Mission and Values

Whether I am delivering professional development, standing at the front of
a classroom, or working with individuals or teams, I strive to provide quality teaching. My core values guide my interactions and communication whenever I am working with others.

​Core Values
Individualized instruction
Curiosity and Joy
Trust
Real-world applications
The learner as a whole person
A projected image of a man vaulting over a railing, with vocabulary words written directly onto the image with dry erase markers
Vocabulary work with a student with severe working memory and language processing difficulties.

​Individualized Instruction

Language needs are individual, so instruction must be individual. I make careful plans and modifications to instruction based on a learner's  language mode, use of visual supports, attention skills, speed of information processing, and many other factors. Recognizing and meeting each individual's needs allows more learning to happen more quickly.

Curiosity and Joy

I work to engage each learner in a process of discovery, sparking their curiosity in every teachable moment and linking back to our learning goals. Children learn first and most joyfully through play, and there is ample room for play in learning as people age - even for adults! Providing guidance to each learner as they pose, follow, and answer questions allows for the classroom to become an intellectual playground and fosters opportunities for collaboration and flexible thinking.
A series of drawings on one large piece of paper of various zoo enclosures, with animal stickers placed on each area
A group project with two students, targeting animal vocabulary, plural nouns, and prepositions.
a page with the title 'all about me' and a caption on the bottom of the page of 'my favorite things...' with a simplistic drawing of two people and the word 'Rhys' written in scrawling letters
A young student's entry into her 'all about me' book: the highest compliment a teacher can receive.

Trust

For many learners, especially individuals with access needs, processing or memory issues, and behavioral challenges, the classroom can become a place of defeat, shame, and frustration. By building trusting relationships and recognizing previous experiences of those I work with, I can provide opportunities for them to take risks, make mistakes, and re-establish a joy in learning. 

Real-world Applications

Learning is valuable because it allows us to address, process, and solve problems in our everyday lives. People are motivated and driven to learn when they feel that information matters. I ensure that the information I teach is directly paired with real-world applications, maximizing learner buy-in and laying a strong foundation for generalization.
Handwritten letter from a student to his grandmother apologizing for being angry, explaining that he was upset because his speech therapist doesn't sign and he can't communicate with or understand her, and asking for help
This letter was the result of a work with a 3rd-grade student on vocabulary, politeness, and self-advocacy.

The Learner as a Whole Person

The classroom is not an isolated world, and each learner brings their own goals, attitudes, and desires with them. By holding an awareness of and compassion for the complex lives of each individual, I can build an environment of safety and trust, and learners can do their best work even when they are challenged.