Janet Ross-Allen's Biography
Janet Ross-Allen is a undergraduate of North Carolina A & T State University located in Greensboro, North Carolina. Her major was Business Administration with an emphasis on Management. After graduating college, she worked in the business field for many years. She relocated to Durham, North Carolina. This was the beginning of her quest to pursue teaching a career in the teaching profession.
In 1988 Janet obtained a job with the Durham Public Schools as a Computer Lab Assistant. The responsibilities of the job consisted of training teachers to use computer equipment and software. This job motivated her to further pursue the teaching profession. She worked in this system for 5 years. In 1992 she relocated to her hometown. She got a job in a middle school as a Computer Education Teacher with the Rowan-Salisbury School system. This job offered her the opportunity to teach through the lateral entry process. This change required her to go back to school and take classes to obtain a certification in Business Education. Five years later the job changed to a Technology Facilitator’s position. This position required her to train other teachers in the area of technology integration as well as to handle the maintenance of computers, hardware and software. This job lasted the next 10 years of her career. Presently she is attending the University of Phoenix to obtain a Master’s Degree in the area of Curriculum and Instruction with a specialty in Computer Education. Currently she is employed as a high school teacher in the area of Business. Her concentration is Computer Education.
The decision to major in Curriculum and Instruction/Computer Education has enabled her to acquire additional 21st century skills necessary to prepare today’s students to compete in today’s work force. Technology is constantly changing and teachers have to stay abreast of the ever-changing demands of technology. The students of today are digital learners require teachers who are equipped to handle their educational needs and interest. The old days of the physical blackboards or whiteboards are gone. In today’s classrooms, teachers have the use of digital projectors, Activboards, webcams, document and digital cameras, ipods, and cell phones to implement as educational tools. Without adequate training on how to integrate these tools into the curriculum, these tools will be useless. Technolgy tremendously empowers classroom teachers in the classroom. Education and staff development is a necessity. With the help of higher level institutions such as the University of Phoenix, “No teacher shall be left behind.” I consider myself to be very fortunate to be part of a diverse school that promotes a future story of success for teachers and students from around the world. This educational experience will impact schools on a national and international level.