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What do I do for a living?

Once an adviser, always a teacher

I currently teach four classes of English 9 (Freshman Literature and Composition) at the Home of the Golden Bears, Upper Arlington High School. UA is a small yet very affluent suburb of Columbus. While my teaching income won't allow me to live there, I love the academic vigor of the school, the many programs made available to the students, and the incredible faculty, but most of all I love the students!

Getting the job

Surprisingly, I got the job one week before classes started after an interview where I was asked no questions and where I drew fourteen pictures on the back of my resume with Crayola markers.

Say what? That's right, when I was "interviewed", then vice principal Pat Stewart said, "Tell me a little bit about yourself." (Clearly an interrogative statement.) I asked her if she had my resume. She said she had. I asked, "Doesn't it tell you everything there is to know about me?" (Pretty stupid question unless you have something more creative planned. . .which of course I had!) I then had her look at the back of the resume for a more colorful picture of me. Since it was blank, I used my creativity and eight crayola markers to tell my story. Twenty minutes later, I asked if there were any more questions. I apparently had answered every question! The next day I was offered the job!

Journalism

Initially, I taught English 9, Sophomore Survey and Arlingtonian for 6/10th of a contract. I team taught Arlingtonian with living scholastic journalism legend Sarah Ortman. (She actually had recommended me for the job.) Let me tell you, they were big shoes to fill when I took over as head adviser on my own two years later.

My second year I taught Journalism I, II and III as well as English 9 at the same time heading the Arlingtonian.Following this rigorous schedule took its toll on me, putting me under the blade for bi-lateral laminectomy since I foolishly ignored the doctor's suggestion to lower my stress level by giving up the paper.

At the end of my sixth year, the burden of producing the paper tipped the scales and forced me to go into retirement. It was a good year for it. Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretsky decided to hang it up as well. I served as the assistant adviser my seventh year to train my replacement.

The hardest part of leaving was saying goodbye to all the students who had made doing the paper enjoyable. The easiest part was giving up the incredible paper load, the crazy hours, the lawsuits, the angry subscribers, the meetings with the administration, the student insubordination and lack of respect, the afterschool counseling, the difficult process of naming and training a new staff, the stress induced back pain, the computer problems. . . .

Arlingtonian

I did enjoy Arlingtonian kickoff parties, crazy final layouts, trips to my parents' farm for hayrides and seeing my students earn the respect they deserved. During my six years advising the paper, the staff earned over 400 staff and individual awards, including:

five Buckeye Awards, the Great Lake Intersholastic Press Association's top award

two Gold Crowns, Columbia Scholastic Press Association's top award

three Gold Flashes and two first places, Northeastern Ohio Scholastic Press Association's top two awards

and last but definitely not least, THREE National Pacemakers, the National Scholastic Press Association's top award, the Pulitzer Prize of Scholastic Journalism!

English Class

My students would tell you I am not the average teacher. I try to enjoy teaching as much as I want the students to enjoy learning. That's why things are just a little different in class.

I enjoy being good-humored and try to use humor as much as possible. I like to lovingly tease my students and let them know how much I really do care about them as individuals.

I try to make them learn as much as possible with the least amount of effort, which always means more effort on my part. For example, I like to dress up for special occasions if it will get their attention and my point across.

I hope my students see that I am teaching more than curriculum and that they mean more to me than just "clients who use my services." Likewise I hope I mean more to them than just being the fountain of knowledge.

Even if I don't mean more to them than that, I at least know I gave my best effort.
I built this special edition Donelson Desk for the 99-00 school year when I was in five classrooms during the day. This infamous Donelson "Batmobile" was fully loaded. Powerbook, zip drive, AM/FM CD stereo, overhead, projection panel, cup warmer, and all the other amenities of the standard teacher desk model. It was truly the envy of all the teachers!

The secret life of Walter Mitty and the many outfits of Mr. D.

	Once an adviser, always a teacher
	I currently teach four classes of English 9 (Freshman Literature and Composition) at the Home of the Golden Bears, Upper Arlington High School. UA is a small yet very affluent suburb of Columbus. While my teaching income won't allow me to live there, I love the academic vigor of the school, the many programs made available to the students, and the incredible faculty, but most of all I love the students!
	Getting the job Surprisingly, I got the job one week before classes started after an interview where I was asked no questions and where I drew fourteen pictures on the back of my resume with Crayola markers. Say what? That's right, when I was "interviewed", then vice principal Pat Stewart said, "Tell me a little bit about yourself." (Clearly an interrogative statement.) I asked her if she had my resume. She said she had. I asked, "Doesn't it tell you everything there is to know about me?" (Pretty stupid question unless you have something more creative planned. . .which of course I had!) I then had her look at the back of the resume for a more colorful picture of me. Since it was blank, I used my creativity and eight crayola markers to tell my story. Twenty minutes later, I asked if there were any more questions. I apparently had answered every question! The next day I was offered the job!
	Journalism Initially, I taught English 9, Sophomore Survey and Arlingtonian for 6/10th of a contract. I team taught Arlingtonian with living scholastic journalism legend Sarah Ortman. (She actually had recommended me for the job.) Let me tell you, they were big shoes to fill when I took over as head adviser on my own two years later. My second year I taught Journalism I, II and III as well as English 9 at the same time heading the Arlingtonian.Following this rigorous schedule took its toll on me, putting me under the blade for bi-lateral laminectomy since I foolishly ignored the doctor's suggestion to lower my stress level by giving up the paper. At the end of my sixth year, the burden of producing the paper tipped the scales and forced me to go into retirement. It was a good year for it. Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretsky decided to hang it up as well. I served as the assistant adviser my seventh year to train my replacement. The hardest part of leaving was saying goodbye to all the students who had made doing the paper enjoyable. The easiest part was giving up the incredible paper load, the crazy hours, the lawsuits, the angry subscribers, the meetings with the administration, the student insubordination and lack of respect, the afterschool counseling, the difficult process of naming and training a new staff, the stress induced back pain, the computer problems. . . .
Arlingtonian I did enjoy Arlingtonian kickoff parties, crazy final layouts, trips to my parents' farm for hayrides and seeing my students earn the respect they deserved. During my six years advising the paper, the staff earned over 400 staff and individual awards, including:
five Buckeye Awards, the Great Lake Intersholastic Press Association's top award		two Gold Crowns, Columbia Scholastic Press Association's top award
three Gold Flashes and two first places, Northeastern Ohio Scholastic Press Association's top two awards		and last but definitely not least, THREE National Pacemakers, the National Scholastic Press Association's top award, the Pulitzer Prize of Scholastic Journalism!
English Class My students would tell you I am not the average teacher. I try to enjoy teaching as much as I want the students to enjoy learning. That's why things are just a little different in class. I enjoy being good-humored and try to use humor as much as possible. I like to lovingly tease my students and let them know how much I really do care about them as individuals. I try to make them learn as much as possible with the least amount of effort, which always means more effort on my part. For example, I like to dress up for special occasions if it will get their attention and my point across.
I hope my students see that I am teaching more than curriculum and that they mean more to me than just "clients who use my services." Likewise I hope I mean more to them than just being the fountain of knowledge. Even if I don't mean more to them than that, I at least know I gave my best effort.		I built this special edition Donelson Desk for the 99-00 school year when I was in five classrooms during the day. This infamous Donelson "Batmobile" was fully loaded. Powerbook, zip drive, AM/FM CD stereo, overhead, projection panel, cup warmer, and all the other amenities of the standard teacher desk model. It was truly the envy of all the teachers!