March Teacher of the Month: Matthew Zimmer

We’re excited to celebrate our March Teacher of the Month, Matthew Zimmer. Matt reached out to the Edcite team with some questions/suggestions for us, and we have been enlisting his valuable opinion ever since! In particular, Matt has provided invaluable feedback on our PARCC question types and continues to help our team problem solve ways that Edcite can be helpful for teachers in their PARCC preparation. Thank you for everything you do, Matt!

Tell us about yourself:
Hello, everyone! My name is Matthew Zimmer. My wife Joey and I have one child, Evan, who will be turning ten this year. I have been teaching in the the Bethalto School District (Illinois) for 16 years, at both the fourth and fifth grade levels.

Why did you start teaching? What’s your favorite thing about your wonderful profession?
I went into teaching because I wanted to make a difference in children’s lives. That desire has not faded over the years; if anything, it has only become stronger. In fact, what I enjoy most about what I do is the fact that my words and actions play a role in creating the adult these young people will one day become, a task that I take very seriously.

What benefits do you see to using technology in your classroom?
The integration of technology into the classroom has the potential to revolutionize what we do as educators, from the way we plan lessons, to our use of virtual manipulatives and online resources. The sum of human endeavor lies at the tips of my students’ fingers. Through technology, our students can engage in cooperative activities with students a continent away, something that I would have never dreamed possible when I was their age.

Why are you Edcited about Edcite?
Edcite offers me the opportunity to create assessments, both formative and summative, that are reflective of emerging 21st century testing methodologies. It allows me to better evaluate my student’s ability to think critically, to assess higher-order skills in a more efficient and effective manner. Recent curricular assessments, having proven to be lackluster, can be enhanced in a myriad of ways through Edcite, ways that I have been unable to duplicate anywhere else. While there is an initial learning curve, we as educators are dedicated to being lifelong learners.

Any final words of wisdom?
Always remember – nothing ventured, nothing gained.