Get to know one of this year’s Golden Apple recipients!
What is your job title and where do you work? First Grade Teacher at Mountain View Elementary School.
Tell us a little about your family – if you’d like to! Wife- Alyson is a health inspector for Linn County, Kids-Eli (24), Jay (22), and Mackenzie (21).
What is one fun fact about you? I started in the Corvallis School District as a 4th grader in 1981.
What do you do in your spare time? Play guitar and work in the yard.
Tell us about your educational background. I graduated from Corvallis High School in 1990. I went to Western Oregon University for a couple of years before transferring to the University of Montana. I did my student teaching in Corvallis, Montana. I got my master’s degree in Educational Leadership at the University of Oregon.
Was becoming a teacher something you always planned on doing? In high school, I was a camp counselor for the Outdoor School program. This experience got me thinking about teaching as a career.
What does being a good teacher mean to you? I think the essential thing is a desire to meet students where they are and work from there, toward their goals. The other thing I remind myself of all the time is that it is my job to show up every day and keep trying.
What is something you love about your job? I love playing a part in helping students learn and grow.
What is one student interaction that has always stood out to you? During my first year of teaching, I had a student who was struggling to stay in his own space. I felt like I had tried “everything.” Nothing seemed to work until we came up with a plan that involved his favorite activity: Basketball. He started thinking about staying in his own space like he was “sinking a 3 at the buzzer.” That turned into a strategy I’ve used ever since.
What is something that you have implemented in the school since working there? Implementing CCC (Center for the Collaborative Classroom) has been the most extensive curriculum implementation I’ve been a part of. This program includes reading, writing, and social and emotional learning.
What did it feel like being surprised with the Golden Apple Award? Were you expecting it? This was such a surprise! I had trouble making sense of it at first. I thought my buddy class was wishing me a happy birthday, but people just kept coming into my classroom. I saw Melissa Harder and school board members and I was just thinking, “Oh they’re here visiting and heard singing…” I didn’t really put it together until my wife came through the door with a sign! The next thing I felt was a flood of gratitude.