Kevin has taught in Maryland for seven years, and has been at Liberty High since 2002. With prior experience as an officer in the US Army and an engineering sales representative, he relates his real-world military and business experiences to the classes he teaches — ranging from Algebra 1 through Calculus.

How has the way you teach changed over the years? What lessons have you learned?

Prior to teaching, I was a Field Artillery Officer in the U.S. Army. After five years of teaching, I spent two years in engineering sales, working with Fortune 500 manufacturing plants in ways that incorporated both my problem-solving abilities and engineering background. Although I was very successful, I realized my true calling was in the classroom. With my previous field artillery experience and my recent project-based engineering job, I bring an entirely new focus into the classroom. Instead of just teaching the lesson and assigning sporadic projects, I now try to incorporate each chapter into a final cumulative project. By using real-world examples I have experienced in the Army and in industry, the students get a better understanding of why mathematics is relevant to them and how to work on a project towards a common goal.

What advice would you give to a teacher who's starting their first year and feels overwhelmed?

Seek out the other beginning teachers in your school and county and lean on one another for support. Also, find a balance between your job and your life. If your life is only teaching, you will eventually burn out. I know about this because I did it. I started out working 60-hour work weeks and would work an additional ten hours on the weekend grading papers. After five years, I was burned out and left for an engineering sales position. While sales was more profitable, it wasn't my calling. The state has created the new Side-By-Side mentoring program to help new teachers be successful in the teaching profession. Still, it is important to remember this profession is a marathon, not a sprint. We want you to be successful your entire career, not just the first few.

What role does technology play in your teaching? What are its strengths and weaknesses?

In the world today, technology is everywhere — in our cars, in our kitchens, even in our watches. This is no different in education. The classroom today is much different than the classroom of the 1970s. Overhead projectors have been replaced by televisions with computer interfaces. Calculators that could add, subtract, multiply, and divide have been replaced by mini-computers than can graph equations in three dimensions. When the graphing calculator was introduced in the early 1990s, most educators were reluctant to use it. Gradually, over the next ten years, educators determined ways to integrate it in their daily lessons and help augment their traditional teaching methods. The reason for this openness regarding the graphing calculator is that the technology helped augment the curriculum; it never overpowered it.

At times, it is possible to let technology overpower a class. PowerPoint is an excellent example and many educators believe it is being overused. Like others, I was once guilty of PowerPoint overuse. About six years ago, I tried to teach a difficult concept through a PowerPoint presentation. While the presentation was thorough and covered everything I intended, I was disappointed with the final product. Instead of taking notes, my students watched the presentation like it was a television show. Instead of using technology for passive lessons, we need to find better ways to use the technology as an interactive learning tool. For example, the students can create PowerPoint presentations which summarize the unit and then share with the class.

What do you think the key has been to your success as a teacher?

On the first day of school, in every class from Algebra I to Calculus, I distribute a new sharpened pencil to every student. I explain that we will start working that day and I require all work in pencil because everyone makes mistakes and with an eraser you can fix them. This is a message I repeat at least weekly in all my classes: it is okay to be wrong, but it is not an option not to try. My students all know that my favorite quote is, "The worst you will be is wrong, and that's why you have an eraser."

In addition, my classroom is organized with the desks in groups of six. While working on drills, the students are encouraged to work with and assist each other. I also make myself available every day before school for 30 minutes. This allows students to work with me one-on-one or in a very small setting with other students.