EdCampOKC – Page 15 – an unconference for educators

Meet Amy Presley, HS History & Government Teacher

What’s your first and last name?

Amy Presley

What do you teach / what is your ‘title’ at school?

HS History & Government Teacher at Northwest High School outside St Louis, MO

How are you involved in education?

Educator

What does your ideal school or classroom look like?

High energy, interactive, high engagement & risk taking

If you were to lead a session at Edcamp, what would it be about?

no expert, but familiar with Assessment for Learning & Flipped Classroom concepts

Are you on Twitter?

@stlpresley

If you are attending EdCampOKC, we’d love to feature your information here too! Please submit this contribution form, including a small photo we can use in your post.

Meet John Weidner, software developer

What’s your first and last name?

John Weidner

What do you teach / what is your ‘title’ at school?

software developer

How are you involved in education?

I wanted to be a teacher; but my sister (who is a teacher) talked me out of it. I got a degree in computer science and was trying to find a job writing educational software. But I never found that job. In 2001 I decided to create my own educational website – studystack.com. On StudyStack students or teachers can create online flashcards. The site then uses that data to create other activities like crossword puzzles, matching games and hangman.

What does your ideal school or classroom look like?

Students are highly motivated to learn new things. Teachers motivate and guide students to reach their goals.

If you were to lead a session at Edcamp, what would it be about?

I could give a demo on using StudyStack.

Do you have a website or blog?

www.studystack.com

Are you on Twitter?

@studystack

If you are attending EdCampOKC, we’d love to feature your information here too! Please submit this contribution form, including a small photo we can use in your post.

Meet Keith Denslow, Drama, Debate, Humanities Teacher

What’s your first and last name?

Keith Denslow

What do you teach / what is your ‘title’ at school?

Drama, Debate, Humanities Teacher

How are you involved in education?

Here is my current bio from my online class sections:Keith Denslow is drama and debate teacher at Skiatook High School and an adjunct instructor for Roger State University. Keith has over 20 years teaching experience in a variety of settings including coaching debate at the University of Nebraska, teaching in both public and private high schools in Oklahoma, and at Bacone College. He has taught Public Speaking for Rogers State University for over 13 years on the main campus, at the Bartlesville campus, the Pryor campus and online. He is a native of Ada, Oklahoma and attended East Central University for undergraduate degrees in Business Administration and Speech Communication. He holds a Master’s degree in Communication from the University of Oklahoma. He received the Outstanding Speech, Debate, and Theater Educator Award from the National Federation of High School Speech, Debate, & Theatre Association in 2012. Oklahoma Speech Theatre Communication Association awarded him the Outstanding Speech Educator Award in 2007. Keith has also received the Carolyn Crowley Award from the International Listening Association for teaching listening skills, the Outstanding Young Speech Teacher Award from the Central States Communication Association, and a Fulbright Memorial Fund Scholarship to Japan.

What does your ideal school or classroom look like?

Lately, I am interested in Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) environments combined with Smartboard presentation technology and soundfield audio, using direct response survey and testing.My ideal school would be one where fine arts and creativity are of equal value to other subjects in the curriculum.

If you were to lead a session at Edcamp, what would it be about?

A discussion session about:
What is the future of education?Or a session on:
How our technology changes how we communicate

Do you have a website or blog?

http://drama.skiatookschools.org/home/competitive-drama

If you are attending EdCampOKC, we’d love to feature your information here too! Please submit this contribution form, including a small photo we can use in your post.

Meet Jody Maxey, 6th Grade Science Teacher

What’s your first and last name?

Jody Maxey

What do you teach / what is your ‘title’ at school?

6th Grade Science Teacher

How are you involved in education?

My personal goal every day is to answer this question with a YES! Would I WANT to be in my class today? If I can’t answer yes, then it gets changed!

What does your ideal school or classroom look like?

Creativity, Inquiry, Discussion, Laughter, Technology, and no testing!

If you were to lead a session at Edcamp, what would it be about?

Building relationships with the kids through activities (big or small) that get the kids WANTING to come back to class tomorrow.

Do you have a website or blog?

maxsci.wordpress.com

Are you on Twitter?

@jmaxey1

If you are attending EdCampOKC, we’d love to feature your information here too! Please submit this contribution form, including a small photo we can use in your post.

Meet Calypso Gilstrap, School Librarian

What’s your first and last name?

Calypso Gilstrap

What do you teach / what is your ‘title’ at school?

School Librarian

How are you involved in education?

School Librarian, Oklahoma School Librarian chair, former English/Speech/Drama/Debate teacher, NBCT, ToY district finalist

What does your ideal school or classroom look like?

Autonomy with students; Planned Chaos. I want to see student art on the walls and bins of basketballs rolling down the hall. I want to taste cookies which are being sold to raise money for homeless students. I want to hear high fives and the school fight song sung at the top of our lungs. I want students wearing orange and black from head to toe; then a suit on their way to a debate tournament. There should be no bells because we respect time enough to send students to the next subject. Collaboration and partnership are not an event; they are part of our culture. We make a difference in our community because we plan our lesson around impacting the culture outside of our campus. And of course at the middle of it all would be one kick a$! library.

If you were to lead a session at Edcamp, what would it be about?

GoogleApps
Building authentic lessons
Using your school library
Flipping your classroom

Are you on Twitter?

@calypsogilstrap

If you are attending EdCampOKC, we’d love to feature your information here too! Please submit this contribution form, including a small photo we can use in your post.

Meet Carrie Bracken, 4th Grade Teacher

What’s your first and last name?

Carrie Bracken

What do you teach / what is your ‘title’ at school?

4th Grade Teacher

How are you involved in education?

I am a self-contained 4th grade teacher at Clinton Public schools in western Oklahoma. I also do tutoring outside of school.

What does your ideal school or classroom look like?

Ability to use and follow a full curriculum and teach all subjects that students are supposed to learn per the PASS standards. Freedom from having to follow a common assessment calendar that does not take into account different learning speeds of classrooms.

If you were to lead a session at Edcamp, what would it be about?

Utilizing “easycbm” and its resources in the classroom

Are you on Twitter?

@_sesBracken

If you are attending EdCampOKC, we’d love to feature your information here too! Please submit this contribution form, including a small photo we can use in your post.

Meet Kim Moody, Teacher/Librarian

What’s your first and last name?

Kim Moody

What do you teach / what is your ‘title’ at school?

Teacher/Librarian

How are you involved in education?

I am a school librarian who teaches students to question the world around them, appreciate cultures from around the world, and love to read for reading’s sake, not for extrinsic reward. I share new technology ideas with staff and collaborate with grade levels to extend the learning they are accomplishing in the classroom. I am constantly reviewing and building the collection at my school. I am passionate about curiosity!

What does your ideal school or classroom look like?

It would be fantastic if my school was small (less than 400 students) and felt intimate so that everyone knew everyone. Students would learn in the way and at the pace that worked for them, individually. Teachers and Paraprofessionals would work together to see that individual needs were met daily. Every student would set short and long term goals to meet that would provide them with the best education to prepare them for whatever their future held. Utopian, I know.

If you were to lead a session at Edcamp, what would it be about?

This is my first edcamp experience, so I probably won’t lead a session. However, if I could, it would be about helping new teachers use the library collection and the school librarian as resources.

Do you have a website or blog?

http://centraloakelementarylms.wikispaces.com

Are you on Twitter?

@librarykittie

If you are attending EdCampOKC, we’d love to feature your information here too! Please submit this contribution form, including a small photo we can use in your post.

Meet Jamie Fithian, Computer Apps Teacher

What’s your first and last name?

Jamie Fithian

What do you teach / what is your ‘title’ at school?

Computer Apps Teacher

How are you involved in education?

I teach freshman Computer Apps I & II classes. I also coach junior high and high school volleyball and basketball.

What does your ideal school or classroom look like?

In my ideal classroom, students would learn both individually and collectively through projects and activities. All students would have access to technology for differentiated learning, and they would use different tools to create, present, and publish what they have learned. Subjects wouldn’t be taught in isolation; instead, projects would incorporate several subjects at once.

If you were to lead a session at Edcamp, what would it be about?