Teaching Philosophy:

 My goal is to create a learning classroom, along with a set of expectations and activities, that helps students want to work and write and read.  I prefer to use mini-lectures, in-class writing, group work, and class discussion to provide information.  Research has shown that students who ‘discover’ knowledge through questioning, practicing, reading, and discussing learn more effectively. 

I start every class with this premise: all students have the ability to succeed, given enough personal motivation and commitment to learning.

 GIVING IN

 at school

I raised my hand to answer a question

& my arm flipped right off

thudding on Becky Dozer’s desk behind me

wrong answer, I thought

Becky simply brushed the arm

to the floor

Mikey O’Brien was called on

by the teacher & when he started to talk

his voice disappeared, silence, nada,

completely gone

we looked down his throat

to find his vocal cords

ripped out

Bob the Bruiser was summoned

to the chalkboard for math drills

but both legs broke off

as soon as he stood up

we lifted his torso back

to the seat as Becky kicked

his legs under the desk

the teacher rubbed her chin & frowned

you know, she said, education

is not always easy

you have to give up one thing

to take in another

sometimes you have to make sacrifices

she said, now, who wants to be the first

                to cut out

                         the heart of a frog

David James

Last Updated 4/30/07 by Joe O'Loughlin ( jaolough@oaklandcc.edu )