Hello, my name is Brian Fritz and I am a resource teacher at Millard South High in the big city of Omaha, NE. I have been teaching in the special education field since I graduated in December of 1998 from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. I graduated from Omaha Central in 1988 (I know do the math) and was not quite sure what I wanted to do after high school. That next fall while dropping off a friend at his college, Peru State I signed up for classes that afternoon to my parents surprise. The next year I was in and out of college until that wonderful December in 1998. I have worked at Boys Town IRTC and main campus for a few years. Then moved to OPS's alternative high school for one year and now I have been at Millard South for the rest of my career. Currently I co teach Science and English classes and case manage 14 students. This has dropped from the 20 students that I started the year with.
My experience with technology has been limited but seems more than most. Every time I think I have little experience I am introduced to others that are way below my skill level. I have not used a Mac since grade school so very little experience with that system. I have been a PC person just because of the accessibility to this format and it is what I have used at work forever. My home computer has Windows 7 but my work computer is a bit older version. In the classroom we use computers every other day for a vocab improvement program in English. We have started to learn Angel, (a lot like Blackboard) for all my classes, but that has just started. Like anything it will take some time to learn and get rolling with. Every classroom has a S.M.A.R.T. board and I use that a lot when teaching. For me technology can be great but I always have a backup plan because it seems to always be down when I really want it.
What inspired me to pursue my master’s degree? Well honestly it was the raise in pay. I have just finished up a divorce and have 1/2 time with my 6 year old daughter and found I still had free time and needed to continue my education. I am not sure what I will do in the future right now but hope it will continue in the field of education. I am thinking of making the move from high school to either Jr. High or Elementary. What really got me motivated was that a close friend was going to start the program just like back in 1988 when I took my friend to college I was motivated by a friend to get going.
Glad to have you in class. Sounds like you have had the right people encourage you at the right times. The Peru degree will serve you well. Sounds like even though you may not have 1 to 1 computing, you do have access to a SMART board. That is a wonderful thing. Hope you enjoy the course.
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