Education is about students not teachers.  The education should provide a safe yet challenging environment that encourages individual creativity and promotes intellectual freedom and lifelong learning.  All my scholars are valued members of society and deserve to be treated respectfully and courteously.  I encourage them to share their life experiences and ideas to enhance the learning experience for myself and their fellow scholars.  I strive to foster critical thinking and maintain high standards while recognizing scholars have individual needs.  I choose to view scholars' needs challenges with options rather than barriers to the educational process.  I encourage scholars to take ownership of their education partnering actively with me to make their educational experience personally meaningful and rewarding.  To that end I welcome suggestions and ideas from my scholars to which I give serious consideration.

Course content is dictated by CTC standards, best practices, and practical application for today's classrooms. My courses and course content is under continual revision to improve the quality of presentation and relevancy of content to contemporary issues.  Selection of required reading is made based on simple yet relevant models than can be readily implemented in the classroom in support of the subject matter.  Student centered learning in both individual and collaborative formats represents teachers' roles in contemporary institutions.  My courses are presented in an on-line format to accommodate the busy schedules and geographically remote locations of my scholars.  I attend two to three teaching and technology conferences annually to acquire and master new technology, teaching strategies, and course design for distance learning.   I hope to make courses more interactive and meaningful by taking advantage of technology tools and opportunities.  I make every effort to model my expectations through examples and my own behavior, ethics, and personal integrity. 

Ronald Myers, Associate Professor in Veterinary Pathology pointed out in his teaching portfolio: "I have come to realize that ultimately students learn what we examine for."  I concur.  I strive to develop objectives that clearly state what scholars are expected to do and assess scholars based on the degree to which they meet those objectives.  Objectives are competency-based and assessment is designed  to measure the degree of proficiency scholars achieve.  My focus is not on grades, but on acquisition of skills.  I provide feedback and suggestions and encourage scholars to submit remediation to develop that proficiency.  Rather than testing.  Objectives and assessments are based in strategies and methodologies essential to teachers and students in today's' educational environment.  They include case studies, field trips, interviews, direct instructions, instructional support, evaluation, and problem-solving.

Ultimately I view my role as mentor.  Helping my scholars achieve their academic, professional, and personal goals is the most rewarding aspect of teaching.  I thrive on developing individual degree plans and strategies.  Nothing rejuvenates me like interacting with my scholars.  For me a successful term is not only one in which my scholars feedback indicates the course was meaningful to them, but one in which I learn from my scholars.  I view my scholars as my peers and my courses as an exchange of information in which I am the facilitator.  Together we can improve our own classrooms and the climate of education in California.  To what greater legacy can I aspire than to promote quality education through my scholars?

I believe in and practice the ACTE Code of Ethics.

Mission Statement.