Welcome to Class!
Education is a voyage that requires thought, dedication, and a curious mind. It is my hope that you will embrace the challenge of expanding your mind while in my class. It will be difficult at times, but anything worth achieving in life is not easy. Please familiarize yourself with this website and the rules, policies and procedures of my classroom. I have been called an "old school" teacher because I enforce ALL the rules, I am honest with my students and parents, and I expect students to work. The grade you earn in my class will be a direct reflection of how much you do, how well you do it, and how much thought you put in to it. Welcome to Star Fleet!
Somewhere, back when I was a child, I learned about life. I did not stumble on the answer and it was not handed to me as a gift. It was a lesson I earned with tears, and heart, and sweat. It was not always something I wanted to do but it was something that happened none the less, and I am a better person for it today. When people ask me what my philosophy of education is, I cannot say exactly; my ideas become mixed up with hours spent in the kitchen with my grandma learning about apple dumplings and what goes into a popcorn ball that makes it so irresistible. Lazy afternoons where we would fall asleep to her voice reading to us; Longfellow, Are you My Mother, Shakespeare. Memories of long walks with my grandfather, through the woods in Pennsylvania crowd their way into my “philosophy”, when I learned about beavers and dams, how the stream cuts through the Earth, and all about spiders and salamanders, and rain storms, and wind and just how big the world is… and how fragile. I know somewhere in my philosophy are the countless hours I spent being whisked away by my mother’s voice as she read us the Hardy Boys, or the Bobbsie Twins, or Tom Swift, or Green Eggs and Ham. I know also that there is a good amount of my father in there. The man whom I love dearly, but rebelled against. He would be amazed to see that those harsh lessons paid off and I am the better for it. I can set a fence, hang dry wall, fix an engine, bandage a wound, stoke a good fire, and bait a hook with the best of them. My life was hard and the lessons sometimes harder, but they all sit there reminding me of how I grew into the man I am today. They all come into play when I discuss my philosophy of education. Research on child development, along with my 17 + years of experience, agree that learning is a natural and enjoyable task for students. To young persons, education can be a thrilling adventure that when presented correctly is a great deal of fun to all involved. Because schools fill a safe and necessary role in emotional, social, and educational development, it is important to me to provide the stability and excitement needed for my students to achieve positive growth. Education is not, however, a one way street. Each student must strive to bring their best to the class, enter with a positive attitude, and try their hardest to learn. It is my goal to provide a wide range of age appropriate stimulation and to let students explore independently or guided in a safe and secure environment. This security is derived from predictable routines, teacher directed activities, care, acceptance, and encouragement. In order to provide my students with the environment they need, it is important for me to establish and enforce certain criteria and guidelines that will be mentioned throughout this website. I have based my discipline technique on a theory of mutual respect, care and sometimes tough consequences where parents are placed in a position where they must act responsibly for the benefit of their child. It is my desire to surround myself with people who are like minded about growth and development, people who have not lost sight of the magic of being a child and I feel that team effort here at Lake Weir Middle School. I may not make a million dollars at my job, but I would not ask for anything less for my own children. I strive to be able to say, when I go home at night, that I made a difference for at least one student.
I thank you for allowing me to educate your children.