About

With over a decade of experience in K-12 schools as a teacher, fundraiser, director, mentor, and Title I facilitator, I believe passionately in the value of learning and the importance of good teaching. This blog is an opportunity for me to reflect on my own learning both personally and professionally, so that I can become the best leader and teacher that I can be. I don’t claim to hold the answers, but I am learning as I go and appreciate your thoughts, comments, and feedback along the way.

As far as my own formal education is concerned, I hold a B.A. in English from Lipscomb University (1994) and an M.Ed. in School Administration and Supervision from Freed-Hardeman University (2009). I started my professional career as an auto claim representative for State Farm in Denver before spending three years as a youth and family minister at Skyline Church in Jackson, TN. From Skyline I accepted a teaching position at Harding Academy of Memphis, where I served for 10 years before accepting a position as the Title I facilitator at Millington Central High School and starting on a new personal learning journey. I began rethinking what it means to be a thoughtful, networked learner in the information age. I realized that even though I had been a successful classroom teacher, today’s technologies would require a makeover of my instructional practices. Inspired by the challenge, I accepted a position teaching 6th grade reading at Presbyterian Day School this fall.

Personally, I live a charmed life. In 2005, all my dreams came true when I married the most amazing woman I’ve ever known. She was widowed at the time and when we married, I instantly became a father to three wonderful little boys. I was 34 and had never been married, and in the 15 minutes it took to wed, my world was turned upside down in a very good way. In 2007, our daughter was born and our quiver was filled.

My primary interest beyond my wife and children is teaching and learning, and I am greatly interested in 21st Century Learning and technology. Additionally, I love tennis, soccer, and college sports (especially Lipscomb, Vandy, and my Memphis Tigers). I enjoy tracking news, reading books, watching movies, and listening to music–like most English majors I’m a sucker for a good story. I’m a fumbler (a.k.a. follower) of Christ and active in my church (SVCC) where I teach the class for college-age adults. All of this may be fair game for this blog. We’ll just see where it goes.

I want to acknowledge the following people for inspiring me in this latest blogging adventure (yes, I’ve tried this once before):

• First, my wife Debbie for all her love and support
• Dr. Monte Tatom for inspiring me to engage technology in a new way
• Clif Mims for the suggestions about getting started
• Brett Trapp for the enthusiasm he displayed about his blog
• My PLN for being so innovative, friendly, and helpful
• Finally, my teachers, both those that stood before me and those I stood before, for instilling in me a passion to learn

Oh, and by the way, my opinions are just that–MINE! They are not my employer’s, my church’s, my friends’, or my family’s–just mine, and I reserve the right to change them as I want. You can disagree with me, too. (After all, how do we learn if we can’t make mistakes?)