Inspiration

Educator Reflects on The Journey:

Shikonya Cureton

Spring Oaks Middle School

How does your inspiration translate into student achievement?
I feel that may passion translates into my student’s achievement because I am always pushing my students to go beyond just doing the process of math but understand the why of math. This to me is putting them on the Learner’s Journey path as a learner not just, a sightseer.

I also use examples of my struggles in math and many real-world examples of math as possible to make learning math relevant to the students. I think it is helping my students to achievement more than they expected of themselves. Luckily in my class, students can work at their pace most of the time, so they feel they are always achieving.

What does success look like (for you) as an educator? 
Success as an educator for me is when my students are successful in reaching their goals. Even if it is just one success, I feel as if I made a difference and was a part of their learning journey.

What does the Learner’s Journey mean for you? 
For me, the Learner’s Journey means to continue growing in education and life. Whether you are a student, teacher, custodian, superintendent or working at Wal-Mart, you should continue learning and improving your skills.

What opportunities have opened up this year that are helping you grow?
I think doing Design Thinking is helping me to grow and think outside of the outside of the box. Recently I applied with Limited Resource Teacher Training to become a teaching fellow and train teachers overseas and was accepted.

I would love to train teachers full time one day and I am this new opportunity will help me to grow as a learner, teacher, and leader. I was also just accepted the Schlumberger Code.org Cs in Algebra Professional Learning Program for a two-day summer workshop.

What challenges do you look forward to finding new solutions for? 
The challenges I look forward to finding new solutions for are how to keep engaged and focused during instruction. Working on the Design Thinking team is inspiring me to come up with solutions to share with others. At this time,

I am looking at ways to incorporate music into the classroom during instruction. Not just music or videos I can find online, but get students to create their music videos demonstrating their understanding of a math concept.

If there could be a separate class designed for students who love music and want to learn math, or any other subject, through music I feel students would be more excited about coming to class to learn and create.

Why SBISD? 
I was first introduced to SBISD in 2006 when I was graduating from college. My degree is not in education, but I attended a teacher recruiting day and found that SBISD was more accommodating to my interest in education and advised I go through an ACP program to get certified.

The other districts I visited just turned me down without offering ways to become a certified teacher, which was a turn-off. I have only worked at two schools in the district, Landrum Middle and now Spring Oaks. At both schools, I feel like I am a part of an extended family.

I am not from Texas, and now that my family has moved back to the east coast, my co-workers have become my family here. I did leave the district for one school year and missed the family atmosphere, so I returned.