Technology Projects

 

Picture of teacher reading to children

Linda Burke

I was born and raised in Omaha with 4 siblings. Wow! We do have fun looking back at the crazy times we had growing up in a large family.

After graduating from Kearney State College in 1973 with a degree in elementary and special education, I went to work in Central City Nebraska as a third grade teacher. I was so naive that I didn’t even know it might be a problem that I was the 5th teacher the children had when I started on January 2.  Actually I loved the job and living in a town of 3,000 was a learning experience for me.

The next fall I began in a special education position at Omaha Westside and after a few years began teaching in a resource position at Valley View Junior High.  My husband and I met and married during those years and began our world travel plan: “Go every where, see everything!” We have done a pretty good job working toward our goal.

I received my master’s degree in special education from New York University in 1981. The program involved 2 summers overseas and one summer in New York City for my final courses and practicum.

My husband, Rod, and I moved to Houston, Texas in 1981 and taught there for 23 years in various capacities.  Our daughter Margen, who is now 21, was born and raised there, and is still working and going to school in the Houston area.

When we retired from teaching in Texas a few years back, my husband was hired by Gallup and we were surprised to find ourselves back in Omaha!

I was hired for a Title 1 position at Millard Rockwell Elementary the first year I was here, and have been working at the Millard family Resource Center and with a home childcare visitation program for the past two years.  This all adds up to about 35 years of teaching.

I desperately want to catch up with my peers when it comes to computer skills. I have taken many in-services but they are often a poor fit for my level or I can’t get the written directions down fast enough so I can remember how to practice the skill later.

I live in a state of frustration when I get stuck, because there is no one in education who has time to help.

I am attending the College of Saint Mary to complete an early childhood certification that I lost moving back to Nebraska. So, my aspiration would be to never have to complete this particular endorsement again! (This is actually the third time.) However, on a more positive note, I am looking forward to feeling more capable and less stressed when I use the computer. I really do appreciate the possibilities and the potential that technology offers me to make my life easier.