June Featured Teachers Inspire Creative Thinking

June’s featured virtual teachers see a bright future through the ideas of their students. Teachers encourage students to bring creativity to the classroom. They write music, brainstorm for environmental protection, and consider improvements to their world. Certified online teachers are creating critical thinkers in their students. 

Alex Tedder

Virtual Math and Science teacher Alex Tedder uses review games to prepare her students for unit tests. She will play along with her competitive middle school students to increase engagement, excitement, and comprehension - her students love battling against her to earn extra credit. The class learns and practices together in these games. 

Ms. Tedder also uses many digital tools including online timers and stopwatches to gauge how long students need to complete assignments and help them learn time management. 

She grew up playing school with her mom and loves being a reliable figure in her students' lives. They know they can depend on her when they need help.

Guillermo Castellanos

Online Science teacher Guillermo Castellanos encourages his students to share their perspectives on environmental protection and brainstorm their own ideas to preserve nature. He says, “They have come up with original and creative ideas.”

Mr. Castellanos inspires his students to interact in his virtual classroom by turning their microphones on and sharing with the class. This simple action boosts engagement and builds relationships among classmates. The class also explores different environments via virtual field trips to apply learning to real places. 

Aimee Deibert

Virtual music teacher Aimee Deibert designed a composition unit for her students at the end of the semester to reinforce their year of learning. The online classroom helps introverted students come out of their shells and feel more comfortable sharing. 

She says, “I had a kid who wrote a whole piece based on his mom stepping on legos. It was really cool, and he added words to it and took it to the next level. Being able to facilitate that and do it in the virtual sphere for the kids whose personalities wouldn’t come out in brick-and-mortar is really special.”

“I get to talk about what I love and share my passion with kiddos. I always learn something from them in return. Teaching is a calling.”

Interested in teaching virtually this fall? Learn more here.