Teaching with Technology Spotlight

Mr. Ray Arnoldo Villarreal was born in McAllen and is a product of the McAllen Independent School District (1981 McHi graduate). His diversified work experience includes tennis coach, auto parts runner, piano mover, photographer, video production (all aspects), surf and skate shop operator, and is currently teaching 7th grade Science at Alonzo De Leon Middle School.

Mr. Villarreal graduated from UTPA after two years at STCC with a BS in Kinesiology and a minor in Biology. “I have a beautiful and supportive wife Deanna (librarian at Morris Middle School), and two beautiful children, Ray Amando and Ryan Angel, whose ages are five and two. My hobbies include fishing, hunting, camping, bird watching, surfing, and gardening”.

“In the classroom, I have used computers, probes, projectors, and other types of technology, including those made available through UTPA and The Howard Hughes Medical Institute of Technology."

"We have precipitated DNA, made it visible to the naked eye, and solved a pseudo crime using pseudo blood samples and electrophoresis to study the properties of the dispersed particles."

“With the guidance of our Design Center, I was able to use an adaptor which attaches to the eye piece of a microscope and connects to a document reader. It projects images, viewed in the microscope, on to a big screen.

“This technology has really influenced the way I teach. This technology, enables me to relate classroom activities to television programs such as C.S.I., House, and Discovery Channel programs. Students are more eager to engage in the activities and take interest in what they are doing in the classroom. I get excited when I get to use equipment that was unavailable to me in the past.

Considering today’s demands in the workplace for individuals with technology experience, I feel that I am better able to prepare my students for post secondary education and success in the workplace.

Giving kids hands on experience, motivates them to continue their education, and gives me great pleasure and high expectations for my students.

Part of my teaching philosophy has to do with letting kids be kids, allowing them to discover new things, teaching them how to implement their discoveries into the real world, and giving them the opportunity to express themselves and their knowledge in their own way”.

Finding innovative ways to integrate technology in to our classrooms is part of the reason that our students are finding success in post secondary educational institutions, as well as the work place.

Thanks for your dedication Mr. Villarreal!