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Eaglecrest Instructional Technology coordinator receives statewide honor
Inspiring the “a-ha” moment can be a powerful motivator.
The ability to ignite the flame of curiosity and understanding in a student has proved a compass countless educators in the Cherry Creek School District. For those who dedicate their lives to teaching, it’s what makes all of the challenges of the profession worthwhile; for many, teaching is all about that moment when a student truly “gets it.”
Jim Curran may not work directly with students, but that same element has driven his 20-plus-year career in CCSD. Instead of working with students to understand and process new information, Curran works to inspire those moments in teachers at Eaglecrest High School. Curran is the school’s Instructional Technology Coordinator, and in that role he teaches the school’s teachers.
“Just like a teacher is super excited when kids learn in the classroom, I’m the same way with adults,” Curran said. “I got into education initially just because I love to help people learn. I love to facilitate people discovering new things and learning new ways of doing things. I found that teachers needed that support – especially in terms of tech. I embraced that.”
Curran’s commitment to connecting teachers with the tech resources they need to help students succeed recently earned him recognition from Colorado Learning Forward, a professional learning organization dedicated to educator professional development. Last month, Curran received the organization’s O’Rouke Prize, an honor designed to recognize exemplary professional developers in the state.
The award recognizes those who have “made a significant impact on the professional learning of other educators,” and includes an honorarium of $500.
For Curran, the award caps a challenging stretch of months that have seen his skills more in demand than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed teachers, students, staff and administrators to rely on technology in unprecedented ways; in his role as Eaglecrest’s Instructional Technology Coordinator, Curran has been at the forefront of the school’s push to quickly and effectively adapt to the demands of the moment.
“I was able to step in and really support everybody in that endeavor. It’s been an amped up version of what it’s always been in the past,” Curran noted. “What I do is all about instruction. It’s about helping teachers leverage technology in the best way for learning. When teachers are used to doing something in a face-to-face environment and forced to convert to an online world, the dynamic is 100 percent different.”
The teachers at Eaglecrest have met that challenge with focus and success, Curran notes. When the entire district shifted to Online learning in March, the crew adapted to a new world with alacrity.
“This year obviously teachers needed to invest in technology regardless of whether they were ready for it or not,” he said. “Our staff has acclimated tremendously. They have been superstars. They’ve been able to take what they learn and apply it so that students benefit.”
The impact of the past months will likely persist long after the current pandemic has passed, Curran notes. Technology will continue to play a more central role in the classroom, and as the COVID-19 era has demonstrated, teachers will continue to have to learn new skills to reach students.
Curran looks forward to that evolution, and he’s more than ready to assist whomever needs help learning the next iteration of technological excellence.
“Technology in and of itself is changing on a day-to-day basis,” he said. “What I do on a daily basis is all about helping others. I love doing it and I totally appreciate the recognition.”
-- Posted 12/9/20 at 12 PM