Meet the Teacher: Jada Caldarera

Welcome to Meet the Teacher – CodeMonkey’s blog segment where teachers from all over the world share their experiences on what it’s like being an educator. Today’s post features Jada Caldarera who is a 6-8th Grade Applied Technology Teacher at Moss Bluff Middle School in Lake Charles, CA.

“I decided to become a teacher because I have always enjoyed working with kids.  My students bring so much joy into my life.  I have taught middle school for 13 years.  During this time I have grown as a teacher and learned a lot from my students.

A teacher should be a life-long learner.  Being a connected educator helps me stay in the loop about what my students need to learn.  Technology has a direct impact on the workplace, and each day my goal is to prepare my students for what is to come.

Kids are open to new ideas and inventions.  As we grow older, we sometimes lose this acceptance for change and we stick to what we are comfortable with.  I love how the younger generation craves to learn new things.  My students inspire and challenge me to be open to new things too. 

It’s important to me that my students know that I care for them and I want them to be successful.  I want them to be ready for what is ahead in high school and beyond.  They should leave my class ready to face the future. 

Every expert started at the bottom at one time in their life.  We eventually grow and become better at what we practice.  Infusing technology in the classroom happens the same way.  We start small and eventually get better.  Technology has a way of engaging the students and increasing their desire to learn.  It also presents its challenges at times.  Overcoming these challenges help us grow and become better though. 

My students love to code.  They view coding as fun, but I see it as learning.  It’s a win-win for both of us!  Coding allows students to think deeply and allows them to make connections.  It involves problem solving in a fun way.  And over time they learn about computer programming.  Hopefully one day my students will use this to their advantage in their career.”