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Everyone in his or her teaching careers should be given the privilege of working with the “Tch of the Week” Kristel Keegan. Ms. Keegan hasbeen a teacher at Solorio High School for a few years, and has left quite a mark on the students, the school, and her fellow teachers.
Ms. Keegan implements technology in her lessons on a regular basis. The other day, she was having her students analyze bacteria from their hand by taking pictures with iPads and writing threads to each other, identifying the type of bacteria that was growing. Ms. Keegan always uses the technology not only to engage her students, but to enhance her lessons so that her students can learn as much as they possibly can.
Ms. Keegan is one of the school’s technology experts, as she created a teacher website for the staff to go to when they are looking for various forms, reports, or for referrals for their students. Teachers often go to her for support with technology, as she never will turn anyone away.
Lastly, she uses the technology to help her fellow co-workers. Ms. Keegan runs a “video club” for first and second year teachers, as they record each other on TchAUSL, and then comment/reflect upon the lessons that they viewed. She uses these videos to help the people that she is coaching. She is also a mentor teacher, as she uses TchAUSL to record her resident and to help him grow as a professional teacher.
This is just the tip of the iceberg for Ms. Keegan. Let’s learn a little more about Ms. Keegan from the source herself:
Why did you become a teacher?
I became a teacher because I believe that educating today’s youth, especially lower income youth, is the best way to change the world. Education empowers. If my students can become tomorrow’s leaders, then I have no question that they will make the world a better place. I know all this sounds cheesy but it’s true!
Who or what inspires you?
My students inspire me. That’s an easy one. They have so much potential, and I am honored and humbled to be tasked with unleashing that potential! They are the 115 reasons that I come to work everyday. They are also the 115 reasons that I am always striving to become a better teacher. I want to be better for them.
What advice do you have for your fellow TchAUSL community members?
Using anything new is a process. Have patience! TchAUSL is a tool that can be used to truly transform your practice. However, change is difficult and learning new habits and practices can be challenging. Don’t give up after your first encounter! Persevere, and you will become facile with this tool. Then, eventually, it will begin to pay you back in spades. We teachers have to stick together and help each other. We are stronger together. TchAUSL can be the tool that helps us help each other to be great.
Every time that I enter Ms. Keegan’s room or have a conversation with her, I learn a plethora of things, from little teaching quips, to routines/procedures for the classroom, to ideas for implementing technology into my lessons. Solorio High School is very fortunate to have a teacher like this on our staff, for the school, the students, and the teachers all benefit from her and her technological ideas.
