Happy Holidays! It’s always Teacher Appreciation Day here on Thursdays and today we’ve decided to feature a group of teachers and educators who we’ve seen grow their PLN via multiple forms of social media, including Twitter’s #edchat, their dynamic blogs, and their ability to interact with educators for PD! We’ll continue to spotlight a handful of individuals for Thank a Teacher Thursdays (#ThankaTeacher), who not only make a contribution to the classroom, but to the greater online teacher community. Feel free to read their blogs, follow them on twitter, and if you know a teacher or educator that deserves to be recognized – tell us in the comments section! Our best wishes go out to everyone for a safe, fun holiday and a wealth of health, happiness and success in the new year!
Alexander Findlay is a Virtual Learning Environment consultant at Stockport LA. A lover of all things IT, Alexander prides himself on being a Mac user and is a proclaimed photographer by night. He is also a part of Learning Leads, an interactive online system designed to support School Improvement through school- to-school networks and adult learning. Learning Leads takes the SCWD website onto a completely new platform that supports collaboration, sharing and reflection. Alexander has also worked as an Information and Communications Technology teacher and is Moodler & Google Apps Edu Certified. Follow Alex on Twitter @alexfinICT.
Andrew Hall has been teaching in schools for over 25 years. He trained as a primary school teacher at Bishop Grosseteste College, Lincoln. Andrew spent several years as a class teacher in a junior school, before moving into residential EBD work. He then moved back into a mainstream primary school to support an innovative programme of support for children with moderate learning difficulties. Andrew is fascinated by how the school community grows, develops and interacts. He loves drawing people together towards a common goal. Check out Andrew’s website, Consultant Head, and follow him on Twitter @ConsultantHead.
Dave M. Edwards is an innovator whose passion to see education transformed drives everything he does. Dave wants to see innovative learning become the constant and leadership become the catalyst to foster a 21st century learning ecosystem. His blog, Educate & Lead, is designed to give readers a good glimpse into how leadership and learning collide in effective learning environments. In addition, Dave hopes to spur critical conversations for changing the way the world leads and learns. Follow Dave on Twitter @eduk8andlead.
Dana S. Watts is an Ed Tech Integrator at the American Embassy School in New Delhi searching for innovative ways to help students learn. She graduated from SUNY Buffalo with an M.S. in Digital Literacy and from Canisius College with an M.S. in Secondary Education English. Prior to her current position, Dana took on a role as a High School English Teacher at the International School of Bangkok in Thailand back in 2006. Her blog, Teachwatts, attempts to explore how technology may change the face of academia in the coming years. Follow Dana on Twitter @teachwatts.
Steven Isaacs is a Computer Teacher and Tech Specialist at William Annin Middle School. He is passionate about the integration of technology and teaching 21st century skills to help prepare our students for the world they are eventually graduating into. Steven is also excited about the field of e-learning. He received his Masters Degree in Online Teaching and Learning from CSU East Bay. Steven’s blog, WAMS Tech Tips, offers guidance for new technology users. Follow Steven on Twitter @mr_isaacs.
During his teaching career, Steven Katz has specialized in social studies and technology, although he has been called upon to teach a variety of different subjects, and has enjoyed his various roles on campus such as director of educational technology, professional development coordinator, and mentor teacher. In addition to his current teaching duties, Mr. Katz provides professional development at various schools, and presents technology integration workshops internationally and online. Several of his presentations, and many samples of his students’ work can be viewed at stevenkatz.com and on his blog. Check out Steven’s book, “Teach with Video” and follow him on Twitter @stevekatz.
For the past three years, Jerri Davis has worked as a Technology Integration Specialist working with teachers offering training and professional development. She spent two years teaching 5th grade Reading/Language Arts and Social Studies. Jerri also taught 6th grade English and 7th grade Reading for four years. Her blog, Engaging the Digital Natives, encourages teachers to be digitally creative and integrate technology into the classroom to keep students attentive and engaged. Follow Jerri on Twitter @jdavis43.
David Coffey currently holds a joint appointment between the Mathematics Department and the College of Education at Grand Valley State University. He teaches future teachers along with performing some professional development with inservice middle school teachers. David’s six-word teaching philosophy is: “Engagement that fosters capacity and agency.” He has also learned a great deal about comprehension strategies and instructional coaching. Check out David’s blog, Delta Scape, and follow him on Twitter @delta_dc.
Debra Finger hails from Bryn Mawr, PA and is a K-5 tech teacher who is trying to stay current on all things ed tech related on a daily basis. She teaches Computer Science at The Shipley School, a Pre-Kindergarten through 12 coeducational day school committed to educational excellence and dedicated to developing in each student a love of learning and a compassionate participation in the world. Debra also currently hosts a blog called Learning Spaces, providing tech resources for teachers and information on how these resources can be used in the classroom. Follow Debra on Twitter @teacherdebra.
Corrigan Vaughan is the Community Manager for Currix, a site where Educators in K-12 and Higher Education can quickly find engaging material created by top educators, filmmakers and artists in the Currix marketplace. Currix provides educators with fully developed engaging presentations, video, audio clips, games, activities, learning management system courses and blog templates to meet specific educational learning objectives. Corrigan’s latest blog post, 5 years on Mars in 2.5 minutes, highlights a time lapse video of the Mars rover Spirit, condensing its five year mission into about two and a half minutes. Follow Corrigan on Twitter @CorAtCurrix.
