My Teaching Philosophy
I believe that all students, regardless of ability, should be given the tools that will allow them to achieve to the fullest of their potential. I hope to become part of the Instructional Technology revolution currently sweeping the nation and to use this technology to improve the classroom experiences of students with special needs.
My Personal Story
I grew up in Pleasanton, a town forty miles east of San Francisco, California. Upon graduating from high school, I was unsure what I wanted to do. Some of my friends were heading north to Humboldt State University and some south to Santa Barbara City College (SBCC). Being more of a sun and beach guy, I headed south. After completing the general curriculum at SBCC, I applied and was accepted to the Cinema Studies program at San Francisco State University, a school whose students are known more for their "Indie" films and documentaries than they are for their Hollywood blockbusters. Work in either one of these specialized fields of cinema can be hard to come by. So, after graduating, I moved to Los Angeles, where I obtained a Production Assistant position working on the E! Entertainment show, Mysteries and Scandals. The show was fun. But, something was missing. It didn't "fill me up," so to speak. After a year in Hollywood, I knew I needed something different. My wife had earned her teaching credential. She was happy and enjoyed her job. Fed up with Hollywood, we decided to move back to the San Francisco Bay Area. I began studying education at San Jose State University. Two years later, I had completed my K-8 General Education Credential Program. I later returned to school, this time at San Marcos State University, and obtained my Education Specialist (Special Education) Credential. Since then, I have worked with students with disabilities in Math, Reading, and Writing, as well as with students with Serious Emotional Disabilities and Autism. I have loved every minute of it! In my spare time, I enjoy writing, hiking, surfing, and playing guitar.
I believe that all students, regardless of ability, should be given the tools that will allow them to achieve to the fullest of their potential. I hope to become part of the Instructional Technology revolution currently sweeping the nation and to use this technology to improve the classroom experiences of students with special needs.
My Personal Story
I grew up in Pleasanton, a town forty miles east of San Francisco, California. Upon graduating from high school, I was unsure what I wanted to do. Some of my friends were heading north to Humboldt State University and some south to Santa Barbara City College (SBCC). Being more of a sun and beach guy, I headed south. After completing the general curriculum at SBCC, I applied and was accepted to the Cinema Studies program at San Francisco State University, a school whose students are known more for their "Indie" films and documentaries than they are for their Hollywood blockbusters. Work in either one of these specialized fields of cinema can be hard to come by. So, after graduating, I moved to Los Angeles, where I obtained a Production Assistant position working on the E! Entertainment show, Mysteries and Scandals. The show was fun. But, something was missing. It didn't "fill me up," so to speak. After a year in Hollywood, I knew I needed something different. My wife had earned her teaching credential. She was happy and enjoyed her job. Fed up with Hollywood, we decided to move back to the San Francisco Bay Area. I began studying education at San Jose State University. Two years later, I had completed my K-8 General Education Credential Program. I later returned to school, this time at San Marcos State University, and obtained my Education Specialist (Special Education) Credential. Since then, I have worked with students with disabilities in Math, Reading, and Writing, as well as with students with Serious Emotional Disabilities and Autism. I have loved every minute of it! In my spare time, I enjoy writing, hiking, surfing, and playing guitar.