A Modern Educator

For the past 10 years, I have had the pleasure to work and volunteer with Special Olympics. I’ve met people with intellectual disabilities who have been told they wouldn’t or they couldn’t. Loretta Claiborne, Special Olympics’ athlete and Arthur Ashe award winner, was born partially blind and unable to walk or talk till she was four. She did not let her disability define her, but she overcame these boundaries to run 26 marathons! She didn’t let anyone put her in a box or label her, but broke down barriers to accomplish greatness.

Loretta Claiborne and I at the 2015 Special Olympics World Games.

I too have experienced being put into a box and refuse to stand for it. I HATE when I’m labeled a “techie.” I am a special educator. I am a reading specialist. I am a google educator. I am a connected educator. I am not just a techie. I am a modern educator.

“It’s  easy to be pigeon-holed into ‘the tech girl/guy’ but it goes so far beyond that,” shared Steve Figurelli.

I am often one of those educators who is pigeon-holed as a techie because I’ve been using computers since the first grade. I still had to make an active choice to learn and expand my knowledge base. Modern educators are those who understand how to integrate technology into curriculum and pedagogy. They get out of their comfort zones and model the learning process for their students and colleagues. Jay Billy, an elementary school principal in Lawrenceville, expands upon this by stating, “A modern educator is focused on student growth and learning and takes risks to get them there. They understand there is no formula and each student must be engaged in a different way. A modern educator knows the value of social media and utilizes a PLN to grow and learn.” In essence, a modern educator knows how to utilize technology as a tool to engage learners and themselves.

Graphic compliments of Elissa Malespina

I was once told by a former supervisor that I covered up my lack of content knowledge with technology. To that I say, if I didn’t know curriculum and pedagogy I wouldn’t be able to integrate technology effectively. As educators, we need to open our eyes to the changes in our students and field. To be successful in the classroom we need to embrace technology as a tool to push our students further and break down the walls of our classroom. Technology isn’t just a toy anymore. From the administrators down to our classroom teachers to our administrative assistants, technology needs to be embraced as a tool to transform into modern educators.

I’m going to follow the lead of my friends at Special Olympics, and refuse to succumb to a label. I am NOT a techie, I am a modern educator.