Q. We heard that you recently had a baby, so could you tell us a little bit about that?
A. Yeah, it’s really been a change of pace. It’s absolutely a blessing. For me at my previous job, I was dealing with and hanging with individuals that were a lot larger than me. So when people were like, ‘yo are you ready to change diapers?’ I was like ‘yeah of course! I’ve dealt with guys that were 375 pounds who needed their diapers changed so I’d like to say I have that down. As far as the sleeping, I gotta get used to that’.
Q. So, if you weren’t a teacher what do you think you’d be doing right now?
A. Alright, if I won the lottery, because obviously I wouldn’t be able to travel the world without a job, so that’s what I would do. I’d go to Hawaii and just live there.
Q. So how do Atholton students differ from the other student groups you’ve worked with, or have you not worked with students before?
A. No, I have. The age was the same, the interests were slightly different. There was definitely… these guys are higher functioning, when at the same time it’s awesome because I get to interact with everyone, and in general that’s great because where I was was a private school.
Q. So how long have you been a teacher?
A. You guys are just throwing out some great questions. Six years fully teaching. I was doing some stuff before that.
Ever since I was little, my pops was a science teacher, and then as coach, so he stayed in the field and had a great report with it, and the seniors as kids down the road still have that connection with him when he was coach… I was like, ‘I’m gonna stick up with that, follow the family trend of education’.
Q. If you were a student, would you be your favorite teacher?
A. Absolutely, because I’d have matching hair. If I take this [hair tie] out, my hair would come down to here. Yeah that’s, that’s a tough question. Probably. I like myself but you have to be humble about it. That’s a good question.
Q. What inspired you to work as a teacher?
A. Ever since I was little, my pops was a science teacher, and then a coach, so he stayed in the field and had a great report with it, and the seniors as kids down the road still have that connection with him when he was coach. After he went into the military, that’s when I was like, ‘I’m gonna stick up with that, follow the family trend for education’.
Q. What were you doing before Atholton?
A. I was a special educator at a former school at Humpback, its affiliated with Sheppard Pratt.
Q. What do you think are the best and worst things about this school?
A. The best and worst things? I’d say the best things are just the comradery and atmosphere of everyone. Everyone is real open, whether it be a different face, different backgrounds, things like that. Everyone is united. There’s a united front, especially that one time when they had all the American flags out front. That was cool. So, worst thing? I mean there are always pros and cons in any place. Worst things- I haven’t really seen anything compare to knock out some pretty unique, bad things from the past so…nothing right now.
Q. Are you upset about the coffee rule, or do you not really care?
A. I’m alright. I usually just drink water, or I just have some energy drink before then.
Q: I think it probably affects the students more than the teachers.
A. Yeah, yeah I would think.
Q. On the topic of coffee, what is your go-to [order] for Dunkin or Starbucks?
A. For me, probably just a bottle of water. That’s it. I’m not really gung-ho as far as like eating donuts or anything like that. I’m a pretty clean eating guy, as much as I can be.
Q. Do you have any special ways that you teach students? Is there anything you do kind of different from other teachers that you think get students get more engaged with what you’re doing with them?
A. I mean I hope all teachers are doing it, but for me it’s definitely just be silly, vulnerable, open, transparent, that’s key. Stay energized. Yeah, just to keep that ball rolling.
Q. Okay. I think one of our last questions is where did you go to college?” A. Salisbury University, right on the eastern shore, in the state, thirty minutes from the ocean, between classes could go down there and relax. I liked it!