Stacks Image 2948

Teaching History

Graduate Courses
Stacks Image 2565
History of Mathematical Thought and Development
Aurora University Outreach Program (Joliet, IL)
Fall 2005, Summer 2006, Spring 2008


I developed this course to expose Elementary and Middle Grade teachers to aspects of the History of Mathematics that would be relevant to the level of mathematics they were teaching. The course focused on the development of elementary mathematical concepts and on connecting the development of mathematical ideas historically with children’s abilities to develop the same ideas.
Stacks Image 2572
Multiplication with Meaning
Aurora University Outreach Program (Joliet and DeKalb, IL)
Spring 2010, Summer 2010


I developed this course to give Elementary School teachers an opportunity to delve into the concept of multiplication. Includes models of multiplication and several alternate algorithms for performing multiplication.
Stacks Image 2579
Singapore Math Toolbox
Aurora University Outreach Program (Joliet, IL)
Summer 2011


I developed this course to expose Elementary teachers to some of the more useful teaching techniques and tools institutionalized by Singapore in its national mathematics curriculum to help students to develop meaningful understanding of mathematical concepts.
Undergraduate Courses
Stacks Image 2588
Intermediate Algebra
Kendall College (Evanston, IL)
Spring 1999


Topics in this course include a brief review of polynomials and factoring, rational expressions, rational exponents and radicals, complex numbers, quadratic equations, functions and relations, and exponential and logarithmic functions.
Stacks Image 2595
Mathematics for Elementary Teachers I
Kankakee Community College (Kankakee, IL)
Fall 2011


Models for operations with whole numbers are developed and relationships between the operations are studied. Numeration systems and additional properties of whole numbers are explored, leading to the development of fractions and integers.

See Official Course Evaluations

Full-Day Workshops / Seminars
Stacks Image 2611
Logic for Persuasive Writing
Kendall College (Evanston, IL)
Fall 1999


This workshop was designed to assist adult students in our evening degree completion program with developing logical arguments and avoiding common fallacies of logic.
Stacks Image 2618
Problem-Solving with Bar Modeling
Joliet Public Schools (Joliet, IL)
Summer 2011


This workshop was designed to assist teachers in grades 2 - 6 with utilizing bar modeling (also known as tape diagramming) to model and solve mathematical story problems.
Stacks Image 2604
Adding Meaning to Operational Algorithms
Professional Development Alliance (Joliet, IL)
Fall 2011 (Canceled Due to Underenrollment)


This workshop was designed to provide Elementary teachers with tools to help students to conceptually understand the common algorithms utilized when performing multi-digit addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Alternate algorithms were taught and analyzed to determine if the alternate algorithms are appropriate precursors to the traditional algorithms and/or if they are more appropriate for some students.
Short Workshops / Seminars / Presentations
Kendall College Degree Completion Program Open House
Kendall College (Evanston, IL)
1998 - 2002

In these open house events for prospective students, I usually spoke about the structure of the program, degree requirements, transfer credit, and financial aid basics.
Using Multiple Sheets in Microsoft Excel
Kendall College (Evanston, IL)
1998

As a part of a week of in-house trainings, I was asked to teach faculty and staff how to utilize multiple sheets in Excel. The primary goal was to teach staff how to create a data entry sheet and other sheets designed to summarize and report on the data entered.
Academic Advising Basics
Kendall College (Evanston, IL)
1999 - 2002

I ran these sessions at various times for new Admissions Counselors and other interested staff to improve their understanding of the various programs, degree requirements, scheduling, and available services.
Switching from ClarisWorks to Microsoft Word
Morris Elementary School District (Morris, IL)
2004

This two-day training was designed to help district secretaries and administrators to learn the differences between their primary word processing application, ClarisWorks, and the application to which the district was moving, Microsoft Word. We also explored features that staff had not been using, such as using the text ruler to place tab stops.
CEDARWOOD Trainings
Various Locations
2005 - 2011

As the developer behind the ERP solution used by the Professional Development Alliance and several other organizations, I had primary responsibility for providing trainings related to the use of the database. Trainings varied in length and in format, with some being performed in person and others being performed online.
Using HOUSSE to Gain Highly Qualified Status
Various Locations (Grundy, Kendall, and Will Counties, IL)
2008

I ran this seminar dozens of times throughout the three counties to assist school teachers and administrators with officially being credited with highly qualified credentials through Illinois' approved point system known as HOUSSE.
Professional Development Requirements for School Service Personnel
Illinois School Counselor Association Conference (Romeoville, IL)
2008

I was invited to co-present two sessions at this conference to assist school guidance counselors with understanding the state's new requirement that they, like teachers, must complete and submit professional development in order to maintain their certifications.
Branding
Professional Development Alliance (Joliet, IL)
2009

I ran this workshop at the Professional Development Alliance to review the fundamentals of strong branding and to brainstorm and develop ideas for addressing the lack of brand recognition we suffered among our 12,000 constituents.
Maintaining Your Teaching Certificate
University of St. Francis (Joliet, IL)
2006 - 2011

Each semester, I met with students from the University of St. Francis who were graduating from undergraduate or graduate programs leading to teacher certification to discuss with them the process of moving from an Initial to a Standard certificate and maintaining that certificate.
Renewing Your Certificate Using ECS
Various Locations (Grundy, Kendall, and Will Counties, IL)
2006 - 2011

In these hands-on sessions, I would review professional development requirements for various types of certificate holders and then provide assistance as educators entered their professional development activities into the state's online database.
"His supportive orientation with students and his enthusiasm for both the subject matter and the teaching act are commented on repeatedly by his students."

- Robert P., Director
Aurora University Collaborating Academic Partner Program