Bryant teacher wins Technology Coach of the Year award

Tim Signorelli can’t say enough about his students. Only in his case, the students are usually the teachers. 

Signorelli is a school-based technology specialist at Bryant High School. That means he’s responsible for training faculty not just how to use technology, but how to best integrate it into the classroom to enhance the learning experience. 

Last June his work earned him a county-wide award from Fairfax County Public Schools, and then earlier this month Signorelli was named the 2018 Tech Coach of the Year by the Virginia Society for Technology in Education (VSTE).

Signorelli credits the staff at Bryant, where he’s worked for the past three years, for bringing his best — as well as the best in their students. 

“My staff here is phenomenal,” Signorelli said, noting that after training sessions he’ll see teachers try to implement what they’ve learned  the very next day. “They are by far the best students I’ve had.”

“Tech coach” is what Signorelli’s position is referred to as professionally, and the coaching techniques he uses can sometimes be similar to what you’d see on football or basketball team. Recently Signorelli has worked with Bryant teachers on “video professional learning.” Signorelli will record a teacher’s lesson, then watch the video and have the teacher watch the video on their own. Then the two will get together and discuss the video. 

“Over course of discussion we make a real small goal,” Signorelli said. 

After that, they’ll use the video technology to measure how close they are to achieving that goal. The process leads to “small victories” for the teachers looking to improve their techniques and results. The videos also help build a “digital best practices playbook of strategies” for the entire staff at Bryant. 

Signorelli has a background as a math teacher, and works with Bryant students on digital citizenship lessons. Last year Signorelli also helped put together a Skype session between two classes and Rep. Don Beyer. He’s even helped custodial workers at Bryant with learning technology and using their job-related online portals, according to an FCPS press release.

In selecting Signorelli for the award, the VSTE said he was “a teacher at heart” who used his previous classroom experience to utilize technology to create practical, effective learning experiences utilize technology. 

“Tim is generous with his expertise, sharing his time and talents to support professional development in literacy and other school- and district-wide goals in addition to 1:1,” the VSTE citation said. “No matter the context, Tim provides useful technology resources, meaningful training, and informed guidance in a friendly and professional manner.”