Back in November of this school year, I was descending into another of my career-opportunity funks, much like the one I suffered from in my first year at Chumash. I wanted to write for a living. I wanted to do educational software for a living. I wanted to edit other people’s writing for a living. I wanted to teach people who wanted to learn for a living.
What I didn’t want to do was what I was doing. For an existence.
I put together some writing samples (easy) and my résumé (a little more difficult). Like most teachers, I tended to denigrate what I do. Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach. That’s bullshit, but even we begin to believe it if we hear it enough. But I thought hard about what I’ve done, what I can do.
Here I was:
CAREER SUMMARY
Enthusiastic and experienced high school teacher, knowledgeable in the areas of communication and technology. Instructs students in written, oral, and dramatic communication as well as in the use of computers, laserdiscs and video. Creates and implements curricula that allows users—both students and teachers—to take control and initiative in the learning process. Coordinates district and site programs. Mentors and coaches other teachers in the use of technology. Presents curriculum development workshops to motivate teachers to change and improve.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
PLEASANT VALLEY UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT 1986-Present
A medium-sized union high school district with five main campuses (and one continuation campus), employing nearly five hundred teachers to service over 11,000 students.
Teacher: Chumash High School 1991-Present
Teaches socio-economically disadvantaged students varied subject matter, ranging from remedial ninth-grade and twelfth-grade Honors English to tenth- through twelfth-grade SAT preparation to theatre arts and video production; develops and implements curricula for these courses. Mentors/ Coaches other staff in the use of computer, bar-coding and laserdisc technologies.
Coordinated and presented district Technology Mentorship on Macintosh computer, bar-coding and laserdisc technologies.
Rebuilt and launched the site’s dormant theatre program, which produced four full-length plays and two sets of student-directed one-act plays over an eighteen month period.
Initiated the use of Electronic Portfolios in English classes.
Proposed and developed a HyperCard curriculum for student drama directors which improved understanding of the directorial process, allowing for the creation of a student-driven theatrical production company, which provides training not only in acting and theatre, but in stage management, theatrical management, and problem-solving skills as well.
Created a HyperCard, laserdisc and bar-coding curriculum for a new English elective course ("Film: A Visual Adaptation of Literature"); this curriculum allows for competent and confident teacher and student use of the site’s multimedia centers.
Developed and implemented a SAT preparation curriculum which improved the students test-taking skills and vocabulary.
Created a Cultural Literacy curriculum which increased student cultural literacy as well as cross-curricular instruction on campus. Presented this program to representatives from other district sites which led to the implementation of this program district-wide.
Edited and helped coordinate the site’s Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accreditation self-study, creating multimedia presentations to motivate the faculty and staff.
Teacher: Pleasant Valley High School 1986-1991
Taught students from a lower- to middle-class socio-economic area subject matter ranging from both remedial and Honors-level tenth-grade English to elective English courses, including Shakespeare and Modern Literature; developed and implemented curricula for these courses. Coordinated and managed site programs, including accreditation report and district curriculum committee, Academic Decathlon and swimming teams, and the Gifted and Talented Enrichment (GATE) program.
Participated in the creation and proposal of the site-based restructuring and reform movement known as "OLA", which delivered curriculum to students in smaller "schools within the school", allowing for greater individualized student attention, teacher cooperation, and instructional flexibility.
Coordinated the site’s GATE program, eliciting greater student and parent input. This greater input resulted in stronger parent lobbying for funding and programs, which included the development of curriculum for and the proposal of a GATE Independent Study course.
Re-created and launched the English elective courses "Shakespeare" and "Modern Literature", developing new curricula that included improvement of student understanding and enjoyment of Shakespeare, and creation of a laserdisc-driven discussion of cinematic elements of style.
Founded a student-driven Shakespearean production company which allowed students to learn Shakespearean criticism and performance, as well as theatrical and business skills, and problem-solving techniques.
Created and implemented a new curriculum for English 2Honors, which improved the course’s scope and sequence within the site’s overall Honors English program, and aided in the improvement of students' SAT and AP courses (1989-92). Curriculum presented to other district teachers as a part of an Honors English symposium.
Coordinated the English Department section of the WASC report which led to an extension of the site’s accreditation as well as an improvement of the delivery of instruction to the student clientele. Overcame teacher apathy and antipathy in unifying the department for the creation of the report.
EDUCATION
Teaching credential English UCLA 1986
Bachelor of Arts English UCLA 1985
SPECIAL SKILLS
Teaching/Training
Writing and Editing (all genres)
Motivation
Curriculum Development
Team-Building
Organization
Management of Programs
Macintosh Computers
PageMaker, FreeHand, PhotoShop, Illustrator
Word, Works, Excel, Power Point
HyperStudio, Bar’N’Coder, HyperCard
Pioneer laserdisc players (both commercial and home theater)
Video Cameras and Editing Equipment
Not too bad for a guy with no skills, huh? And so I sent some mailers out. Not too many responses. But it made me realize how easy it was to envision a future outside of the classroom.
So easy it was scary.
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