Carole Colburn: Model Teacher, Mentor…and Madam Mayor?

Carole Colburn, Highlander Way Middle School

“There is nothing in the world like seeing a student taking responsibility for his or her own learning and watching that student succeed.”

Carole Colburn has done a lot of stuff. Once a substitute teacher in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and a technology trainer in the private sector, Carole came to Howell Public Schools nine years ago. She initially served as the District Instructional Technologist, helping train teachers and staff to use software applications to enhance curriculum and streamline management.  After three years training adults, she was shifted into classroom teaching at Highlander Way Middle School where she now teaches technology classes to all middle school grade levels.

“I currently teach Multi-Media Presentations, Elements of Web Design and Lights, Camera, Screen Education. These are all classes I developed specifically to meet the state’s technology Grade-Level Content Expectations and benchmarks,” she says, adding “I love my job; teaching is the best job in the world. The thing I love most about it is getting to be a part of guiding students into being totally engaged in the learning process.  I strive each and every day to be a positive influence in the lives of the students I teach and those I interact with.  By being a positive influence, I feel that I can make a difference in student’s lives. In some cases, we all know that we as teachers may be the only person who actually believes in the student and his or her ability to succeed. They may not get that from anyone else.”

Mrs. Colburn’s teaching excellence has not gone unnoticed. She’s been the recipient of numerous awards and grants bringing in thousands of dollars worth of free, new technology and benefiting the entire school community in the process. For Carole, though, teaching technology is not all about hardware and software, it’s about the human touch. “I have been recognized for various projects and am very proud of each of them. Mostly though, I am proud of my ability to bring a positive influence into the daily climate at Highlander Way. Additionally, I work diligently at creating a safe, positive, 21st century learning environment that allows students to think outside of the box and encourages them to take responsibility for their own learning.”

Actively involved in the Michigan Association for Computer-related Technology Users in Learning (MACUL) and the International Society for Technology Education (ISTE), she also has a civic leadership role people may be less aware of: she’s the mayor of the Village of Dansville, Michigan.