InspireMe Contest Highlights (Pt 1)
We want to extend a warm thanks to everyone who participated in the InspireMe Contest! We witnessed an incredible amount of talent and we want to highlight some of those fantastic contest entries along with the creators behind the lessons. Of course, there’s still a lot of knowledge to be shared, and we look forward to seeing what’s to come down the pipeline!
Spencer Leu
Watch now! Compound Interest
Tell us about yourself
I’m a financial guy (CFP(r) Professional) who enjoys helping people understand personal finance and investing better. I’ve spent over 10 years in the financial services industry and have held roles in service, marketing and sales. My favorite role has always been making financial topics easier to understand and helping people make better financial decisions.
What inspires you?
New concepts in education like the Khan Academy and technology that promotes this type of education like your ShowMe app.
Ixchell
Watch now! Writing a Conclusion
Tell us about yourself
I am an ESL Instructor at a University in SoCal. I’ve taught ESL overseas, and have taught from pre-k to college level. Because I teach international students from all over the world, at all levels of Second Language Acquisition, my job is full of fun cultural and language challenges! There is never a dull moment.
What inspires you?
My ESL students, of course! They are so brave to come study a new language in a foreign country, so when I make them feel that they can overcome the fear of English, they try very hard to improve their skills. The best ideas for lessons have come from observing them. This quarter I taught English through Social Media and I’ve used ShowMe for many tutorials for students who were absent or needed review. They love it!
Laura Holmgren
Watch now! Stepping Up with ShowMe
Tell us about yourself
I earned my B.A in English from UC Irvine, a certificate in Web-based Instruction from Simon Frasier University, and a Masters in educational technology from Leslie University. A high school English for twenty-four years in private and independent schools in Southern California, I also coach my school’s fencing team and recently started offering an interdisciplinary, project-based elective course entitled New Media Psychology and Application. In the classroom, I might describe myself as a cross between Jane Eyre and Mary Poppins: a mix of seriousness of purpose and focus with the spirit of play that manifests in the creative use of technology rather than in magic, song, and dance.
What inspires you?
The possibility to make a positive difference in students’ lives if I can engage their interest, spark or fan the desire to learn, and help them surpass their self-imposed limits to achieve personal growth inspires me to give as much to my students as they give to my class. Learning to communicate effectively and, equally important, developing something worthwhile to communicate empowers students to then make positive differences in the world themselves.
Iris Qiu
Watch now! Chinese 上
Tell us about yourself
I am currently teaching at 3d Avatar School. I installed ShowMe when it was still at testing stage. I did not pay much attention on it at that time. I was actually inspired by watching my son (7 year old) playing with Showme. He was drawing, talking to himself and laughing. Then I thought I probably can create some interesting stuff for my students. The first idea came into my mind is about 书房（study room) and 厨房(kitchen) which my students always struggled on. Chinese character 上 is actually my third ShowMe entry. I believe ShowMe has great potential in language teaching. It is such a great tool for us!
Richard Lopez
Watch now! 2 Digit Division
Tell us about yourself
I am a 4th grade teacher at Felton Elementary in Lennox, which is one of the last things you see before landing at LAX. I’ve been teaching for 16 years and am always looking for ways to make anything I teach more exciting and relevant to my students.
What inspires you?
Compared to my non teacher friends and family, I always feel young and alive and thankful for what I have. Its due entirely to my 4th graders. They challenge me to be better, to keep learning, to always remember that they are someone’s precious child. They inspire me!
Sam Gleason
ShowMe: Borrowing
Tell us about yourself
I’m a teacher in a public school in the San Francisco Bay Area. I use technology in every one of my lessons to either build background knowledge, or to illustrate concepts that would otherwise be difficult to comprehend.
What inspires you?
I am inspired by tenacious individuals for whom learning doesn’t come easily. Seeing students who are able to “happily struggle” towards a goal that most others can reach with half the effort, helps me remember to enjoy my own learning journey.
