Practical Learning Aids

Four years in education, two as a substitute (for three school districts), and two as an instructional assistant for a middle school, grades 6-8. My wife is a teacher too, she's an 11th grade high school ELA teacher, with certifications in Special Education, Secondary English, and Secondary Social Studies, with about seven years of experience. I have an undergraduate degree in Graphic Design and Fine Art from Park University, but I've spent the last three years working on a Masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction (art content) at the University of Missouri Kansas City. I will student teach Spring 2016. Working as an instructional assistant, I move around a lot. I have had the great luxury of spending a lot of time in a number of various classroom settings. I've learned a lot from watching teachers struggle, succeed, and all together fall apart. To provide you with some insight into the school I work at, It's in a poor community (73% free and reduced lunch), and it's incredibly culturally diverse. There are somewhere around 30 different languages spoken. I've worked with students from all walks of life. A lot of my experience stems from working with behavioral, pull out, 504, special needs, functional, or mild-to-moderate students.

I believe each student deserves a fair an equal education relative to their own circumstances and learning needs. I believe in building unique relationships with each and EVERY student so that in turn, I can develop a curriculum that is purposeful, relevant, and culturally inclusive to the individual. Anything less, is unacceptable.

Working with students everyday, developing meaningful and purposeful relationships, and evolving as a human being is reward enough.

My undergraduate degree is in Graphic design with a minor in Fine Arts. I am currently working on finishing a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Missouri Kansas City.

Aside from spending time with my wife, playing the guitar, or playing with my three cats, I spend a lot of time trying to come up with unique learning aids. At my school, if I feel there is an opportunity for me to make something for a student that would make learning more accessible to them, I go home and make it that night. I have a habit of spending an unhealthy amount of time in front of a computer, trying to problem solve for students I feel are under served. It wasn't until I worked with a teacher who I made a couple things for that it was suggested to me to make a TPT account. I had never heard of it before. Most of the things I currently post are things I'm working on for students I work with now. But, I plan on creating aids for any grade levels, I want to help streamline learning by providing practical and functional tools teachers can easily incorporate into their lesson plans. If there's ever a learning aid you think would be immediately beneficial to your students, please let me know. I will make it a priority to come up with something if it benefits or enhances the learning of a student, especially an under served student.