Mrs. Miller's 4th Grade Classroom

Lincoln Elementary School

Professional Autobiographical Profile

Personal Short-Term Goals

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Professional Autobiographical Profile

In May of 2001, I completed the Professional Development Program at SIUE as a student teacher at Columbus Elementary School in Edwardsville, IL. As part of SIUE's Professional Development Program, I spent the entire 2000-2001 school year with a fifth grade class at Columbus Elementary School. In August of 2001, I graduated from SIUE with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education and began my teaching career at Lincoln Elementary School in Pana, Illinois, that same month. I have continued to teach fourth grade for the past eight school years.

While teaching, I have served as the Technology Assistant at Lincoln Elementary School. I assist the Technology Director for our district in troubleshooting minor technology problems within our school building. This position also entitles me as the "technology go-to" person in my building, providing assistance with software programs, using the computer lab and interactive white board, or simply putting in a new ink cartridge. I have served as part of the district Technology Planning Committee and I hope to serve as a part of this committee this upcoming school year as new Technology Plan guidelines go into effect in the state of Illinois.

Outside of the classroom I have taken on different coaching positions. For two consecutive seasons beginning in 2002, I was an assistant fresh/soph girls volleyball coach. Also, in 2002-2003 I was a junior high track coach. For the past five school years I have been the assistant high school girls track coach. I serve as a co-sponsor of a running club for fourth, fifth, and sixth grade girls that a colleague and I began in the fall of 2006. We call ourselves the Pink Panthers Running Club. Our goal is to train young ladies to successfully complete a 5K race while building self-esteem and encouraging good nutrition. We are entering our third summer and this fall, with community support, we will hold our third annual 5K race in the city of Pana to benefit our running club.

During my time as an elementary teacher I have served as a mentor for two student teachers from Millikin University. While serving as a mentor in the spring of 2007, I began to research and consider pursuing my master's degree. Completing my masters degree has always been a career goal of mine, but I wanted to find the right time in my life to go back to school and to find the right program for my interests. I found my place here at SIUE in the Instructional Technology program. Besides always having an interest in technology and technology tools, I enjoy meeting and working with others in the area of education. My experience here at SIUE has provided both - allowing me to use and implement new technology tools into my classroom, while sharing, reflecting, and discussing these tools and strategies with other colleagues and peers. I have learned that students in our classrooms today will enter the workforce in careers not yet thought of because of evolving technology tools and resources. I have learned that these students need to be engaged in the classroom curriculum using technology in order to succeed in their future careers. I want to learn, implement, and teach others how to integrate technology tools.

Contact Information: J.Miller

Created by: Jessica Miller; Southern Illinois University Edwardsville