Martha Lackey has taught a total of 24 years in first, second and now in the second and third grade bilingual. She taught in Arlington, Texas for 9 years before moving to Midlothian, Texas where she currently teaches at Vitovsky Elementary. She is the Campus Technology Liaison for her campus and is also an Edmodo Trainer and Ambassador and provides professional development to teachers on her campus and the surrounding metroplex. She currently teaches in a google district so she has lots of experience using the google tools in her classroom. She has presented at numerous Region 10 events in Dallas, Texas and has presented at TCEA in Austin, Texas which is one of the largest technology conferences in the state. She loves to attend Edcamps in the surrounding areas and has led many teacher sessions. She is big on being a connected educator so you will find her on most social media platforms such as Twitter, Google Plus, Edmodo member, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram. She is currently a 1:1 iPad classroom and has several chrome books as well. I use social media to share my students’ failures and successes. This has been her big push these last few years and getting her student’s parents involved in their child’s education.
Why do I teach? I come from a family of educators on my father’s side of the family. My grandfather was a grade school teacher, several of my cousins, three to be exact, were campus administrators and coaches so it was in my blood since birth. Both my parents came from working farms and did not attend college. My dad was a barber and my mother cleaned homes near the area where we lived. But they supported education as best as they could and encouraged my brother and sister to go to college. My mom was a native Spanish speaker and my dad spoke both English and Spanish but I knew in college that I wanted to work with children in some form or fashion. My first idea came when I thought I was going to be a pediatrician but quickly changed my major as I began substituting in the Dallas/ Ft. Worth area schools while working in the evenings and going to school. It was then when my passion began for this profession. I teach because I wanted to make a difference in the lives of children and to let them know that they have the same opportunity.
What do I love about teaching? What is there not to love when you are inspiring children every day how to be innovative learners of the 21st century? Teaching is a very rewarding profession. Each day is different and no two days will ever be alike. It can be physically and emotionally challenging but the rewards at the end of each day are what I carry with me. Students must MATTER and you must TRUST and LOVE them like your own children. I love building relationships with my students that will last a LIFETIME of learning!! That’s what I love about teaching.
Was there a teacher that inspired me? Yes, but it wasn’t until I was in college and I was in my 3rd year of my education classes. The class was a “whole language” literature class at the University of Texas in Arlington, where I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Spanish and the teacher assigned all students a unit on using children’s literature to teach several reading, writing and social studies objectives. She dressed up as an African tour guide to teach a geography lesson on Africa. I immediately told myself “I want to be a teacher like that”. She immersed herself in the lesson using music, literature, art, math and many other books to integrate the content across all subjects. I fell in love with that kind of teaching and knew that I could use my culture and my stories to teach children of primary grade levels. She left a lasting impression on me and how important and powerful children’s literature can be. I still think this way today but now my students have technology tools at their fingertips to add to my experience as an educator. This has been my “new” passion in teaching the last 8 years.
Please let me know how I can further help! Again thanks so much for this incredible opportunity. I have attached two photos in case one does not work.
