About John

As a child, I struggled in school. This wasn't because I was lazy or unintelligent, but because my teachers often failed to present what they were teaching in a way that was meaningful to me as an individual. My curiosity was stifled, and I became disinterested, and disengaged. While teaching years later, I saw my younger self in my students, trying to make sense of the material in their own way. I quickly realized that, in order to make what I was teaching understandable to them, I had to do for them what wasn't done for me: I had to present the material with their individuality in mind. This meant using the various types of experiences that they had already had, and the numerous terms and concepts that were already meaningful to them, to help them understand new and related ideas. I found that teaching this way kept them interested and engaged, encouraged curiosity, and cultivate a lifelong love of learning. This is what I strive to do this for all of my students.