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! We’d love to hear from you!
Kim Cofino have been teaching in international schools around the world since 2000 with her husband, Alex, a humanities, ESL and English teacher. Her first international school posting was at Munich International School in Germany, where she stayed for five years. During those five years in Germany, Kim was trained as an MYP technology teacher and was approved as an MYP Trainer. She developed and implemented the integrated technology program at MIS, as well as infusing the curriculum with multimedia tools like digital video, website authoring and media rich presentations which she has now accomplished in several other countries. Throughout her years as a teacher, Kim has always strived to consciously grow and develop as a learner. She enjoys reflecting on her professional experiences on her blog, Always Learning, as a way to practice what she teaches. Follow Kim on Twitter @mscofino!
Cristina Milos has been in the education field for the past fifteen years. She continues to learn, unlearn and relearn about children and the human mind. She is trying to be an educator and not a teacher, to stir the mind and not to fill it, to talk less so kids can do more. Cristina focuses on creativity, expressing the self, and independence in learning. She likes to reflect from time to time about her experiences as a teacher and attempt to answer the many questions that arise from those experiences. Read Cristina’s blog to learn about her answers and follow her on Twitter @surreallyno!
Sheri Edwards is a Technology Director and full-time middle school Language Arts teacher. She has taught 1st, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students at her school over the past twenty-six years. For ten years she taught the Talented and Gifted Program. She participated early in the Teacher Leadership Project of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, adding to her passion for 21st Century teaching and learning. Her classroom encourages readers and writers to blossom as they connect with other students globally, considering others’ ideas. Digital citizenship, media literacy, and equity in tech access are her passions. She has a Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Eastern Washington University. Read more at her class blog, What Else, and follow her on Twitter @grammasheri!
Maggie Cary, a National Board Certified Teacher has been an educator for over twenty years. She is certified in Secondary Education and holds a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education. Over the years she has mentored countless teachers and advised hundreds of parents. Maggie has taught children from preschool through high school. She is the mother of two young adults and lives and teaches in Florida. Throughout her years of experience she has individually answered a myriad of questions from parents concerning a wide range of issues. See what Maggie has to say about these questions by visiting her blog and following her on Twitter @maggiecary!
Stephen Davis has been teaching at the middle school level for fourteen years and describes his experiences teaching as a roller coaster of emotions with many ups and downs, and even some flips! He has a Master’s degree in Middle Level Education and is the originator of the #midleved hashtag on Twitter. Stephan is also the co-cordinator of Edcamp OCLA, has presented at the California League of Schools, International Reform Symposium, CUE Tech Fest, the TELL Conference, and at his own school school. To keep up with Stephen, check out his blog and follow him on Twitter @rushtheiceberg!
Michelle Stern taught high school biology and environmental science for five years after studying primate mating behavior in college. For the past eleven years, she focused on her family, her many pets, backyard chickens and quickly expanding vegetable garden. In the Fall of 2011, Michelle returned to the classroom to teach high school biology again. She could not wait to begin incorporating food into the curriculum. When she is not teaching, Michelle maintains her company, What’s Cooking with Kids. It is a certified-green company that offers healthy and seasonal cooking classes to kids in the San Francisco Bay Area. Check out her website and follow Michelle on Twitter @whatscooking!
Katie Morrow is a former elementary teacher currently serving as middle school teacher and technology integration specialist for O’Neill Public Schools. In this role, Katie leads the school in a 1:1 laptop initiative called “24/7 Learning.” She was a member of Apple’s ACOT2 Curriculum Development Team and has worked extensively on the development, implementation, and sharing of Challenge Based Learning. Whether teaching in the classroom, facilitating graduate courses, or leading professional development, Katie is passionate about her role in helping educators both near and far. To learn more about how she is integrating tech into the classroom, visit Katie’s blog, Teach42Morrow, and follow her on Twitter @katiemorrow!
