coordinated Moroccan Studies Program, Rabat American School, Morocco.
• Implemented IB Film at International School Yangon
• Experienced at 21st Century skills integration
• Fluent in Apple Mac platform, Google suite and a host of Web 2.0 tools.
• Consistently seeks opportunities to collaborate with colleagues and students.
• Creative educator with solid technology skills.
• Actively pursues professional development through Personal Learning Network.
• Committed to building and nurturing learning communities.
• Driven to be the best educator I can be.

My fundamental activity as a teacher, both in and out of the classroom, is building relationships. Nurturing a friendship with each of my students as a person and a learner is always my first and most important step as a collaborator in their education. My focus on creating strong relationships with my students has always contributed to a vibrant atmosphere where we all feel free to explore, take risks and meet the challenges that arise in a meaningful learning environment.

Another important goal for me as a teacher is to empower my students to take responsibility for own their learning. From designing the relevance for standards and essential questions to helping my students choose the best assessments to demonstrate their learning, I strive to make them co-authors of their learning every step of the way. The difference in motivation, attitude and sheer exuberance for learning is obvious between students who are ‘given’ an education and those who have a hand in creating one. As a teacher one of my primary responsibilities is to work with students in developing a relevant education for themselves.

 

 

 

 

Finally, as a teacher I am keenly aware of the essential roles that collaboration, creativity and communication play in a 21st-Century classroom. Students in my classroom are not only engaged with the content of their learning but also with their peers. In collaborating with one another my students are not merely learning to transfer information from one place to another, they are involved in the creative process transforming information into meaningful ideas. My passion for integrating technology in these learning processes enables my students to communicate and cooperate in powerful ways.