Optimist, Technologist, Innovator,
Change Manager
Samuel Bourgeois
As a Director in the public school, private school, and even international school settings, Sam is adept at finding, strategizing, and implementing the best solutions for educational needs regardless of the organizations size, skill levels, or peculiarity in circumstances. His ISTE based perspective on standards and progress monitoring combined with the SAMR approach to the integration of technology make him particularly well suited for K-12 leadership and strategic planning positions.
Specialties: Software & Hardware Integration, Digital Classroom Solutions, Training, Speaking Engagements, Professional Development, Strategic Planning, Innovation Labs, and Maker Spaces.
EDUCATION & EDTECH
MY PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION
This was a video I created to introduce new teachers to life in the Bush and also for the iDidaContest of ASTE 2012. I won the video contest that year and have looked back to this short video many times over the years. It was a benchmark in my life and a time when I felt most engaged in educational technology, pedagogy, and digital learning strategies.
My philosophy of Professional Development is as simple as the video here, but concerning teachers, PD should be:
-
just in time
-
just enough
-
just for "me"
​
How we accomplish this is where Sam's expertise truly shines. Through a process of interview, conversation, and research on the culture and values of each organization he supports, he is able to provide a personalized, meaningful learning experience in the context of the team's unique environment.
​
This often means the crafting of learning pathways tied to Strategic Plans and assisting with updating these plans (or drafting them for the first time) to better reflect the needs of staff. The tools we use are important as well, as staff need to see the strengths (and weakness) of adopted tools and be made aware of the full breath and depth of the platform from experts. This means we need to be not proficient, but masters, of these tools. Sam is just that, an experienced/certified Google, Apple, Microsoft, Blackbaud, etc. user. Not just a question of knowing the tools and functions, but also being able to engage with teachers on the functions they need to do their jobs better than ever, this is key to implementation and successful deployments of devices, programs, and platforms.