I'm always seeking out new challenges where I can be creative in the classroom, as well as, continue to develop my grading system based on the academic standards.

I take the time to build up an excellent rapport with my students while immersing them in the language they are learning. By combining this rapport with a language-immersed atmosphere, I am able to get my students to speak and write the language, albeit at a basic level, within the first year of instruction. It is not unheard of in my classroom for students to be able to speak freely, tell stories and to write a hundred words or more in the target language.

For me, the traditional style of assessing and marking grades never made sense. Students' abilities rarely matched the grade in the gradebook, so I set out to find something better. The result is my "Power Grading™" system that focuses heavily on the standards and makes grades more meaningful by more aptly matching a student's ability with the appropriate letter grade. By focusing on the standards, both the students and I know where their strengths and weaknesses are and can then take the appropriate action to further their learning and achievement. This can be done on an individual basis, in small groups, by class, or by level. It truly allows for differentiated instruction in the classroom.

I'm so passionate about what I do, that I want to spread that passion to every teacher that I meet. For that reason, I present workshops and seminars, as well as consult with schools and school districts, on a multitude of comprehensible-input methods and techniques to teaching a second language, how to implement my "Power Grading™" system, and how to assess more efficiently and effectively using the standards. I have presented in Mexico and all over the United States to individuals, small groups, schools, and school districts.

I look forward to speaking with you personally about any teaching, inservice, workshop/presentation, and/or keynote opportunities at your school, organization, or district. Please contact me!