St. Cloud Christian School teacher, Karla Hultgren, attended BestPrep’s Technology Integration Workshop in 2013 and 2014. Although a few years have passed, she still benefits from the experience. Karla says, “Prepping for my classes is much different since attending the workshop. Stepping out and taking a new approach may be the best thing you can do for your students.” Read more about Karla’s reflections on her experience at the Technology Integration Workshop with this Q&A interview with BestPrep’s intern, Kendall.
Q. It’s been a few years since you attended the TIW. Tell us what you are still doing in your classroom today as a result of attending.
A. To this day I still use information I learned at the TIW, and I’ve improved other unit plans as well. One of the unit plans I integrated into my classroom was based on the Career Planning information I learned at the TIW. My plan teaches students about college and career planning through practicing interviews, as well as learning business etiquette and how to dress for success. Another thing I incorporated into this unit was an internship program for the students, so they gain actual experience through job shadowing at local businesses in the St. Cloud area. Part of the program is learning about their strengths and weaknesses as well as how to conduct themselves in an interview
Q. Tell us how your experience in the job shadow affected your teaching and classroom.
A. The job shadow experiences gave me more confidence as an educator. My job shadow was at Target, and I enjoyed visiting there! I learned to involve the local community of business people and to develop partnerships. Because my school doesn’t have public funding, it’s important to use other resources. Reaching out to people and making connections becomes much more important.
Q. What value did you get out of attending the TIW?
A. After attending TIW, I developed a deep appreciation for how to use educational technology. I learned the benefit of daring to be different and how to step out of the box when creating lesson plans.
Q. In your opinion, are there certain types of teachers who should attend the TIW?
A. I don’t think there is one type of teacher who would receive a greater benefit from TIW than another. The integration of new unit plans through new techniques would be a massive advantage to teachers in any subject. This would be great for any teacher, regardless of their background or prior experience.
Q. What recommendations would you have for other educators who are attending this year?
A. My recommendation is to try something new. In teaching, nothing has to be permanent, so experimenting keeps things fresh.
Educators can learn more about the Technology Integration Workshop and register online.