Valerie Crawford-Meyer is a computer science teacher at Glades Middle School in Miramar, Florida.
Valerie’s philosophy and mantra is “We are what we continually do. Excellence then is not an act, but habit” by Aristotle. Her journey as an educator has been a long trek. She began in post-secondary education as a coordinator, helping underserved minorities get through pre-MD, medical school, and then residency. This prepared her for her entry into secondary education where education was free and there was a need for teaching ELA. She began teaching ELA at the secondary level to 7th graders at a Title I school in 2005. Today, she teaches computer science with a passion for students of varied exceptionalities.
“My strategy for tomorrow is to always be looking forward – visionary. I believe that by continually doing our best, we can achieve excellence. This connects to powerful learning in that I charge my students to create real-world artifacts as well as allowing them to experience varied computer software and programs, this way they can develop 21st-century technology/computer science/critical thinking skills.”
“As a veteran educator, I continually mentor younger, less seasoned educators. Currently, I am working to assist in professional development for several educators who are working on their computer science and business. An example of this mentoring is the Jacob’s Institute for Innovation Changemaker Challenge. When I submitted my application, I had 4 other teachers submit their applications as well. Another example is the HP Teaching Fellowship. I submitted and had 5 other teachers fill out an application. As a facilitator for CODE.org, I am sharing resources, and my expertise continually, and this is an important experience to share.”
Learn more about HP Teaching Fellows.
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