In this month's Staff Spotlight, we are highlighting someone who helps some of our younger students start their journeys in the world of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. She runs the SMART Lab program at Bear Creek Elementary and also coaches the school's Cub-Botics team.
This month's Staff Spotlight features Vicki Nalley, Technology Teacher at Bear Creek Elementary School!
What drew you to work in D38, and what has been your journey in education?
I started in education many, many years ago in Meridian, Idaho as a special education teacher. After leaving special education, I taught various primary grades for the next 12 years. We moved to Monument in 2014 for my husband’s job. I loved D38 because of the smaller district feel that still had the ability to offer quality educational choices to its students. It was a place where you could easily build relationships and have a positive impact.
What is your favorite thing about working in D38/at Bear Creek Elementary?
I love that there are opportunities to build relationships across the district, work in job-alike teams, and the district is small enough to know people across various buildings. Bear Creek is a special place because of the people. We have wonderful teams and the ability to do amazing things for students.
Your title is Technology Teacher, and you are the coach for Cub-Botics. How important is it, or why do you think it’s important for students nowadays to start learning about and utilizing technology at the elementary level?
Technology is all around us, no matter what we do. I think it’s important for students to understand how technologies work and tie together. I also think they need to have the flexible thinking to problem-solve with technology in a wide variety of areas. We know technology will continue to impact their world, and we want them to be ready to learn the tools they need in their future. It is also important that they have the critical thinking skills to understand that not everything on technology is true and that technology can be both used properly and abused.
What are some of the challenges you encounter with teaching young students about technology?
The challenge is finding the right balance. It is important that students learn the skills to use technology tools to communicate and produce various products, but we don’t want students on technology all the time. At times, our students can have too much technology, and they miss out on building real relationships.
For the students that take your class and participate in the SMART Lab program, what are some of the things that they will take with them or advantages they will have as they get older and continue through school?
One of the biggest advantages of the SMART Lab program is that students can build and create with various technology and engineering tools while also building teamwork and communication skills. In most activities, students work with partners and build important communication skills like listening and turn-taking. Because many projects require multiple design cycles, students brainstorm, problem-solve, test, and refine their work while they complete their projects.
Is there a message or anything you would like to share with your students or team members or community at Bear Creek?
My main goal is always to help students find their talents and passions. Students will follow a wide array of paths in the future, and I want to help them build the skills to be comfortable with the technologies that are in their world.