At the Brick Unveiling Ceremony at Homecoming, 2024
At the Brick Unveiling Ceremony at Homecoming, 2024
With student Mr. Thomas Leggs and our Homecoming door decoration, 2023
Who am I?
I am passionate about science and math education. I had an adult diagnosis of autism and ADHD, so my learning journey is quirky, but I know I'm not alone.
I remember being a "smart kid" in school when we were discussing things I'd already taken the effort to learn on my own. But for everything else, I didn't ever make any progress because I was missing some very basic pieces of the puzzle: why I should learn something in school, how I should do it, and that I was even capable of paying attention and doing the work. I remember adults telling me to pay attention and do my homework, but that seemed like an adult telling me to fly to the moon.
Today, I help students not only to learn, but to frame their own learning as something desirable, achievable, useful, and often fun. I also help education professionals with materials they can use to inspire their own students.
My Philosophy
My take is that the real reason they’re struggling is usually that they are told that they are supposed to learn something, but they don't know why or how.
If they don’t handle it or handle it wrong, they might miss the target on their intellectual or career goals.
If they do handle it well, they can reach their dreams.
What I think these students need most to handle it is someone to help them that may have struggled on the way up.
Meeting with Dr. Alphonse Sterling of NASA, total eclipse 2024
Our inaugural Wiley University Homecoming Fun Run, 2024