Amanda taught second, third, and fifth graders before becoming Technology Curriculum Coach at Wake Village Elementary for the Texarkana independent school district. In her current role she assists faculty and staff in the use of new and current technologies for instructional purposes, assists in staff development on educational applications and technologies, and promotes and implements instructional technologies throughout the school.
"I loved using Mimio when teaching my students," she says, "because I could capture their attention. I knew I wanted to help teachers integrate technology into the curriculum after presenting for Mimio at TCEA in 2009."
Her TCEA presentation, "Not Your Everyday WebQuest," demonstrated how her students researched particular animals on the Internet and then produced Mimio lessons based on teacher-created rubrics.
"Watching the teachers show so much excitement about Mimio," Amanda says, "I knew my enthusiasm and knowledge could motivate and inspire others to get on board regarding technology."
In the spring of 2010, Amanda completed the Campus Technology Specialist Certification Program offered through the Texas Computer Education Association. In her new coaching role, Amanda has found that teachers definitely want to use technology to enthuse their students; they just need a bit of help learning how to do it. She points out that a Mimio system is "a cost-efficient solution to having an interactive whiteboard," and she says she has been "very impressed with the user-friendly software."
Amanda firmly believes that teachers must use multiple media to capture students'attention in the 21st century. She has found that a Mimio system is the best tool for delivering content, particularly because it gives students opportunities to participate. "Mimio has put ‘fun'back into teaching and learning," she asserts, adding that interactive technology gets students "hooked" into a lesson.
"I feel it is vital for students to be included in the learning," she says, but not just by "going to the board to move the stylus and selecting answers." Having students create their own lessons and teach each other various concepts really makes the content come alive for them. She finds that the Flash animation items on MimioConnect.com are especially good as attention grabbers for the students.
Amanda holds a B.S. in Elementary Education and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas A&M University. In her spare time she enjoys creating videos, reading, craft making, and baseball.