When we think of what we value, we define ourselves. I define myself as a learner, a teacher, and a father/husband. All of the things I do and all of the things that I care about fall under one of those designations.
I started teaching in 1997, the summer after I graduated from the University of Scranton with a degree in Elementary Education. My first year was spent at the Sequoia School, a charter school in Mesa, Arizona, that had no materials, no curriculum, little administration, and no coffee machine. It was a difficult situation to manage as a first year teacher, but it helped me understand that learning didn't have to be directed by a textbook. I learned to identify learning opportunities in everyday situations, and to bring those situations back to the classroom for my students. That trying situation allowed me to develop a teaching style that was student-centered and based on real experiences.
Since 1998 I have been teaching 5th grade at the Wallenpaupack South Elementary School in Newfoundland, Pennsylvania. During my time at Wallenpaupack I was the head girls varsity soccer coach at the high school from 2000-2010, and have served as the head teacher in the South Elementary since 2010.
While at Wallenpaupack I have been blessed to be able to connect with a wide network of amazing educators. Social media has made building a Professional Learning Network easy. Through networking I have learned a great deal about becoming a better teacher, and have enjoyed opportunities to share my learning with others through numerous graduate courses I have taught, professional development sessions I have lead, and presentations I have given at state-level conferences such as the Pennsylvania Education Technology Expo and Conference (PETE&C), and the Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Conference (PCTM).
In 2012 I was honored to be named a Pennsylvania finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching (PAEMST), and completed my first half-marathon in Philadelphia in 2 hrs, 7 minutes, and 36 seconds.
When I'm not teaching, running, or leading professional development sessions, I enjoy spending time with family, especially at Walt Disney World.
I have two wonderful children, and an amazing wife, Lori, who is a teacher, award winning technology integrator, and the science department chairperson at East Stroudsburg North High School.
