Oregon Kindergarten Teacher Receives Award from International Society for Technology in Education

Carol Greig Pitetti, a kindergarten teacher at Howard Elementary School in Eugene School District 4J in Eugene, Ore., has been named this year’s winner of the Kay L. Bitter Vision Award for Excellence in Technology-Based PK–2 Education. The award is given by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE®) to recognize PK–2 educators who demonstrate vision and creativity in a project or program that effectively integrates technology in the classroom.

Pitetti was selected because her creative thinking has encouraged children to explore their world with curiosity and set no limits to their imagination. She developed and implemented “Reading Buddies,” a program for low-achieving K–1 students and their parents. The program uses Apple iShuffles, individual student headsets, paper prompts specific to the reading skills presented, and storybooks. “Reading Buddies” is designed as an at-home intervention providing students with reading lessons designed and recorded (podcast) by Pitetti and related to specific student reading needs as well as daily classroom lessons. Pitetti helped support and expand the program with parent technology training events that allow families to explore and use the new technologies their children bring home.

According to Kimberly Ketterer, who nominated Pitetti for the award, “Carol’s vision of technology in education reaches far beyond her own classroom to include both the students and staff of our school district. She nurtures staff to make major shifts in how they look at their classroom, their teaching, their personal technology skills, and their students and how all of that comes together to craft exciting and innovative learning experiences for students.”

Pitetti will be honored at the National Educational Computing Conference (NECC), to be held in Atlanta June 24 through June 27. She will be presented with an award and $500. The Kay L. Bitter Vision Award for Excellence in Technology-Based PK–2 Education is given annually in memory of Kay L. Bitter (1943-2001). Bitter was involved in early childhood education for more than 20 years and was committed to bringing technology into her classroom daily. The award has been established through generous donations sent in Bitter’s memory to her husband, Gary Bitter. He has served on ISTE’s board of directors and on the National Educational Technology Standards leadership team.

About ISTE
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is the trusted source for professional development, knowledge generation, advocacy, and leadership for innovation. A nonprofit membership association, ISTE provides leadership and service to improve teaching, learning, and school leadership by advancing the effective use of technology in PK–12 and teacher education. Home of the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS), the Center for Applied Research in Educational Technology (CARET), and the National Educational Computing Conference (NECC), ISTE represents more than 85,000 professionals worldwide. We support our members with information, networking opportunities, and guidance as they face the challenge of transforming education. Visit http://www.iste.org or call (800) 336-5191 to learn more about ISTE and its new initiatives—including the next generation of NETS for Students, Teachers, and Administrators. ISTE is the registered trademark of International Society for Technology in Education.