Captain Smartybeard

I am currently in my 10th year of teaching. Each year I grow a little more as an educator and learn something new about humanity. It's about the math, reading, writing, science, and social studies, but it's also about hope, empathy, healing, empowerment, and the giving of wings.

I have always loved drawing so I include art into my lessons as much as I can. My wife and I share the journey of life with our two beautiful daughters so over the years I have become pretty good at making all types of voices (pirates, cowboys, superheroes, etc...). These voices help me bring the content I teach to life. I sing to my students almost daily and use dramatic arts to add a little zest to my teaching style (when teaching about pirates, I talk and walk like a pirate with a yard stick in my belt loop). My overall philosophy with day to day teaching is, "if I am having fun teaching, they should be having fun learning". I have found that children are the most magical of all people and I connect better with them if I step through my classroom door each morning with a little wonder of my own.

Global Classroom of the Year nominee for my school in 2015-16 Global Classroom of the Year nominee for my school in 2016-17

Graduated with distinguished honors from UNCW

I enjoy time with my family (soccer travel, hiking, laughing, reading books to my kids, and wrestling with my dogs on the livingroom floor) Along with this, I love to write stories and play guitar. I am blessed to have recorded an album and have written two books. Music-"A Bridge Named Grace" by James Ryan Orr Books- The Candle Maker by James Ryan Orr, The Pencil Project by James Ryan Orr (both can be found on Amazon.com) http://www.jamesryanorr.com/