About Me

After the first grade "Three Piggy Opera"

Hi, I'm Brenda Harkins. I'm currently a graduate student seeking a Master of Education in Elementary Education at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. I loved teaching Kindergarten (2 years) and first grade (5 years) at Westside Elementary in Brevard County, Florida (2004-2011). Teaching reading in first grade is such an amazing and inspiring journey! The kids are a hoot at this age and we have lots of fun learning. Georgia will become my new home this summer and I'm excited to see what God's got planned for my next job!

This year, I am a full-time student taking care of two children ages 10 and 13 part-time. One child has epilepsy and the other was born with cerebral palsy. They are teaching me a lot about life, love, and family! Seeing the parents' side of IEP meetings and struggles for accommodations and help is definitely eye-opening and invaluable to me as a teacher. Technology can only help a student to the degree that they understand how to use it. As educators, giving students laptops, software, or digital notetakers are only effective if we help the students learn how to use it according to their needs.

My passion has always been about the child - how that child feels about his abilities, his value as a person, his teacher, and school in general. I strive to differentiate instruction for my students and to inspire other teachers to be open and willing to do what they can to help all kids succeed, instead of expecting every child to raise themselves up to grade level standards and expectations. My years as an inclusion teacher taught me that victories and success come in all sizes and if kids feel loved and valued they can better reach their full academic potential. Having fun in the classroom is also a part of my teaching philosophy. Be creative and hands-on often. Celebrate the little things in life with your students. Laugh and share your passions for learning too!

Time to Tech Up started as part of a Technology for Educators course but it won't end this semester. I enjoy dabbling in technology issues that affect the classroom and educators. I'm embracing technology, all its changes, and learning from you too!  Please leave comments throughout my posts...I'm just as much a student as I am an educator. Thanks for visiting!