About me

“Once a new technology rolls over you, if you’re not part of the steamroller, you’re part of the road” Stewart Brand

Is this considered public speaking?  Because if it is it would explain why I'm feeling anxious about this blogging. Anyways here goes nothing.

My name is Maria L. Ortiz-Viera I am a passionate professional educator with 17 years of experience.  I hold a Master of Science Education from Nazareth College and an Advanced Certificate in School Building Leadership from the University of Rochester. I have worked in Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School #9 for seven years as a Bilingual classroom teacher and for 8 years as an Intervention Specialist. My newest role is serving as an assistant principal. 

I have used technology in the classroom since I started teaching. From comparing weather temperatures daily from Puerto Rico and Rochester during science, to my kindergartners typing the final copy of their narratives on computers, technology has been a part of my teaching repertoire for quite some time. Although I have only taken one formal computer course in college, I am pretty savvy and can find my way around basic computer programs and applications. I was one of the few teachers in my school who had a Smartboard 10 years ago when they were still on wheels! I used the clicker system to review materials in class before tests, had students work on power point presentations to present their informational writing pieces, and currently I complete assignments in Google classroom. However, all these endeavors have taken time to develop and sometimes I still feel like a novice when it comes to technology (compared to my witty daughters). 

One of my fears of technology is digital permanence. Once you put something out there, it will be there forever even if you delete it. We have to be aware that what we post will create a permanent footprint. I hope this collegial learning circle will help me to continue growing and adapting to the ever changing technology so I can further my practice and support in teachers’ transformational learning. 

Outside of school

As my daughters claim, I am always cleaning and working on projects around the house. I enjoy spending time outside with my family, running, or sitting by the fireplace (sometimes even in the summer). I live with my husband who aversion towards technology is clear (still trying to figure his iPhone), my daughter Jasiah is 16 and just entered the working force at Wegmans and is pretty savvy with her digital tools, Jonmarie my gymnast/singer/musical.ly star and our dog Yankee have also made it into cyberspace. My oldest Jaziel, is 24 and currently finishing her Master’s degree at Purdue University, communicates with us on a daily basis through texting and FaceTime (which makes it easier to deal with the fact that she is nine hours away).