Matt has worked for more than 10 years working as an early childhood educator and currently serves as Educational Technology Coordinator at a medium sized K-12 school. In his years working with early learners, he was very fortunate to experience firsthand the importance of learning through play and experimentation and in particular the concept of an educator as an expert learner who facilitates learning through exploration and discovery. The importance of embedding instruction into whatever passions and interests students would bring, and nudging students forward into concepts and experiences important to their development. Vygotsky's concept of the “zone of proximal development” continues to form a key element of his training and daily practice, and identifying and capitalizing on opportunities for learning and growth forms the core of his professional practice.