Why did you decide to become a teacher?

I became a teacher for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of so many children. There’s hope in every child and they can succeed, especially when they are equipped with the right tools. Sometimes this requires teaching them valuable life lessons that they may not otherwise receive at home or within the community. As an Engineering teacher, I encourage my students to solve problems on a daily basis which influences their decisions, behaviors, strengths and weaknesses. Their imaginations come to life as they design, modify, build and test various virtual and hands-on projects in class. My hope is that all students realize how important they truly are and how much of an impact they will have on our future.

What has been your most memorable moment as a teacher?

I have had so many memorable moments as a teacher. Although, the moment that seems to stand out the most and occurs most often is when a student is so close to giving up on a solution and then they have the “ah-ha” moment. They will yell out, “I got it!” or “It works!” which always makes my heart skip a beat.

What is your favorite part of Future Goals and how are you using it in your classroom?

My favorite part of Future Goals is how math & science has been integrated into the curriculum of the program which allows students to envision how these core subjects in school actually relate to real world problems. I do my best to relate as many of our lessons and assignments to the real world. The real world analogies seem to motivate my students to become more successful. In other words, they understand the purpose for what we’re learning in class by knowing when, where, how and why it’s applicable.

What was your student’s reaction to the program?

My students enjoy Future Goals, especially my students that play hockey or are Hurricane fans. I’ve heard, “That was fun!” or “Are we working on the Hockey program today?!”

Who is your favorite hockey player?

Andrei Svechnikov #37 He’s awesome! He also began playing NHL at the age of 18!