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| Personal Photo: Family vacation to Panama City Beach |
My name is Nicole Zedrow, and I have been in education for the past 12 years... wow! It has been awhile since I thought about how much time I have spent in the classroom. It doesn't feel like it has been that long, but as they say, time flies when you are having fun. Most of my time over the past decade has been spent teaching at the middle school level. The first eight years of my career were spent teaching at a middle school in Yorkville, but after my husband accepted a new job much further from home, I figured I should look into schools closer to the area. This brought me to Glendale , where I spent 4 years teaching 7th grade science. Now I spend my days as an Instructional Technology Support Teacher at the elementary level. I provide enrichment opportunities for small groups, but I also teach all grade levels in the STREAM Lab. What is STREAM you ask? Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. We are trying to add as many letters to our acronym as possible.
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| Personal Photo: Easter Sunday 2019 |
Outside of school, I spend my time with my wonderful husband and three energetic children. When you have three small children, there really isn't much time for anything but family, but I wouldn't change it for the world. Nolan, 6, and Colton, 5, are perfecting their WWE moves day and night, which I am convinced is something boys are programmed to do from birth. When they aren't jumping from the rafters, Nolan spends his time study the globe, or anything for that matter, while Colton is busy digging in the dirt looking for bugs and worms. Chloe just turned two and her personality stands out as much as her hair. She knows what she wants and she goes for it- I like to believe she takes after her mommy😉. And then there is Joel, my amazing husband, who helps ground us all. He is the calm that tames the crazy in the Zedrow household.
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| Gif via Giphy.com |
Despite the craziness that ensues daily at school and home, I am looking forward to jumping into another educational adventure by pursuing my Technology Specialist Endorsement. Learning and implementing new ideas into the classroom is what makes teaching more engaging and relevant to students. But it also brings the fun back into teaching because if we aren't having fun, what's the point. I can't wait to see what is in store for us as we work through the program. However, I'm a bit nervous about the adding more to my already busy schedule.
If there is anyone that can ROCK juggling the chaos and craziness, while keeping a smile on her face, it is you. Your smile has always been so infectious. Is there anything in particular that you are looking forward to in this journey the most? How do you plan on managing life, family, a new position, and a new educational journey?
ReplyDeleteYou are just sweeter than honey!From the program, I am hoping to discover more strategies and resources for supporting teachers. Right now, I feel like I have a pretty empty toolbox. How will I manage the crazy... cross my fingers and close my eyes ;) No, luckily, I have an amazing husband who supports me in so many ways. I am so happy to be taking this technology journey with you!
DeleteI loved the GIF you chose to describe the start of your tech endorsement journey! It screams of excitement and terror at the same time!! Thanks to the great introduction to your family and who you are as an educator. We are sure to have some fun learning together this fall!
ReplyDeleteHave you ever heard the saying that if you want to get something done then ask someone who is busy? I think you will do great in this program, especially since your current position incorporates so much of what you will be learning in class every week. I always loved going to a conference and being able to implement what I learned my first day back at work. Do you have an area of focus for the STREAM Lab? Is there any specific technology you would like to incorporate more into the STREAM Lab?
ReplyDeleteI'll have to remember that saying! The great thing about the STREAM Lab curriculum is that we have a large voice in what we will be teaching. Ideally, I would like to focus heavily on engineering in order to emphasize collaboration. We have been using science topics to direct our units, so now I want to see what technologies are available to support these topics. Or find ways to make technology the focal point of some units. Not only do I want to find new tech, but figure out ways to incorporate tech we already have available.
DeleteI think it is awesome that you get to work with such a variety of students throughout the day! Teaching STREAM sounds like it has a little bit of everything woven into it. I wish I could come by and see you teach (just like the good old days)! I would be really interesting to see how these subjects work together to engage kids. I look forward to learning along side you this year and growing as teachers.
ReplyDeleteI think it is awesome that you get to work with such a variety of students throughout the day! Teaching STREAM sounds like it has a little bit of everything woven into it. I wish I could come by and see you teach (just like the good old days)! I would be really interesting to see how these subjects work together to engage kids. I look forward to learning along side you this year and growing as teachers
ReplyDeleteI would love for you to visit! I was so happy to see you on the first day of class- and we thought we wouldn't get a chance to see each other anymore!
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