THIS PAGE IS MEANT FOR POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS OR OTHERS INTERESTED IN MY TEACHING

Warning!!!  It is someone self-indulgent...

CURRENT POSITION:  I am currently (2007) teaching civics and economics to eighth graders at Corporate Landing Middle School.  I teach an "inclusion" class which means that special needs students are included in the regular education classroom.  While this has certain challenges, it also has certain rewards that might not be found elsewhere.  I am involved in coaching soccer and provide tutoring. 

This page was originally designed as a supplement to previous efforts to gain employment in the international school system.  As mentioned above, I have returned stateside and sadly believe that I will not be able to return to the international schools as they do not provide for retirement benefits.  The international travel bug had been strongly ingrained within me and I don't rule out the possibility of returning to the international schools at some point in the future, but for now, I will make a go at it in the public education system... it needs a few dedicated, professional, effective teachers and I hope to prove myself in this regard.

(Click on the pictures to enlarge - use the BACK BUTTON to return to this or previous pages!)

It is the nature of most teachers at international schools, not to mention social studies teachers in general, that they may be inclined to want to see, if not be part of, the world.  Seeing and experiencing the world is one of our greatest  rewards, right after working with a diverse selection of outstanding young students from a wide variety of cultures and backgrounds.  This page serves the purpose of providing potential employers some insight into who I am, what I have accomplished, and what I have yet to accomplish.  By the way, it is my first ever attempt at building a web-page, so please bear with me.  It includes information intended to demonstrate my characteristics as a person and a teacher.  They are inseparable, in my case.  I apologize for the sometimes self-indulgence of it all.  I recommend you also visit my "Classroom" and "Korea International School" pages.   

I spent three years (2002-2005) at a new and small, but growing private international school in Seoul, Korea - Korea International School - and was instrumental in setting up a wide range of programs for the high school students and community.  In truth, my first year at KIS was the year that KIS accepted its first high school class and there had not been a lot of preparation by the founding proprietor of the school, especially in regards to the extracurricular activities necessary for the full development of high school students.  However, with the blessing and assistance of the school's administration I set about developing a number of extracurricular and community-oriented programs as I could find time and support for.  When not teaching, my time was almost exclusively dedicated to the development of these programs.  I believe I was successful in creating an offering of a variety of programs and activities desperately needed by the high school students and am quite proud of all that I got started at KIS.   While I believe that each of these projects has been successful, it is my hope that should they continue after my departure, those educators who take them over can advance them to the next level.  Below are some examples of some of the programs I was responsible for establishing at KIS. 

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

For a list of the classes I taught and other responsibilities in support of administration while at KIS, please view my RESUME.   

I am, at heart, a service-oriented person who, as you may soon discover, likes to be involved.  Teaching fulfils these personal characteristics of mine.  After university I spent five years serving my country as an officer of Marine Corps infantry and am proud of my service and my veteran status.  I am also proud of the fact that after my experiences abroad, courtesy of the Marines, I decided to return to school, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, and earn an MA in International Relations, which happens to be in many ways related to the subjects I often teach.  I followed that with nearly five years living and working independently in Japan where I taught English as a second language in Tokyo public middle schools and private English language institutes.  It was during this time that I discovered that I could connect with young, international students and absolutely loved teaching.  In Japan, as a life-long learner, I studied Judo and Japanese and was fascinated by its culture.  In 1998 I returned to the US to earn a secondary (6-12), social studies teaching license, taught for two years in Virginia, and moved on to become a teacher at Korea International School, Seoul, Korea.  More recently, I have once again returned to Old Dominion University to complete my MS, Education and consider my next move as a teacher.  Life is good.  Résumés are boring (not mine of course!), but a necessity in the pursuit of meaningful employment.  For more information on some of the activities that I have been involved in at KIS or to view copies of my letters of reference, teaching license, and personal information, please continue on this page. 

LETTERS OF REFERENCE

View my 2003-2005 letters of reference from my director/principal. 

View my 2003-2005 letter of reference from the school's college counselor. 

View my 2002-2003 letter of reference from my director/principal.  

(Use the back button to return to this page after viewing my references.)

View my teaching license.  My teaching license is valid until June 2006.  Recertification will be no problem as I am currently working on a MA in Education and should complete it by the end of 2005. 

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY - GLOBAL VILLAGE  February 2005 was the first time KIS participated in Habitat for Humanity's Global Village Program.  As team leader I was responsible for all the communication, planning, administration, education, and supervision of fifty students and six other chaperones who traveled to the Philippines to spend four days working for HFH (and two days at a beach resort).  Additionally, I designed a fund-raising drive that raised approximately seven thousand US dollars which paid for all teacher chaperone costs with money left over for KIS's next participation with HFH.  This was a huge learning experience, not only for the students, but well worth the extra time and work put into it. 

Model UNITED NATIONS (MUN)

With only freshman and a handful of sophomore students in 2003/2004 I organized the first Korea International School MUN (KISMUN) organization.  It was at first organized as a fall semester elective that required participation in Seoul's annual model United Nations conference (SEOMUN).  During the second semester it becomes an extracurricular activity for those students who wish to participate in an international conference.  In addition to creating the curriculum for the 0.5 credit elective course, I conducted and was solely responsible for all planning and supervision of the international conference trips.  During the first two years of its existence, KISMUN successfully participated in two SEOMUN conferences, went to Far East MUN (FEMUN) in Tokyo during the spring of 2004, and Beijing MUN (BEIMUN) during the spring of 2005.  This is a tremendously successful academic program and in high demand.  It is popular with the students, their parents, and the administration.  I cannot think of a better academically-oriented, interdisciplinary program and hope to remain involved in the MUN program at any school I might find myself at. 

KIS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT COUNCIL

During the 2002/2003 academic year, I established the first KIS student-elected and run student council which included officers form 6th to 9th grade.  This joint middle and high school council organized student socials in a successful effort to create greater school spirit and provide opportunities for students to socialize together in a relatively unstructured environment while having fun at their school.  At the beginning of the 2003/2004 academic year, this council was divided into separate middle (6-8) and high school (at the time, 9-10) student councils.  I remained the advisor to the high school council.  The high school council also created and approved its own by-laws and in 2004/2005 became an autonomous student organization hardly needing my assistance. 

Fund-raising, organizing social events, serving as a liaison to the administration, participation in charitable events, and student leadership are the main activities of the council.  Donations have already been made to such organizations as Habitat for Humanity and Save the Children Alliance, Korea, an example of which was a $500 dollar donation on behalf of the 2004 tsunami victims.  Student council members set the example by additional charity work that included participating in the annual Terry Fox Run, Make-A-Wish activities, and have completed a visit to provide assistance to a local orphanage. 

KIS VOLUNTEER CORPS

Student volunteerism needed to be incorporated into the high school community.  In 2003/04 students participated in the Terry Fox Run, a cancer research charity, in addition to the student council's donations and leadership as participants in charity events the PTO president has registered KIS as a host for Make-A-Wish.  I organized student volunteers to participate in this charity's events.  Students who volunteer for Make-A-Wish and other charitable events or who contributed community service had their hours recorded on their transcripts and also are recognized for their efforts by the school at the end of the year. 

GUEST SPEAKERS AT KIS

In 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 I arranged for guest speakers to address the high school on or around UN Day, October 24th.  Both our speakers spoke about human rights issues, especially the rights of children.  This was my way of bringing the community into KIS while simultaneously introducing KIS to the community. 

SCHOOL SPIRIT I 

2002/03 was KIS's third year and the third year that KIS did not yet have a sporting identity.  With the middle school's emerging soccer program and other sports and extra-curricular activities underway or planned for the near future, it was time KIS began developing its own sense of spirit and pride.  Under the auspices of the student council, I conducted school-wide surveys which eventually led to KIS student body choosing as its school colors: dark blue, light blue and white, and as its mascot the Phoenix.  The students were involved in this process because both I and the school leadership believes in the concept of student "ownership" and involvement in the KIS community.  To involve the student leadership in the process, final selections were reviewed by the members of the 2002/2003 student council and received their vote of approval.  The symbol you see on this page was designed by one of the KIS elementary teachers and also put before the student council for its approval.  Now, KIS teams, organizations, and students have begun building a KIS community school spirit centered on these school colors and mascot.  In 2003/04 and afterward I also sold spirit clothes (sweats and t-shirts) sporting the Phoenix logo.  See the following paragraph.  Go Phoenix!!!

SCHOOL SPIRIT II

Along the lines of creating an identity for the student body, I set out with the hope that the promotion of that identity would be forwarded by the design, sale, and distribution of KIS sweats, as modeled by two KIS students in these pictures (left).  The sweats were so popular during the winter that in the Spring I also designed and sold KIS t-shirts (right).  In all, over 350 pieces were sold to students in the various divisions of KIS during the three years that I sold them at our small school.  Although, I did the great majority of the work involved in this promotion, I did so under the auspices of the student council and made a small profit from the sale of the sweets and t-shirts which went into the council's account.  The council then voted to donate the profit of 400,000 KRW to the PE department to be used to buy fitness equipment for the new fitness room.  The PE Director used this donation to purchase weights and other fitness equipment and has added a fitness component to his curriculum.  Today, not a day goes by that the Phoenix logo is not present on campus or in the community.    (Click on the pictures to enlarge; use the BACK BUTTON to return!)

HIGH SCHOOL OVERNIGHTS

With a lot of help from the PTO president and another parent of one of our high school students, I organized the first high school overnighter in the spring of 2004.  It involved a bus trip to Mt. Surak on the east coast for a climb to one of its peaks (left), a BBQ and bonfire at some cabins along a river that evening, and a Sunday morning trip to the beach before the ride home.  Despite a rather cool water temperature, and with a hint to a few students that those few others who did not make it up to the peak during the previous day's climb might enjoy being taken for a swim..., soon just about everyone was running into, and very quickly out of, the surf.  Fun was had by all!  (Click on the pictures to enlarge; use the BACK BUTTON to return!)  During the spring of 2005, a similar trip was taken to the west coast which included a trip to the Korean Naval Museum, and afternoon on the beach, and an evening BBQ and campfire complete with the guitar-slinging, high school English teacher, Mr. Webster. 

HOW I WOULD DESCRIBE MYSELF AS A TEACHER

I believe strongly in being a role model for my students, but not only my students.  I strive to create a warm, friendly, engaging, and secure learning environment in my classroom and school community in which students will feel comfortable during, before, and after class and in which they can engage in stimulating debate and activity.  I do not rule my class with lists, but attempt to communicate mature, reasonable expectations as guidance hopefully to be emulated by the students.  My classroom is open to any of my students who, when it is not otherwise occupied, need a place to study, access the Internet, print a last-minute-completed assignment, have a private conversation, leave their "stuff," wait for a parent to pick them up, escape the chaos, hide their tears, express their joy, relax for a few moments, or meet any other of a variety of needs.  I believe in working hard, but smart.  I desire to serve my students' and their families' needs and desires, assist my school in accomplishing its mission, support the school's leadership, and make a difference in my community.  An absolute believer in life-long learning and improvement, I continually hope to improve myself as a teacher and a person.  Students AND teachers have multiple skills and assets, as well as varying learning and teaching styles.  Each is a unique individual.  Personal integrity is important to me.  Being a mature professional is important to me.  Maintaining high standards is important to me.  I am strongly influenced by such intrinsic goals as living in and experiencing other cultures; witnessing growth in my students; observing student success; creating worthwhile academic and social opportunities for the students at my school; receiving thanks from a student or from a parent or colleague;  contributing in a positive manner to my community; meeting people from a variety of backgrounds; practicing tolerance; teaching democratic ideals; demonstrating democratic ideals; summers off, traveling, enjoying nature, and much more.

"My hobbies."

I don't mind admitting that I occasionally also enjoy playing hard, as well.  I have found that as my location changes, (not to mention my age) so do my hobbies.  Prior to living in Japan, my main activities were soccer, bowling, and the beach.   I left Japan speaking basic Japanese, a black belt in Judo and an addict of sushi and sushimi.  Since arriving in Korea, I have returned to a previous passion, scuba diving and have since made a number of trips to the Philippines and one outstanding excursion to the Great Barrier Reef of Australia.  I enjoy my summers off, specially when on the beaches of the world, usually Virginia Beach, VA, my "hometown," where I enjoy ocean-kayaking, fishing, mountain-biking, hiking, bowling, eating a good meal, enjoying a cold beer with friends, listening to music, watching movies and sports, reading, staying abreast with current international events, and much more.  Life is good.  Life's a beach!!!  For more pictures and descriptions of my travels and hobbies, visit my "Year In Review" pages!

I WOULD BE HAPPY WORKING HERE

I am primarily interested in teaching at a dynamic, caring school with a friendly and professional staff serving a diverse population of motivated students.  I am equally comfortable in either large or small schools.  I would love to return to Tokyo, but would be perfectly happy almost anywhere in Asia.  I prefer to live in or near a city with access to nearby outdoor activities, but would be equally happy living on or near a beach or coastline or other area with abundant outdoor activities, that happens to be within striking distance of a city.  I am capable of both teaching as an independent member of a staff or as a member of a teaching team.  I enjoy involvement with students in extra-curricular activities.  My primary desire is to teach and work with students..  Eventually, I might consider becoming an administrator as I feel my strengths are in leadership and administration.  However, I feel a good administrator should have a solid understanding of teaching and working with and for students, so for the time being, I am a very content teacher. 

I HOPE THAT WAS NOT TOO SELF-INDULGENT! 

None of these activities would have taken place without willing and enthusiastic students, supportive parents, and an administration that gave me the trust, latitude and authority to do so.  I truly enjoyed taking the lead in organizing and sponsoring these and other opportunities for the students at a new school that, until 2003/2004, had no organized high school program or activities to speak of.  I have taken great pride in the accomplishments of the students and received great joy and satisfaction in their growth as a result of their participation in them.  I thank the students, parents and administration who have helped me make this all possible.  Somehow, when you realize the return on investment regarding all of the effort involved and receive the thanks of the students, parents, colleagues, and administration, it does not seem so much like work.  I hope this page gives the prospective new employer a better understanding of who I am as a person and teacher and what I can offer a school and its community.  Please visit my other pages, especially the Korea International School page, for further pictures and information regarding the above and additional activities that I have played a leading role in developing or leading at Korea International School, a school that is quickly growing into a premiere international school.  Thank you.