Teaching+Philosophy

I have chosen to pursue a career in teaching for several reasons. I believe that at this time there is an enormous rift between collegiate and high school academics that needs to be repaired as soon as possible. Too many students are entering college with lower than average writing and note taking skills that put them behind the curve of the fast paced collegiate teaching. To close this gap I will use a mixture of technology based learning, interactive lectures, and structured writing activities. I hope to present the past in an exciting and interesting fashion that makes events come alive for the students. In order to do this, I will present information using new technology, such as the interactive Smartboard when possible, and through multimedia presentations that will encourage the students to get involved and interested in the past. I wish to share my knowledge and passion for historical events with a new generation of Americans that increasingly overlook the effects of historical events upon today’s world. My greatest teacher was my grandfather. He taught me to never overlook seemingly simple events and things in life as they always had an effect that was much larger than it would seem. He pushed me to learn more about the outside world and what affected it not just what affected me. These ideas pushed me to learn about a large range of topics which I continuously research and learn about to this day. I focus largely on modern day history and how recent events affect the politics, culture, and militaries of many nations and peoples. In addition to my continuous passion for learning and continuing my own education which I will pass on to my students, I believe that my skills and experiences as a coach allow me to think outside the box when it comes to education and teaching. I will use techniques I have learned as a coach and mentor to help gain the trust of my students and help them reach their full potential by pushing them beyond what they think their limits of learning are. I hope to pass on the skills that I have gained through my own experiences on to those of a younger generation and help them gain skills that will help them in the future as they continue their education and enter the workforce. In addition to my strong desire to become a teacher, I have an overwhelming interest in coaching co-curricular activities. I have spent three years as a college football coach, two as a student assistant and one as an assistant coach for the defensive line, and I believe that involvement in athletics is a perfect compliment and even a prelude to strong performance in the classroom. Athletes in general have been characterized as dumb and pretentious, however, it is my personal belief that athletes when taught by their coaches to be accountable first and foremost in the classroom and then to the sport, that the athletes take on a new perspective and strive for excellence both in the classroom and on the field with equal vigor. Coaching is an extension of teaching which allows me to help give an outlet to students that may be “at risk,” and gives the student a responsibility to themselves and to the team to stay out of trouble and stay on track in the classroom. I taught at a high school while coaching collegiate football this past year and found it easy to manage both without ignoring one for the sake of the other. Teaching always was in the forefront of my mind as the students were counting on me to guide them beyond high school while my players were counting on me to guide them only to the next game.