Let’s take an ‘EdTech Temperature Check’ in five questions with Juanita Smith. Mrs. Smith is a veteran educator and long-time proponent of TeachersFirst. A true lifelong learner and skilled teacher with over 27 years of successful middle school classroom experience, Mrs. Smith now serves as an Instructional Coach for Greenville County Schools in Greenville, SC and focuses on increasing student achievement by supporting classroom teachers. She has served as a member of the TeachersFirst Advisory Board for three years, participated in the organization’s inaugural Book Study and regularly attends OK2Ask webinars. Let’s hear from one of our talented members.
K STREETER: What’s one thing you do every day without fail?
J. SMITH: I play with my dog, Oscar.
K STREETER: What is one of your favorite quotes?
J. SMITH: ‘You never fail until you fail to try.’ ~attributable variation from Albert Einstein – I love this quote because each day brings a new challenge that you can’t ignore.
K STREETER: What are three technology tools you can’t live without and why?
J. SMITH: TeachersFirst, Google Calendar, and iPhone (to keep up with my granddaughters).
K STREETER: What is the biggest EdTech challenge you face in your current role?
J. SMITH: The biggest challenge is helping teachers find the right technology tool to engage their students in learning.
K STREETER: Finally, name two topics you think are hot in education right now that teachers need to become familiar with.
J. SMITH: GAFE (Google Apps for Education) and Flipped Classroom/Blended Learning