Interview with Brittany Sparks
How many years have you been teaching? How many years in CCS?
I have been teaching for 12 years. All my teaching experience has been in CCS.
What (or who) inspired you to become a teacher?
I always wanted to be a teacher from a young age, but I knew that I was going to pursue the profession after having several inspirational teachers in both middle school in high school - 6th-grade teacher, Mrs. Baker, and High School Math teacher, Mr. Straton. They both made learning fun and helped me overcome some of my own learning obstacles. I wanted to make that kind of impact on my own future students.
What role does technology play in teaching, and more specifically, in your classroom?
We utilize technology every day. As a teacher, I am using the Smartboard, interactive videos, and online assignments regularly. My students are getting interventions through iReady. Learning new content through Canvas, Google Classroom, and iReady.
How do you see Canvas helping refine or enhance teaching in CCS?
Canvas provides a one-stop-shop for our CCS-developed curriculum. Teachers have access to some amazing resources to aid in the great teaching they are already doing in the classroom. There are student-facing items that are already created so that teachers can spend time teaching the content instead of creating assignments and assessments. However, after seeing some of the options on Canvas such as annotated videos in Studio, I believe teachers will enjoy adding their own work to the Canvas Blueprints.
While it’s still early on, how have your students responded to Canvas?
My students have enjoyed using Canvas this school year. Some of their favorite features have been online discussions and video libraries.
What would you say to a teacher who might be unsure of how Canvas will fit into their classroom strategies?
Canvas is not "one more thing" and you do not have to use every piece of Canvas immediately. Start small with one subject area and then expand as you learn more and get comfortable with the technology. If you give it a chance, Canvas can be a great tool to enhance your teaching and your student's learning.