Meet Your Local PBS Digital Innovators!

KQED Education is proud to announce that three of the 100 educators selected for the 2014 PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovators program are local! The program rewards tech-savvy K-12 educators from across the country who are serving as leaders in the education technology space and incorporating digital media in classrooms to promote student engagement and achievement. These innovators will receive year-long hands-on and virtual professional development opportunities. Without further ado, meet your local ed tech rock stars!

Name: Christopher Chiang
School: Sacred Heart Schools
City, State: Atherton, California

Bio:
Chris Chiang is a middle school social studies teacher at the Sacred Heart Schools and has been a teacher for the last 10 years. At Monta Vista High School he led a 1:1 laptop project based learning course for 3 years and was teacher of the year in 2010. In 2006, he helped found a NYC school that was part of the Urban Assembly network. He is a Google Certified Teacher and Microsoft Innovative Educator. He is trained in gifted education through UCSD and project based learning through High Tech High. Chris earned his masters in teaching from Stanford University and a second masters in educational leadership from Columbia University. He is a trustee of the Mountain Whisman District. His wife is also a teacher.

Follow Chris on Twitter: @chiang140
Blog: www.chrischiang.org

Name: Amy Kingsley
School: Hillview Middle School
City, State: Menlo Park, California

Bio:
Amy Ridlehuber Kingsley teaches at Hillview Middle School (Menlo Park City School District, San Mateo County, Menlo Park, CA). She teaches French IA, I, and 2. Amy’s love of French started in the 3rd grade on a family trip to France. During her college semester abroad in Strasbourg, France, she decided to become a French teacher. Amy graduated from UC Davis with double majors in French and Sociology and worked at the tourist office in Bordeaux before getting her teaching credential from Notre Dame de Namur University. She has been teaching French for 15 years and has experience teaching at the high school and middle school levels. Amy loves integrating technology into her classroom and enjoys leading professional development for other teachers. She spent 11 years as a Department Chair and takes great pleasure in working with other teachers to improve their teaching.

The best part of Amy’s job is witnessing the “aha moments,” when language learning clicks and her students are able to communicate confidently in French.

Right now, Amy’s favorite PBS LearningMedia Digital Resource is the Global Diplomacy Webinar. Her French classes were able to be part of a live broadcast featuring an inside look at the recent State Dinner with France & the U.S. Amy’s students were able to ask questions (via live text chat) of Ambassador Capricia Penavic Marshall, former Chief of Protocol of the United States, U.S. Department of State and Mrs. Evan Ryan, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State. They learned about the history of state dinners and their relevance to the diplomatic process. Amy is eager to participate in the next Webinar with her students.

Follow Amy on Twitter: @KingsleyAmy

Name: Kaki McLachlan
School: White Hill Middle School
City, State: Fairfax, California

Bio:
Kaki McLachlan is in her second year of teaching with the Ross Valley School District at White Hill Middle School in Fairfax, CA (Marin County). She teaches 7th grade life science and two elective technology classes. Both technology courses are new this year. The first is Digital Media, an elective course for 7th and 8th graders focusing on how students can use computer applications to creatively and effectively express their thoughts and ideas to an audience. The other course is a quarter long enrichment class for every 6th grade student. Students focus on the usage of basic computer applications and digital citizenship.

Kaki thrives on getting students excited about learning. She believes the key to engaging students is to find ways to connect academic lessons to their passions outside of the classroom, regardless of the subject matter. Her favorite PBS LearningMedia resources are the many videos found in the new PBS Digital Studios series “It’s Okay to be Smart”.