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Headshot Young Girl

Emily McDonald

CHI24

United States

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Challenge

As a high school math teacher, my passion is not only sharing mathematical content knowledge but also empowering students and fellow educators to share their experiences and insights. Like many educators, I believe education has the power to transform lives. Throughout my teaching career, I have witnessed the transformative power that students and educators possess when they have a platform to share their viewpoints, experiences, aspirations, etc. However, the challenge is that there are limitations or restrictions that are preventing these voices from being fully heard. In many classrooms throughout my district and nationwide, standardized curriculums and traditional pedagogical approaches often overshadow or stifle the individuality and creativity of students and teachers. For example, when collaborating with fellow teachers within my district, many of them voice how they feel stifled in lesson planning since much of the curriculum is scripted. Because teachers do not have the flexibility and freedom to bring their own creative spin into the lesson, some teachers are feeling disheartened and undervalued due to the disingenuous lesson. To genuinely influence learning experiences and outcomes, we need to amplify and celebrate the voices of students and teachers. By leveraging design thinking and the collective expertise and passion of the Google Innovator community, I am eager to explore how we can elevate the voices of students and educators so the educational experience recognizes and celebrates diverse perspectives, ideas, and talents.

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