Roger Banks

Introduction: I have three years experience as a substitute teacher and one year experience as a full time teacher of record for 6th grade science and social studies. My goal as an educator is to engage students with meaningful, content-driven, learner-centered activities that emphasize the relevance of class material to the world beyond the classroom and that will prepare them for a high-tech global society as well as enable them to become producers of new knowledge. My philosophy is to create safe and nurturing learning environments that incorporate both extrinsic and intrinsic motivations. I create TEKS-based and whole-brain-based activities to encourage my students to make real-life connections to their learning. The range of learning is intensified by utilizing multiple teaching methods including visual, tactical, and auditory. I further intensify the range of learning through whole class, individual, and small group instruction, cooperative education, and multi-sensory learning centers. Inquiry-based activities enable my students to become producers of new knowledge and become masters of higher-level, goal-oriented tasks. Regular evaluation of student progress along with support and recommendations for further student development motivates my students to be successful.