Hi! I am a charter school teacher in Wisconsin. I am a father of 3, married to a teacher, and a animal lover. Thanks so much for visiting my new website! I am so happy that you're here!
I graduated with a diploma in Early Childhood Development from the University of Michigan and began teaching immediately at the age of twenty-one. Attending graduate classes in the evenings, I later received a Masters of Instruction in Elementary Education.
My teaching career started around the turn of the century, back when there was time for Individuality in the classroom and children still had active thoughts. Classrooms had dramatic play areas, sinks were stuffed with messy paint brushes, and"developmentally appropriate" was the catch phrase to use in a meeting. I have been around just long enough to watch the bureaucratic pendulum swing back and forth a few times, but sadly back to the time when kids could be kids.
After apprentice teaching in kindergarten, my very 1st teaching job was in 2nd grade. I loved (and still love) that age group! After a shift in enrollment, I was allocated to 1st grade and became a first to second grade looping teacher. It was such an excellent experience to watch the students grow across the course of 2 years. Those first five years in the primary grades gave me a very strong foundation for working as a third grade teacher in the center of my career. I spent eleven years as a 3rd grade teacher, before transitioning into my current role as a first grade gifted specialist.
I'm generally a very positive person. I'm passionate about teaching and love the children I teach. Recently, the state of schooling has given me lots to worry about. I believe that statistics and testing have become barriers to meaningful instruction. Real, live kids have become dehumanized, not individuals. It is very, very concerning.
This blog is about the kind of teaching that isn't measured by standardized tests. The type of instruction that builds character, self-esteem, and deeper comprehension. The kind of teaching that discretely meets the goals laid out from above. The type of instruction that teachers know is good for students. Sadly, the kind of instruction that good teachershide.