Although I have introduced myself in GeorgiaVIEW Vista, I would like to do so here, as well, hoping that students in my EDRD 7715 class will do the same. I grew up in Charlotte and Greensboro, North Carolina, mostly as a city boy but also spending lots of time on my grandparents' farm. In high school and college, I was mostly interested in English, linguistics, and the social sciences, and I changed majors several times before graduating in philosophy (which may explain why I love teaching a reading theory course!). While I did not have an education degree initially, I worked as a health educator with the CDC and then a popular educator with a nonprofit community organization before going back to school to get certified to teach elementary school. I moved around a lot, living in Chapel Hill, NC, Knoxville, TN, Keene, NH, and Athens, GA and then finally moving to the Atlanta area. I enjoy teaching both children and adults, and for the last 12 plus years, I have managed to do both. I spent five years as an early childhood and elementary teacher and teacher leader, having the great fortune to be recognized by Northeast Georgia RESA, the Georgia Department of Education, CNN, and others for my work. I also served four years as a district-level academic and literacy coach, and four years as a university instructor. I am passionate about reaching every learner and not giving up on students. It brings me joy to see the gifts and strengths that each person brings to a learning environment, and I look forward to the one we create this summer.