Who is Paul? (resume)
I began college as a Computer Science and Engineering major at the University of Toledo before I even touched a computer. I had heard about them and thought "these things will be the future." After a few years of never asking my advisor any questions (silly me), I decided I did not want to be a programmer for the rest of my life. I could do it, just did not want to. Since I never spoke with my advisor I did not see all the other avenues a CSE good follow. So I switched to another interest, Nuclear Engineering. Technically my degree is B.S Engineering Physics, Nuclear & Systems Theory. Big title. But I did love taking all of the Physics classes possible and my Senior Engineering Project was in Physics, helping plan & build a linear accelerator. I wish we had gotten it done before I left.
I went to work in the Nuclear Power Industry, working at plants in Maryland, Virginia, Alabama, Arizona & back to Alabama. I liked it and I liked seeing parts of the country. I had been coaching football since I graduated high school and had the idea of teaching rumbling around in the back of my mind. When I was in Alabama and we were between engineering contracts, I substituted at the high school to see what I thought. I liked it. I can do this, but not yet. Life throws things at you, and I needed to move back home. So upon moving back home I enrolled in Kent Stat University's Master of Arts in Teaching program. It is a 1 year accelerated program for second career people. But I don't think I was ready yet, so i worked to get back into the Nuclear Industry (not an easy industry to get in to) and got a job at Perry Nuclear about an hour away from home. A month or so into that, life threw another wrench. Mom had died shortly after I moved home, now Dad & I were living together and he had recently retired, but his health was failing him & he was heartbroken from Mom. He just didn't have it in him to go on. So it was good that I had to come home. I got to spend time with them at the end. With him passing I had things to do and couldn't be an hour away at a job. So, time to become that teacher.
I substituted at a few schools for a while and finally got a job (thanks to the wife of a former high school teacher of mine) at Stark State College teaching Physics, Math, and Environmental Science. I spent all day at school either teaching or exploring this new thing called the World Wide Web. Oh my gosh. I could find anything that I wanted to know. I could read magazine articles without getting the magazine. But I really wanted to teach at a high school. I enjoyed the interactions & the extra-curriculars. I finally got a high school position at a school 10 minutes away. Awesome. Things were going well.....parents loved me, students loved me, the Superintendent loved me....the Principal (& probably a few teachers) did not. So it was off to another school. I landed at a school about 45 minutes from home. I was there 15 years.
I have "taught" high school for most of this time, Physical Science, Algebra, then Physics and Geometry. I know my style has changed over the years. Less "homework". Fewer "grades" , and more towards Standards Based Learning and "maker". I like more & more hands on, building, creating projects. I keep integrating more technology tools to enhance the learning or document and display their learning. I am the resident tech geek. I try to find things that my students can utilize and have them see if it helps. I helped bring Google Apps to our District. I worked with the sound system in our auditorium, have video'd the school events and made DVD's and helped get it on our cable station. Recently I went to the Junior High to start a STEAM program with Project Lead the Way Automation & Robotics and Design & Modeling.
Now I am looking for where I really fit in the Education world. Maybe it will be running a STEAM MakerSpace or Maker Bus. Maybe it will be helping others to incorporate STEAM Maker into all aspects of learning. Maybe it will be....
You can find me on :
Twitter @shirky17
email paul@paulshircliff.org
Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/paulshircliff/
I went to work in the Nuclear Power Industry, working at plants in Maryland, Virginia, Alabama, Arizona & back to Alabama. I liked it and I liked seeing parts of the country. I had been coaching football since I graduated high school and had the idea of teaching rumbling around in the back of my mind. When I was in Alabama and we were between engineering contracts, I substituted at the high school to see what I thought. I liked it. I can do this, but not yet. Life throws things at you, and I needed to move back home. So upon moving back home I enrolled in Kent Stat University's Master of Arts in Teaching program. It is a 1 year accelerated program for second career people. But I don't think I was ready yet, so i worked to get back into the Nuclear Industry (not an easy industry to get in to) and got a job at Perry Nuclear about an hour away from home. A month or so into that, life threw another wrench. Mom had died shortly after I moved home, now Dad & I were living together and he had recently retired, but his health was failing him & he was heartbroken from Mom. He just didn't have it in him to go on. So it was good that I had to come home. I got to spend time with them at the end. With him passing I had things to do and couldn't be an hour away at a job. So, time to become that teacher.
I substituted at a few schools for a while and finally got a job (thanks to the wife of a former high school teacher of mine) at Stark State College teaching Physics, Math, and Environmental Science. I spent all day at school either teaching or exploring this new thing called the World Wide Web. Oh my gosh. I could find anything that I wanted to know. I could read magazine articles without getting the magazine. But I really wanted to teach at a high school. I enjoyed the interactions & the extra-curriculars. I finally got a high school position at a school 10 minutes away. Awesome. Things were going well.....parents loved me, students loved me, the Superintendent loved me....the Principal (& probably a few teachers) did not. So it was off to another school. I landed at a school about 45 minutes from home. I was there 15 years.
I have "taught" high school for most of this time, Physical Science, Algebra, then Physics and Geometry. I know my style has changed over the years. Less "homework". Fewer "grades" , and more towards Standards Based Learning and "maker". I like more & more hands on, building, creating projects. I keep integrating more technology tools to enhance the learning or document and display their learning. I am the resident tech geek. I try to find things that my students can utilize and have them see if it helps. I helped bring Google Apps to our District. I worked with the sound system in our auditorium, have video'd the school events and made DVD's and helped get it on our cable station. Recently I went to the Junior High to start a STEAM program with Project Lead the Way Automation & Robotics and Design & Modeling.
Now I am looking for where I really fit in the Education world. Maybe it will be running a STEAM MakerSpace or Maker Bus. Maybe it will be helping others to incorporate STEAM Maker into all aspects of learning. Maybe it will be....
You can find me on :
Twitter @shirky17
email paul@paulshircliff.org
Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/paulshircliff/
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