September 2019

Jennifer Brickhouse

 

Name

Jennifer Brickhouse

 

What do you teach?

High School Mathematics

 

Where do you teach?

Columbia Early College High School

 

How long have you been teaching?

7 years... this is my 8th

 

How does educational technology play a role in your classroom?

Educational technology plays a huge role in my classroom. Thankfully CHS allows each student to use a Chromebook both at school and at home. The state started to embed the Desmos online calculator into all math state testing. In order to ensure all students understand the functions of this calculator they're trained almost each day on its different functionalities. The students particularly love to use Desmos to complete a "Polygraph" ... they're easy to create and it forces the students to use their subject vocabulary... it's kind of like guess who. Here's one on clocks... as an example... doesn't fit my curriculum :) https://teacher.desmos.com/polygraph/custom/5c9d3a222ab03627ab029c12 I also use my iPad in a way similar to an airliner (AirPlay). I really don't like standing at the board. I need to make sure I can see each students progress as we work so I LOVE using the iPad or Elmo (Document Camera) when direct instruction is required.

 

How do you find technology in the classroom helpful?

I am able to assist each student individually much more readily than before. I am also able to monitor each student as they take notes, practice, play games, make corrections, use Desmos, etc. I am able to do this with the freedom AirPlay provides. I am able to correct common mistakes by making notes on the interactive board from anywhere around the room.

 

What is your favorite piece of classroom technology? Why?

This is a very difficult question. I feel that each item that I have access to is used daily and in tandem. Everything in my classroom is intermingled into one huge piece of technology. I could do more with student Chromebooks if I learned to screen share with Google... I'm working on this piece... I'd love for my students to screen share numerical/graphical/algebraic expressions to the interactive board from Desmos for the class to see/discuss.

 

What is on your technology wish list for your classroom? Why?

My students do a phenomenal job keeping a notebook but I would love for them to manage a notebook solely online. I originally wanted my students to have iPads so that I could push out guided notes and they could annotate over them BUT now I think I'd be satisfied with each student owning a Rocketbook. The students LOVE to write in colored erasable pens in math class. It would be beneficial (as long as they named their notes well) for them to be able to send their notes to a google drive folder and keep up with all of their math notes for YEARS. They'd be able to easily reference old topics from any computer... so I'd have to say a lined Rocketbook for each student (or a classroom set) with many colored friXion pens.

 

What do you love most about teaching?

Everything. My coworkers. My students. My content. The craziness. I always tell my kids the first day of school that I LOVE my job and I mean it.

 

Nominated by:

Bill Ziegler - Principal, Columbia Early College High School "She utilizes technology everyday- she is able to walk around the room, help students individually and still lead large group instruction with use of her Ipad and students' chromebooks. She maintains her personal page on the CHS site and leads faculty in discovering new sites/ideas."