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Teacher: Virginia Beach City Public Schools Essay Writing Tutor: various on-line tutoring services Musician/Composer: 30 years touring world-wide

My teaching philosophy is based on a progressivism approach. Students need the opportunity to learn in a child-centered-curriculum. Classroom strategies should rely on democracy, student needs, and practical achievements. I believe classroom activities should center on reality. A child needs to develop practical skills so they may comprehend classroom instruction as well as real-world experiences. As a progressive instructor I facilitate learning by helping students formulate meaningful questions and devise strategies to answer those questions. Answers are not drawn from lists; they are discovered through real world experience. In my classroom there are children I instruct working in small groups, moving about and talking freely. Some children might be discussing equivalent fractions on worksheets, while another group works on models, which make up equivalent fractions. Third stations play games with cards or computers to equivocate fractions. Interest centers would be located throughout the room, filled with books, materials, software, and projects designed to attract student interest on a wide array of topics. As a teacher, I also walk around the room, bending over to talk with individual students and small groups, asking questions and making suggestions. My method is to build the curriculum around the experiences, interests, and abilities of students to work together cooperatively. I believe there is no compulsion to focus my students' attention on one discrete discipline at a time. Computer simulations, field trips, and interactive websites on the Internet offer realistic learning challenges for students, and build on students' multiple intelligences. Much like John Dewey, I believe that the mind should be trained to analyze experience thoughtfully and draw conclusions objectively.

Golden Key Memeber

MA in Elementary Education @ University of Phoenix BA in Social Science @ Ashford University

• Student Teacher from September 4, 2012 to December 4, 2012 at Bettie F. Williams Elementary School in Virginia Beach, Virginia - Led class to an average 95% increase in math post-assessment test scores during the months of September to December 2012 school year. • Employed activities and techniques to encourage student learning and build community within the classroom. • Curriculum Design - Designed, developed and implemented daily lessons for 42 students. Employed [activities] and [techniques] techniques to encourage student learning and build community within the classroom. • Lesson Implementation - Met all assigned learning goals through the implementation of [learning activities]. • Curriculum Implementation - Taught reading, language arts, social studies, mathematics, science, art and physical education to pupils utilizing course of study adopted by the Board of Education.