Biographical Sketch: My father taught at the university level in Alabama and in Texas until his death in 1964. Born in Houston, I graduated from Mirabeau B. Lamar High School, having participated in Army JROTC for three years, while my mother supported the family as a teacher at Abraham Lincoln High School in Houston ISD. Following high school, I graduated from the University of Houston, receiving a BA in Geography. Through the Army ROTC Program I was commissioned in the Regular Army as an Infantry Lieutenant. I served in the Army for over 17 years, including over eight years overseas. My overseas duty included the Republic of Panama, Canada, the Republic of Honduras and the Republic of Korea. Approximately three years following my retirement from the Army, I decided to enter the classroom as an Army JROTC Instructor. I was strongly influenced in this decision by my parents’ education background, by my previous participation in JROTC and in ROTC, and by my interactions with various cultures during my overseas duty. My greatest contribution to education consists of my strict adherence to the Army JROTC Curriculum. The Curriculum serves to reinforce core subject areas and to link those subjects to life, heavily emphasizing authentic forms of assessment.

Philosophy of Teaching: Secondary teachers prepare young people for life after high school, whether that life includes post secondary education or immediate entry into the workforce. As such, teachers must strive to be mentors and facilitators for their students, allowing them to seek information and to solve problems. Using immediate feedback and authentic forms of assessment, the teacher influences students to learn, equipping them with the tools necessary for further education and for future employment. My greatest reward is the long term success of students following graduation.