Technology is the focus for top elementary teacher
Published: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at 11:14 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 at 11:14 a.m.
HOUMA — Technology is critical for today's teachers, says Mandy Guillot, and as Terrebonne's Elementary Teacher of the Year, those words are more than just talk.
The 10-year veteran of Lisa Park Elementary said many educators don't recognize what a great tool technology is for reaching a generation of students raised on cell phones, computers and video games.
“We have to find ways to motivate students to learn,” she said. “Technology is the key.”
But for Guillot, using electronic devices does more than merely catch the eye of tech-savvy students. All students have different learning styles: Some learn better by listening, others by seeing or even touching.
High-tech devices such as “smart boards” — like a chalk board combined with an interactive, online slide show — can apply to multiple learning styles.
“The kids can come up and touch the board; it talks,” Guillot said. “They have sound and visual. It hits a lot of those different sensory areas.”
But laptops and smart boards don't come cheap — which is why Guillot has played a role in bringing more than $94,000 worth of grants to Lisa Park. The largest, a $77,500 grant from the state, bought the school two “mobile computer labs,” each with 30 laptops, and other high-tech supplies like smart boards
and mobile wireless Internet connections.
Guillot, 34, began a new position this year as the school's computer lab teacher, where she instructs students from kindergarten through seventh grade. Even before that, as fifth-grade science and second-grade teacher, she said she has “always used technology in the classroom.”
In her science classes, Guillot would hook her microscope to a computer to display the blown-up image to the students. She would also take students on trips to the Louisiana Art and Science Museum in Baton Rouge, where the children could experience hands-on exhibits and visit the planetarium.
Her innovative ways to reach students earned Guillot the parish's Elementary Teacher of the Year Award, part of a national process that highlights the best teachers from individual schools all the way up to the best in the country. Guillot was selected as Lisa Park's Teacher of the Year by her colleagues, and went on to compete against 21 other teachers from Terrebonne's elementary schools in the competition.
Now she will attend regionals to compete against the best elementary teachers from other parishes in the area. Winning there could lead her to the state and national competitions.
Regardless of the outcome, Guillot plans to stay at the forefront as education and technology continue to evolve together. She attends conferences and workshops to keep up on recent developments and is working toward a master's degree in Educational Technology Leadership.
But Lisa Park Principal Stacy Solet said Guillot is already a leader.
“She works collaboratively with teachers planning lessons for the students using technology,” Solet wrote in a recommendation letter.
Guillot also works on the committee that guides the school toward meeting state goals, a job for which Lisa Park Master Teacher Mary Boudreaux said Guillot spends “countless hours” researching and organizing.
But for Guillot, the desire is merely to motivate others to use technology when it can better help the
“My goal is to hopefully continue to share my love of utilizing technology in the classroom,” she said. “And get as much resources as available to our students.”
Staff Writer Daniel McBride can be reached at 448-7635 or firstname.lastname@example.org. Follow him on Twitter @BayouSchools.
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