1. An introduction…

2.  I was born and raised in a small town called Williamsport in central Pennsylvania. Our only claim to fame is the Little League World Series which happens once a year in our little town.  I attended a small, private Christian school from kindergarten till 9 th grade when I switched to public school.  After graduating high school, I went to Susquehanna University where I earned a Bachelor’s degree in elementary and early childhood education.  I also spent one semester studying abroad at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. This experience opened my eyes to the rest of the world and ingrained in me a love of travel and international education.

3.  I have two teachers that stick out in my mind when I think of a lasting impact in my life. One was from 7 th grade and one taught my 11 th grade honors English.  Both were incredibly passionate about what they did and strived to see their students succeed. It was easy to see that these teachers were passionate about their jobs and didn’t want to see any student fail.  I am still in touch with both of these teachers, which proves to me how much they cared, not about their job, but about the lives they touched in the classroom.  That’s the kind of teacher I want to become, where every child feels like they belong.

4.  My life has been anything but boring since graduation. Two weeks after graduating, I boarded a plane for Florida where I had been hired as a childcare coordinator at Club Med, an all- inclusive resort.  I had planned on working there for a year or two but I ended up there for five years working in six different resorts in five different countries. My favorite places being Ixtapa, Mexico and Bali, Indonesia.  Throughout my time in Club Med I also discovered a passion for the flying trapeze and circus arts which I am now making a living out of. This is me getting caught by the catcher in a flying trapeze show in Bali Performing aerial silks

5.  I am now an instructor and coach with Circus of the Kids.  I travel around the United States to different middle schools for 3 weeks at a time.  We set up all the circus equipment in the school gym and train any student who wants to join for 2 and a half weeks. At the end of this time they put on 5 shows for their families and communities.  As much as I loved performing, I’m finding this job to be incredibly rewarding. It has become an opportunity to teach students something they might never have otherwise had a chance to learn. Students in Louisville, KY getting ready to perform

6.  I took a short term teaching job in Malaysia last year and realized that I loved teaching in a classroom with students from all over the world.  With a master’s degree, my goal is to teach overseas in international schools.  Since I’ve been out of the classroom so long, I’m hoping this master’s degree will refresh the knowledge I learned in college and give me a fresh look at how techniques and technology have changed in the past few years. Some of my students in Malaysia

7. A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning. -Brad Henry