Teachers Looking for Schools:

• Nathan Bergom
  
  My background includes a B.A. in Chemistry from the University of Northern Iowa, a year of teaching Chemistry in suburban Des Moines, IA, and a 6 month long-term substitution assignment of teaching Chemistry and Physical Science at a Catholic school in suburban Chicago. I’m certified in Chemistry and Physics at the secondary level.
  
  I understand the constructivist idea that learning happens best when the teachers realize that learning is natural, not something to be forced. Both the learner and the teacher must be willing participants in order for real, lasting learning to occur. Students have their interests, and it would be my job to encourage these interests, and provide guidance and assistance when it is requested.
  
  I have a deep science background, with an emphasis in the physical sciences. However, that certainly doesn’t limit me, as I find aspects of the life sciences interesting as well. Limiting myself to the sciences would be silly, though. I find history, archaeology, and mythology fascinating, as well.
  
  I read voraciously, especially science fiction, science and society nonfiction, and comic books. Yes, comic books, from the classic Spider-Man to the more modern Fables (think fairy tale characters living in the modern world, with King Cole as mayor, and the Big Bad Wolf as sheriff). I love games, both board and video. I’ve run a small board game meet up in Chicago for the past two years. I’ve relished sharing these things with my 10 nieces and nephews as they’ve been growing up.
  
  When it comes to education, I’m a strong constructivist. I firmly believe that for learning to happen, the work done to achieve it must mean something. The people who know best what work is meaningful for students are the students themselves. I have had students tell me they learned Chemistry best from the labs, while viewing the book as worthless. I have also had students who felt exactly the opposite. However, the students who learned Chemistry best were those who felt Chemistry had something to offer, whether it was usefulness for college, or even just plain interesting.
  
  I dislike the separation of school and community. I feel that children should be a part of the community, not segregated away from it. They should have the opportunity to see the world outside of school and how it works. I particularly like the idea of internships and observations when they are feasible. There are also other ways of getting involved with the community, such as volunteer work.
  
  While I am a constructivist and believe that students should determine their own curriculum, they should be expected to determine an actual curriculum. At the end of a week, a student should be able to say, “I accomplished something.”
  
  I am looking to work full-time for a school with a constructivist environment where the students follow their learning interests to accomplish interesting, positive, productive goals. I am willing to relocate, and will be available as of summer 2008.
  
  I can be reached either at (847) 869-2060, or nbergom@sbcglobal.net
  
  
• Andrew Worley
  
  My name is Andrew Worley and I am excited about teaching. I have a California preliminary secondary credential in Biology as well as an SDA basic credential with endorsements in Biology, Chemistry, and English. (SDA stands for Seventh Day Adventist, a protestant Christian denomination with a large network of schools and hospitals around the world)
  
  I have just returned to the states from teaching conversational English in Japan for the last 20 months, and am now ready to begin my stateside teaching career. I am very much interested in alternate education and am very flexible and willing to learn a system that works well. I am interested in democratic education as well as thematic, project, and interdisciplinary based approaches. Ideally I want to live near the coast and work in a small school environment.
  
  It is important to me that my first teaching job in the states is one that finds me in a non-coercive learning community where students are given latitude to grow in individual directions as well as guidance to get to places they never thought possible. If you are looking for a science teacher who wants to learn new teaching techniques, loves young people, and has a flexible willing-to-grow attitude, then please contact me and lets start a relationship.
  
  ajworley@gmail.com 707-812-0766
  
  
• Marc Lazard
  
  I am a male, 57-year-old, widely experienced, creative educator looking for a professional home. My educational philosophy leans more towards unschooling or free schools than progressive education.
  
  I have lived in 11 countries and visited two dozen others. I am fluent in French, English and Italian, speak Spanish and Haitian Creole, and I have notions of Russian and Hebrew. Growing up in France as an academic prodigy in a family of Ph. D.�s, I underwent a rigorous education in one of the top two high schools in the country. I learned Latin as well as a lot of math and physics. Eventually I rebelled against that system and engaged in a life of travel and real life experiences.
  
  I know a lot about holistic health, yoga, nutrition and other wellness modalities. Since the age of 18, I have been on a spiritual journey which became highly focused on issues surrounding children after the birth of my daughter 20 years ago. My intuitive skills in working with people are always growing.
  
  Lately I have worked as an art educator. I am a drawing specialist (www.learn-to-draw.net) and a strong advocate of visual literacy. What started with a book called Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain has led me to train art teachers, research ways to use visual intelligence to facilitate math learning, design educational toys based on the perspective devices of the Renaissance and create travel programs to Italy combining a tour of early Renaissance works with an intensive initiation to drawing.
  
  I have a passion for film and videomaking, with knowledge of photography, screenwriting, theater, arts and crafts.
  
  Another deep interest of mine developed while working in a Jungian, holistic center for disturbed adolescents. We used ritual, mythology, the arts, nature and vision quests in the context of healing the whole person. As a result of that profound experience, I am well attuned to the need to take every dimension of a human being into account, including the ways in which schooling can compound problems for young people.
  
  Although English is my second language, I am well qualified to teach creative and expository writing. I also have a long-lasting interest in math pedagogy. I love basketball and, if that matters, I have a master�s in education from Harvard University.
  
  I am looking for a compatible learning community to become a part of, preferably outside the U.S. and not in a large city, but I will consider everything.
  
  Marc S. Lazard mslxl@hotmail.com 1-917-319-9719
  
  
• Kadi Cook
  
  As humans we are learning all the time. We take in the world, interpret what it means to us, make connections, assimilate it into our being, and communicate that back to the world. The place of education is to expose students to new experiences and provide a safe arena for them to express themselves. The role of the teacher is to model the behavior we are trying to instill in our students� the curiosity, the enthusiasm, the entire thinking/experiencing process. The teacher is the guide to authentic experience. As teachers we must nurture our students as whole human beings, with spiritual, physical, mental and emotional needs, while recognizing that these same needs are present within ourselves. We must provide time for free exploration, for cultivating curiosity and creativity, as well as time to digest the world and incubate new ideas.
  
  I have been concerned with the state of the pubic school system since I was extremely disappointed with my own experience in school. I was privileged enough to participate in an alternative arts program in high school which provided me with the opportunity to know working artists as teachers. This program provided a much more democratic style of schooling. We knew our teachers as real people, with first names (hmm, imagine that). We were trusted to wander the city armed with a blank check from the school to find materials. We were asked our opinion about the artwork of our peers and instructors. We all flourished in this innovative environment!
  
  College proved better, but again I was drawn to the nurturing, creative atmosphere of the poetry classrooms where we were having authentic creative moments. I began teaching craft classes, and after college retuned to my visual arts passions, becoming a potter and ceramic artist. Learning what I was passionate about I absorbed more information faster and more comprehensively than ever before. As there is an art to ceramics and to learning, so there is to teaching. I really began to develop my teaching craft at the Portland Children's Museum where I taught art. This supportive atmosphere (based some on the Reggio Emilia approach) provided a space for kids to explore their interests and questions without being forced in any particular direction. Watching these kids experience true "ah-ha" moments though hands-on exploration excited me into further exploring my career as a teacher.
  
  At this point I found a Creative Arts in Learning program through Lesley University. This program filled my basket with a multitude of new tools to engage students using all of the arts. I agree with their philosophy about using arts to teach the "regular subjects," but after re-experiencing the traditional classrooms through two years of substitute teaching and doing in-school puppetry workshops, I am again devastated with the state of the public school system. We have many wonderful teachers working to change the system from the inside, but it is my belief that we cannot fix a flawed system by making small alterations. Thus, we must demonstrate alternative ways to educate through new systems that actually work. I don't believe that one model is the end-all solution for every situation, but all have their merits and should be treated as guides, just as the arts integration process should be used as a tool. My specialty is using the arts to teach and I am learning from them daily as I write poetry, sing and play the guitar, and make ceramic and other forms of visual art. This constant exposure has strengthened and maintained my creative abilities; I am quick with innovative solutions, I have the courage to take risks, I am super flexible, I can relate to the experiences of others, and I have maintained my sense of curiosity and humility because of the ways I interact with the world. This is the gift I would like to give to others.
  
  I am looking for an environment to inspire young learners and to grow with amazing, like-minded people. If you know of an environment like this, please contact me. I am ready to relocate. kadi.cook@gmail.com (864) 473-0807 Address: 4 Oakland Ave. Inman, SC 29349 To see some ceramic work or to participate in my soon-to-come blog on creative education, visit http://www.kadicook.com/
  
  
• Sarah Scholfield -Currently, I am teaching in the public school system. I am teaching English as a Second Language. I also taught fifth grade for two years. This is my third and final year teaching in the public school system. I absolutely love the children and teaching them. It is such a special gift to view the world through a child�s eyes to witness such curiosity, excitement, and wonder. I love to see a child free to play, explore, and connect with the world around them. The problem is that in public education, I do not see the children free to create, play, or discover anything on their own. I am constantly saddened by the lack of love, nurturance, positive reinforcement, creativity, and play that the children are deprived of on a daily basis. The fact that more emphasis is based on test scores than the emotional, physical, intellectual, and social well being of a child is a huge injustice to our society and our children.
  
  I am searching for an independent, democratic, or alternative school that truly inspires, nurtures, loves, challenges, encourages, and lets children be free to discover the world around them. I want to be at a school that does not teach through the use of force or authority, but allows the child to possess his/her own creativity, individuality, and curiosity. My ideal teaching environment would be a family-oriented community where learning is truly inspired by the whole community. I want to be free to connect with the children through outdoor education, love of learning, diversity, hands-on projects, interest-based learning, art, music, Spanish, friendship, and a deep sense of respect, self-worth, and companionship.
  
  I have a rich, diverse background from traveling to many different countries. I have a deep love and appreciation for other cultures and languages. I taught English as a Second Language in South Korea. Later, I took on a personal endeavor to learn Spanish. I traveled, studied, and lived in Mexico, Ecuador, and Guatemala. I studied at intensive language schools and lived with various host families. I would like to find a school that teaches Spanish. It would be great to be at a school that values learning other languages and sees them as equally important as English. I want to teach at a school where the students and teachers can create a joy and love of learning that far exceeds any state standard, and forms a partnership in learning where side by side, student and teacher learn together as equals.
  
  Please contact me at sjscholfield@hotmail.com.
  
  
• Nikki Lardas - It's like this - I am ending my 15th - and last - year in the public schools, but I spared my son. He was free-schooled, then unschooled. Now he is 21 and it is my turn. I have a writing degree and an M. Ed. in special ed. (small "s's" intentional.) My credentials include journalism, Outward Bound and Mensa. We are a multicultural family, my son and I. He is African-American, I am Greek. We adopted each other when he was 8. I believe in Aero and the Albany School and Summerhill, love Jerry to pieces and have lost all faith in the American public schools. I work hard and will relocate to any school that will let me work in an atmosphere where kids are treated like the gifts they are - a school that believes all kids really want to learn and that grown-ups do best when they guide, encourage and get out of the way. Nikki Lardas, 407 518- 1344 - lardas@gmail.com
  
  
• Richard Dates - I am a certified science teacher with over twenty years experience in teaching and tutoring. My New Mexico certificate says I am �highly qualified�, but I�ll let you judge that. I�m looking for a creative, democratic setting in which I can use my background and enthusiasm to help students learn. My skills and interests are not limited to science and math. I have deep interest and some skill in the humanities. I paint, draw and do ceramics. I�ve written, published and performed my poetry in a number of settings. I�ve done a good deal of work with computer graphics including paid, professional work in catalog writing. I�ve published scientific research in biological science. I have a degree in chiropractic and practiced for a few years before returning to teaching. I�ve been a zookeeper at Brookfield Zoo and worked in a number of camp, recreation and outdoor education settings.
  
  My most rewarding experiences have been working with students who enjoy learning and want to learn. Not all of my students have started out with such attitudes, but in settings which are positive, and which allow development of individual instructional relationships, such environments can usually be created. Sadly, the public schools are usually not good places to create such an atmosphere. Deteriorating school environments, huge student loads, increased emphasis on standardized testing, �No Child Left Behind�, violence, and negative attitudes toward students who want to learn are all factors which mitigate against creating positive learning environments.
  
  I�ve found that hands-on, project based instruction is most effective in teaching students science. If the teacher can put together good demonstrations and lecture-discussions, students often enjoy them and learn from them. But following student interest and enthusiasm is important. Following lists of objectives is boring for the students and the teacher. While teachers should have sets of basic concepts which they would like students to learn, such objectives need to be followed in a flexible manner. Joy�joy in learning�why can�t THAT be one of the teaching objectives?
  
  I am a strong believer in an interdisciplinary, project-based approach which links students to the interconnected web of existence which makes up our world. For example, I think working with computer-based graphics such as Adobe Illustrator is a great way to reinforce geometric concepts. There are a number of fascinating programs in computer graphics such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Corel Painter, Bryce, and Poser, that can help students increase skill in visual art, computers, mathematics and creative writing.
  
  I�ve worked in a number of settings including big cities, suburbs, small towns and the Navajo Indian Reservation. Now, I�m looking for a creative opportunity to work for a school developing an excellent educational program. My name is Richard Dates. This summer I will be living on my land near the El Morro National Monument in New Mexico. My email is walrusblackhawk@hotmail.com. My mailing address is P.O. Box 417, 107 El Morro Way, Pine Hill, NM 87357. My phone number is 505-783-4019.
  
  
• Michaelia Morgan, Pacific Grove, CA - I am interested in creating a relationship with an alternative school in Northern California or Western Canada with the intention of teaching there in less than two years. My background includes democratically-run programs, student-led activities as well as teaching in a Waldorf school. I am highly skilled in many areas, and I will have completed the Master of Arts in Education before 2007 ends. I like children of all ages but feel the most skilled with "middle school years." I look forward to creating new alliances in the above geographical locations; please send an email for details about me . Michaelia55@aol.com
  
  
• Rita G. Quinn - With over twenty years of experience in teaching K-adult learners and in administrative positions in a variety of school settings across the United States, I am enthusiastic about returning to the classroom. I see education as society�s vehicle for instilling its values and hopes for the future. My work, whether as teacher or administrator, is to develop a sense of community that validates and celebrates learning in all realms: intellectual, emotional, social, artistic, physical and citizenship for all the learning partners. I have designed and taught professional development institutes in partnership with the Florence Griswold Museum that involve teachers in learning through performance based activities that incorporate the multiple intelligences. While leader of Lyme School, we were accepted as a Connecticut HOT School and as principal in three schools I instituted the school Town Meeting. As a consultant for the Total Literacy books by Dr. Sue Snyder, I contributed my expertise in developing units that utilize literacy in multiple disciplines for total learning. I have also been trained in Life Space Crisis Intervention and Responsive Classroom. My outside interests that I bring to my learners are contra dancing, animal/nature lore, gardening and traveling. My degrees are in elementary education, educational technology, educational leadership and 15 graduate hours in mathematical leadership.
  
  Resume on request.
  
  rquinnfms@mac.com
  
  
• JB Wright. I am a certified teacher with over ten years of experience in the field of education. I enjoy getting creative and seeing the light bulb come on for my students. However, this is becoming more difficult in traditional schools, with more emphasis being placed on rote memorization and standardized testing,among other things. I am looking for an alternative school/teaching/learning environment, where I can teach classes indoor or outdoors, and have flexibility in time schedule and pacing of classes. I have extra training in teaching reading, as well as working with gifted and learning disabled students. (I really hate using these titles, prefering to refer to it as meeting the students where they are at and helping them reach their full potential. Plus, I have training in AIMS Earth Science, and the Globe Project, and other hands-on methods for teaching math and science. These are the kinds of things that show kids practical and useful applications for these subjects, but that time constraints sometimes don't allow for in a traditional classroom. In addition, I have multi-grade limited resource teaching experience, and have worked with small and large class sizes of various age levels and abilities.
  
  I enjoy covering metaphysical and philosophical topics, meditation techniques, and odd bits of trivia which you never know where they may come in handy. Did I mention being a Reiki Master Teacher, having a real love for singing and acting along with some experience in each, and a business grant writing experience to boot. I realize it may sound strange of me mentioning these things, but, beyond teaching, my wife and I have experience in property management and the business aspects that help keep a school/teaching/learning environment functioning. With all this and a firm belief in assisting people in learning to think for themselves and take care of this planet, I'd make an excellent addition in an alternative setting. As I've told my wife, I can teach anywhere. But, I'd rather be in a place where there is respect and acceptance for diversity, and where I can really make a difference in my students lives for the greatest good of all concerned.
  
  My phone number is 817-301-5130 and my e-mail address is jbiswright@yahoo.com - I look forward to hearing from you.
  
  
• Arthur Brenner: I am seeking an opportunity to work at a free, democratic school. As a high school science teacher with five years of experience in public schools, I am painfully aware of just how ineffective (and damaging) traditional schools can be. A coercion-free, grade-free school environment would be a refreshing new challenge. In addition to my traditional school teaching experience, I also homeschooled/unschooled my son for four years (grades 3-6). So, I have seen the benefits of a less rigid approach to schooling. My New Jersey certification is in Physical Science, but my original (Wisconsin) certification also included "Broad Field Science." I'm sure that I can also be useful in the areas of math, computers, and english language/writing skills. However, that overview of my background barely scratches the surface of what I could contribute to a democratic school. I currently live in central New Jersey but am open to considering other areas. Cell phone: (908) 868-3162 Email: arthur_brenner@yahoo.com.
  
  
• Dynamic teacher seeks teaching position for children in grades 1-6. I have taught children different subjects through creative methods of storytelling, arts projects, and Writing plays. I have taught for over 25 years in the NY public school systems and throughout the Northeast and have a BA in theatre and communications. I live in NY, but would also be interested in employment elsewhere. Contact: Michele Broder,718-832-5837
  
  
• Jonathan Zap. I am an English teacher and youth counselor seeking employment with a learning community dedicated to empowering young people to become self-actualizing learners. My background in education ranges from the traditional to the experiential and holistic. My belief is that teaching is a calling, not merely a profession, a journey demanding continuous learning, growth and adaptation, rather than a destination where one has reached a plateau of mastery or expertise. Through a diverse set of teaching and counseling experiences, I have learned to respect and care for the whole child or adolescent. Working with inner city kids in the South Bronx, I developed a whole language approach to teaching English. As part of a cohesive team in a suburban alternative school, I helped youth at risk rediscover the excitement of self-directed multidisciplinary learning and the fulfillment of service. I have prepared honor students for college, and coached them in debate. I have designed district wide core curricula, worked with kids as a wilderness guide, and taught writing, research, literature, and communications. In addition, I have worked as an equal with young people on social justice issues and at a refuge for endangered species. My journey as a teacher has led me through a series of challenging learning experiences which have expanded my sense of learning into a life-encompassing process, while humbling my sense of teaching from the "sage on the stage" to the "guide on the side." At the core of every good teacher is a life-long student whose enthusiasm for learning, creativity, and fellow learners radiates outward from the center of their being. At the center of my passion to learn is the present crisis (and opportunity) phase of human evolution. Since my undergraduate years, I have sought to understand this critical phase through analyzing contemporary myths and dreams with the tools of Jungian psychology. Extensive research and writing have included subjects such as body image disorders, narcissism and adolescent psychology. (I will be glad to send you a sample of this work published in Holistic Education Review) This work has deepened my understanding of young people struggling to cope with a world and collective mythology transforming at a rate that outpaces individual adolescence. Exploring this transformation through fiction writing, photography and art has helped me greatly as a teacher of creative writing and other forms of imaginative self-expression. Although I have developed many new insights about teaching, my goal is to adapt and integrate myself to a progressive learning community, to learn from their approach, and to become part of a collaborative team dedicated to self-directed growth and life-long learning. I'm willing to relocate.
  Contact at Jonathanzap@netidea.com, 303-596-0539, 637 B South Broadway #108, Boulder, Colorado 80305
  
  
• Richard Graca: Assistant Head (former PE teacher) of a K-6 independent elementary school seeking an administrative position in a K-8 or 6-8 school that supports a developmental and progressive approach to learning. I am looking in the New England or Mid-atlantic. My experiences are drawn from 15 plus years of working with children of all ages in various settings. Strengths in the following areas: diversity affairs, discipline utilizing a cooperative approach, admissions, plant and safety management, liaison between school and community at large. I am also adept in many areas of technology � Apple computers, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and digital photography for promotional materials. Available July 2003.
  Contact info:
  661-288-1331 or 323-850-3755
  rickygraca@earthlink.net