Leigh A. Murrell

It started with a job opportunity...

I took a teaching position as a Middle School Spanish and Computer teacher at Farb Middle School. I was scared about teaching computers. I’m a Spanish Teacher. I teach Spanish. I’m good at teaching Spanish. I wanted to be good at teaching computers. I’d never taught computers, and I didn’t like the idea of teaching word-processing and typing as I learned it. At the time, Myspace and Blogging and online environments were blowing up.  That summer, before my job began I found the Educational Technology Department (Edtech) at my school district, San Diego Unified. I took a week long class on Moodle and I found a book called Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Tools for the Classroom by Will Richardson.  I was inspired.

Collaborating with Edtech and other Middle School Computer teachers I helped develop new curriculum for the district’s computer class. We made a richer, inquiry-based and collaborative curriculum for students. I began looking at how I could apply these lesson components into my Spanish classes. This collaboration introduced me to Heidi Beezley. Teaming up with Heidi and my work at the Middle School have really shaped and formed me as an Educator and a professional. Heidi introduced me to the Cohort Online Masters in Educational Technology (COMET) program at SDSU and partners with me to design and develop lessons in my classroom and present at technology conferences.  

Farb Middle School transformed and shaped my Educational Philosophy. Farb was in the process of becoming an AVID demonstration school while I worked at the site. The work we went through to look at student learning, equity and grading molded me. Working with 6-8 graders for the first time after five years of teaching High School changed me. Before my students sat in rows, and I made the environment about my comfort and control, now I focus on grouping and student control. I began my time at Farb as a self-identified High School Spanish teacher.  I ended my time there as a teacher and a  Educational Technology Masters student at San Diego State University.

My name is Leigh Murrell and I live and work in San Diego, California as an Educational Technology Resource Teacher for the San Diego Unified School District.