We are delighted to present our April Teacher of the Month, Matt Waligura, a high school science teacher from Freedom High School in Orlando, Florida!
Read more about Matt and his use of Edcite below.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
My name is Matt Waligura. I am a 42 year old father of two, a son 13 years old and a daughter 10 years old. I live in Central Florida and am currently employed by the Orange County Public School system. This year will complete my 15th year in the education field.
What do you teach?
At the present time I teach Physical Science at the high school level. We are currently in our first year of implementing a complete digital curriculum. Each student has a school-provided Lenovo device that they keep with them at all times.
Why did you become a teacher?
I have always enjoyed the outdoors and our environment. This love of the outdoors and being athletic in high school steered me towards a career in the science field as well as possibly becoming a coach at the high school level. I had several teacher / coaches that had an impact on me and influenced my career choice during that time. The path that I was interested in led me to earning a degree in biology and a secondary education certification. I have enjoyed my years in education and the sports aspect of high school tremendously.
How did you hear about Edcite?
I was presented a short presentation on the Edcite link in a science department meeting around the start of 2016. The aspect of a web based site that I could use to present assignments directly to individual student devices was very appealing. The ability to keep track of student records and accountability was an added bonus. Due to our entire school being driven by a digital based platform the Edcite application was a terrific fit to supplement my lesson plan
What aspects make you most “Edcited” about Edcite?
I would have to say that the accountability aspect of Edcite has made me the most “Edcited”. The site allows me to monitor my students by their individual reports or by a complete class summary of the assignment. The ability to see whether a student has “opened”, is “in progress”, or has “submitted” the assignment is a great tool in motivation and accountability. Supplying a breakdown of their answers to the assignments, and thus being able to view each student’s responses, allows me to formatively assess the students’ progress throughout the lesson. The ability to use this application for summative (exam) assignments has also been a plus.
How do you use Edcite in the classroom?
I have been implementing Edcite on a frequent basis. The site has allowed me to present my classes with a “bell ringer” at the start of class and then as a formative assessment tool throughout the lesson. The ability to set each assignment up with a time limit and date parameter is fantastic! It has also provided a reliable platform for homework assignments. The ability to have students access the site at school or at home allows these assignments to be completed in an efficient manner. I believe that the site has helped improve my ability to formatively assess my students with greater confidence
Final Words of Wisdom for other Edcite Users? 
I would recommend Edcite wholeheartedly. The ability to create and or select already shared assignments is a snap. Edcite’s resource to create very highly engaged questions and present them in a specific manner to match a rigorous lesson plan make this a site that I will definitely continue to use in my education career. To have it all contained in one easy and simple-to-navigate package is spectacular to add to an educator’s demanding schedule.
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