I've been a middle school teacher in King City, California for the past 28 years with experience teaching grades 6-8 in every content area. I hold both multiple and single subject credentials and my interests include astronomy, anthropology, and world history. I was awarded an MA in Education and I love to dive deep into instructional design. I  spend my free time rock climbing and traveling the world with my wife, Audrey. You can contact me via Twitter or through this blog 

Awards and other recognition

• Outstanding Educator-in-Consultancy, Academy of Singapore Teachers. 2022

• Author, Fulbright Teacher Exchanges: Overseas Research Opportunities for K-12 Educators, The National Network of State Teachers of the Year Blog, October, 2021

• Editor, Teachers on Fulbright: Reflections on Global Pedagogy and Practice. 2021

• Author, Motivating Students Through Gameplay, The National Network of State Teachers of the Year Blog, August, 2021

• Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program grant, Singapore, 2019

• Author, 10 Tips to Start Teaching With Minecraft, EdSurge, January, 2019

• Co-author, Little Learning Labs: Unofficial Minecraft for Kids, Quarry Books, November, 2018

• Co-author, Unofficial Minecraft STEM Labs for Kids, Quarry Books, May, 2018

• Featured in A new venue for video games: K-12 classrooms, EdSource, May, 2018

• Finalist, California Teacher of the Year 2017

• Co-author, Unofficial Minecraft Labs for Kids, Quarry Books, June, 2016

• Monterey County Teacher of the Year, May, 2016

• Teacher of the Year, Chalone Peaks Middle School, April, 2016

• CUE Affiliate Teacher of the Year, recognized for contributions to affiliate community at National CUE Conference, March, 2016

• Co-author, Exploring Application, Attitudes and Integration of Video Games: MinecraftEdu in Middle School, Educational Technology & Society, 18 (3), 114–128, December, 2015

• Author, Minecraft lesson plan, Representing Literature in Digital Space, featured on the Minecraft website, one of four selected internationally, October, 2015

• Featured in For the Hesitant Teacher: Leveraging the Power of Minecraft, KQED/MindShift, September 2015

• Author, Minecraft: Make Learning a Blast, NEA Journal Magazine, Summer, 2015

• Featured in Minecraft for Schools: A Tool for Learning, KCET Blog, April, 2015

• Contributor to An Educator's Guide to Using Minecraft in the Classroom: Ideas, inspiration, and student projects for teachers, Peachpit Press, 2014

• Google Certified Innovator certification, Seattle, 2011.

• Lighthouse for Literacy Award for excellence in bringing a literacy program to King City - 1999

Badges

• Outstanding Educator-in-Consultancy, Academy of Singapore Teachers

• Fulbright Teacher

• CUE Lead Learner

• Official Minecraft Global Mentor

• Official Minecraft Trainer

• Google Innovator

• San Luis Obispo CUE, Board President 2013 - 2018

Colleges and Universities attended

2009 -11 MA Education, Emphasis on Educational Technology and Instructional Design, San Diego State University

1992 -1994 Teaching Credentials, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

• Multiple Subjects

• Single Subject History-Social Science

• Single Subject Supplemental Physical Science

1986-1989 Graduate Program Physical Anthropology, San Diego State University

1981-1985 BA Anthropology, San Diego State University

Professional development and leadership activities

• Jim Knight Instructional Coaching Institute Course, Fall, 2021

• National Teacher Conference, Singapore, presenter, May, 2019

• World EduLead Conference, Singapore, April, 2019

• SLOCUE Roundtable organizer, November 2018

• Leader, CVCUE Minecraft Training, Fresno, April, 2018

• CUE National Conference, Immersed in Minecraft presentation, March 2018

• STEM and Edtech Symposium, Pleasant Hill, February 2018

• Rockstar Benefit Camp, Napa, February 2018

• Black Label Rockstar Camp, Orcutt, presenter, November 2017

• EdTech Symposium, Santa Maria, speaker, September 2017

• Edtech Bootcamp Fresno Unified, Minecraft Training, June 2017

• EdCamp Santa Maria, May 2017

• CUE National Conference, Immersed in Minecraft presentation, March 2017

• EdTech Connects organizer, Arroyo Grande, CA., November 2016

• Minecon Panel Discussion, Building Blocks of Literacy, September, 2016

• CUE LDI Leadership Conference, July, 2016

• Speaker, Casual Connect Developers Conference, San Francisco, July, 2016

• ISTE Minecraft panel discussion leader, June, 2016

• Make Monterey Maker’s Faire featured presenter, Salinas, May, 2016

• Guest Speaker, Western Washington University, May, 2016

• Technology Innovation Camp organizer and presenter, Templeton, April, 2016

• CUE Rock Star STEAM Camp speaker, Orcutt, April, 2016

• KCUSD Tech CEM EdCamp organizer, April, 2016

• CUE National Conference Minecraft Playground organizer, March 2016

• CUE National Conference Immersed in Minecraft presentation, March 2016

• CUE National Conference Minecraft panel discussion leader, March 2016

• CUE National Conference Game-based Learning and Literacy presentation, March 2016

• GAFE Camp C3 organizer and presenter, San Luis Obispo, February, 2016

• CETPA Conference presentation, San Diego, December 2015

• KCUSD Tech CEM presenter, December, 2015

• EdCamp SLO organizer, November, 2015

• Fall CUE Conference presenter, October, 2015

• EdTech Connects organizer and presenter, Arroyo Grande, October, 2015

• Google Connects Conference keynote speaker, Paso Robles, September, 2015

• Google Summit presenter, Glendale, July, 2015

• MinecraftEdu Camp for Teachers and Students, San Jose, June, 2015

• EdCamp Santa Maria participant, May, 2015

• PEWTER meets CUE co-organizer, Cal Poly SLO, May, 2015

• Teacher Gaming Tour stop organizer, King City, May 2015

• Common Core + EdTech conference presenter, San Jose, April, 2015

• CUE National Conference presenter (x3), March 2015

• GAFE Summit presenter, Templeton, March, 2015

• California League of Schools Conference presenter, January, 2015

• Various conference presentations around the state, 2002 - 2015