Hello! I'm Amanda, a K-5 teacher with experience in Hawai'i and California. As a former 5th grade teacher and current Kindergarten teacher in public education, I understand the unrealistic expectations that are placed on the classroom teacher.

 

My favorite part about teaching is seeing my students love to learn and get creative because the lessons I personally developed were fun and engaging. Students' individual needs were supported and their interests were met. But let's be honest; every day was not like that. There were days I couldn't provide an authentic learning experience because I just felt burnt out. I found myself constantly adapting the school curriculum and designing my own resources that engaged students, integrated technology, and increased my productivity. But it takes time to plan those kinds of lessons. Time that teachers are not getting paid to do, even though we have the skills to do so. Teachers are so creative, and no one knows what interests students better than the classroom teacher. Unfortunately, the system stifles creativity; it does not give teachers the time and space to work on designing learning experiences that allow students to explore and create in the classroom. 

 

That is why I have decided to pursue a master's degree in curriculum and instruction. I plan to design thematic, cross-curricular units that increase teacher productivity and student engagement. High-quality, standards-based units that teachers can choose from, based on student needs and interests, that include everything needed to teach, assess, and adapt.

 

We're all taught that Universal Design for Learning helps students succeed in the classroom, and it does. I have witnessed this kind of deep learning in my own classroom. But don't you think this concept should apply to teachers as well? Shouldn't teachers be given choices in how they want to teach, but also supported with the best resources to choose from? My vision for project-based, student-driven education is to see teachers supported as well with a variety of research-based strategies and resources to choose from. After all, the process of teaching and learning is an art; it cannot be standardized, and there is no such thing as a "one-size fits all" curriculum. 

 

I'll be staying up-to-date with the latest research, collaborating with great educators, and finding the right resources to integrate into my cross-curricular creations. My hope is that teachers will not feel like they have to spend endless hours outside of their contract hours finding content that actually engages students because, let's be honest, most school curriculum does not. I know how exhausting it is searching for the right resources in the plethora of content that is out there. I'll do that work for you. By providing high-quality resources that meets the needs of the 21st century, you can focus on what you love to do most: teach.

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While I'm busy working on project-based learning units, follow along as I share some of my favorite tech tips, resources, and teaching strategies that I hope will inspire your creativity and productivity in the classroom!

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Let's transform the classroom together as a community of educators that seek to find the balance between being great teachers and having enough energy at the end of the day to take care of ourselves. 

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