LEARNING NETWORKS BLOG

LEARNING MANIFESTO

Ask yourself what you are truly passionate about.

Ever since I was a child I knew I wanted to make a difference in people lives. I remember playing with my cousins and siblings pretend schools. I would always want to be the teacher. I can recall having them sit around me and I would teach them addition, the alphabet or anything I learned that week in school.  I knew ever since a child that I would grow up to become a teacher who would inspire and motive students to expand their knowledge. 

            My road to education wasn’t an easy one. I was a student to was labeled at risk because I was diagnosed with dyslexia. My grades in elementary weren’t in the high A’s. I was a student who was eager to learn from my teachers. One of my resource teacher made a huge difference in my life. Mr. Flores motived me to not give up on my dream of becoming a teacher. I would always tell him that I wasn’t sure I would accomplish that dream because I wasn’t the smart student in class. He would always tell me that smart does come from the genes you have to work hard and give it your best to learn. He would always tell me that practice will make perfection. If I didn’t know how to read well at second grade that meant I had to work harder and be willing to give it all my best to learn how.  He was a teacher who shaped who I wanted to become as a future teacher. A teacher who was passionate in their job, willing to help students learning, motivate them and inspire them to become individuals who will be successful in filling their career dreams.

            My belief in education was shaped from my education experiences since elementary through college. I believe that a teacher holds the power to make a difference in students’ lives, like it was done for me.  A teacher can help a student learn not only what the TEKS requirements but more than that. We hold the power to inspire and motive students in their education as well as their daily lives. As a teacher our first role is to teach the students what we have learned. Our second role is to learn from the students. My motto in education is “Never say I can’t do it but I don’t know how to do it, but I’ll try.” This is something I always tell myself and my students.

            Identify what you think are emerging issues related to digital learning and leading at the state, regional, national, and/or global contexts.

            As we know digital learning has become a major part of today’s education. It has made its role in our classrooms not only state, regional, national but to a global society that effects our student’s educations. In modern education we have surpassed the chalkboards and chalk to more advance technologies like smartboards, iPad and applications educational programs that support students learning in the classrooms. Which in certain ways that is part of education and evidence that we never stop learning.  Our students in this era are born to a society that depends 99.9% on technology.  For teacher to be successful in the classrooms technology is a necessity. It will allow the teacher to establish a connection with the student and impact their learning in a more positive way.  Which increase the ability to accomplish No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 to target every student learning gaps and disadvantages. 

            The impact with digital learning has made to our schools and our students’ learning is not all beautiful roses it comes with its disadvantages too.  Not all schools have the same resources to reach every students education. The state does grant funds for district to implement different technologies in the classroom, but they decide where it is most needed.  The decision of how much budget goes to what schools has a lot to do with the state, region and nation you are in. In a global prospective not all students have the benefit to have technologies intergraded in their education.

What is right/wrong with education and what should the world do to enhance/fix it?   

            Education is one of the major things all people from across the world have in common. It is something that brings us together no matter of our race, gender or religion.  Learning something new from someone happens in daily biases and brings humanity a bit closer. I believe that it is the beauty of education. Allowing us the opportunity to expand our knowledge from others and inspiring each other to become better.  Education in our lives will help us expand our knowledge from not only our culture but from a diverse prospective, technology has helped establish a world-wide connection.

            Like education and technology can bring good to this world it can also play a negative role in our lives. Some students don’t have the resources to get a full education or have an education because of political or resources.  Technology in education can also lead a student to only depend on a software for their learning and can’t focus when teacher is giving a lecture. Students are so used to have technology at a reach that, that is the only way they want to learn.

            There are some ways we can enhance our education with the implementation of technology by limiting the time of usage and establishing a classroom routine where they don’t just depend on technology, but it serves an educational purpose.  For the limitation of resources in some places there are foundations across the world that help establish school and resources for students with low resources. For example, recently I was in a professional development where the co funder of No Excuses University talked about the accomplishment in establishing schools in low resource countries.

What are your core belief systems about digital learning and the impact you hope to make in your organization?

            I believe the digital learning in the classrooms serve as a differentiation for all students and targets every learning style.  It is important for me as a teacher to implement technology within the content, which allows the students to stay in tune with modern society and especially be career ready.  This will allow me to be able to target every student need while allowing me to challenge their learning.