My Style

Philosophy

I believe learning should be fun, exciting, and never-ending. School should inspire students to continue learning in all aspects of their lives and to follow their passions. When a student engages with something they're excited about, doors beginning opening to their futures.

Grading, Behavior Management, and Relationships

High expectations are key in ensuring students can function independently. As in the real world, deadlines often have reasons and while grace is given in some cases, in others it can cause true hardships for more than just one person.

Rubrics and work examples ensure students understand expectations. Self- and team-evaluation, reflection, and performance based mastery are ideal indicators of student learning.

By embracing mistakes, encouraging students, and helping them learn from them, I think impactful relationships are naturally built. I like to learn as much from my students as I like them learning from me. Kindling an enthusiasm for sharing skills can lead to an environment where experts are all around.

I watch students grow so much in a four year span and I find that experience very rewarding. This understanding of who students are and what they care about enables me to help students find their passions and guide them to making an impact on more than just themselves.

My news crew (above) have inspired me to build the STLP program into what it is today with community reaching impacts. It's also heart warming when they dress as yours truly for Twin Day during spirit week.

Group Based, Immersive Learning

Building situations around my students is what I love doing most in the classroom. By bringing students into the worlds about which they're learning, the are more invested, engaged, and excited.

Whether using project-based, gamified, immersive learning, or a combination of all three; my ultimate goal is for students to understand the content well enough to share their knowledge with others.

Any opportunity to connect students with industry experts is an opportunity for authentic engagement. I'm aware that I don't know everything, so a good network enables me to find the right people to best enhance student learning.

Stations, hands on, and real-world work are valued above all else. Whether students are comparing hardware components, troubleshooting systems, or building websites; the work should always feel real.

When students built websites using HTML and CSS, they were tasked with improving a Louisville-based company's website before sharing their website with the company.

When students learned about computer components, they ran a troubleshooting service for school community members.

Constant Innovation and Experimentation

I love learning and playing. I was given several chances at a young age to showcase my learning in my own way. These invaluable opportunities taught me to demonstrate my learning in many creative ways.

I never want to become stagnant in my education and I model this drive for my students to let them see that we should always be growing. Truthfully, I never want to be bored.

My Why

My family is why I do what I do. My wife, Emily, is incredibly supportive in the work that I do. I want my daughters, Hazel and Olivia, to be passionate and to follow their dreams as much as I do.

We are a silly family that loves goofind around as much as we love learning. Staying active, smiling, and dogs are our key to happiness.

They help me see the world differently and I want to make change in the world that helps them live their fullest lives.

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