About Ephesus Education Solutions

I was fresh out of college and interviewing for teaching positions in various districts. At some point in the process, I was asked, “what does your ideal classroom look like?” My response, pretty much instantly, was a bus where students would travel the country seeking experiences in history and natural history first-hand. Things like reading and math could be taught on the bus or during interval stops on the road. Where better to learn about geology than the Grand Canyon or Mammoth Cave? Where better to learn about our nation’s founding and government than Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington? I felt it was a beautiful concept. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a conceptual question. Needless to say, I didn’t get the job. It was a concept that was yet to catch on.

 

I am a life-long learner. I remember learning to read at a very young age - not in school, but at home. I was two years old. One of my best teachers was my 7-year-old uncle. My favorite place in classrooms and schools was the reading center or the library. I loved the encyclopedia and SRA cards. I was fortunate to be part of the “open-grading” movement in elementary schools where I was not only allowed to but encouraged to work to my potential - consistently two to three years beyond my “grade level”, and often able to work at my own pace. I thrived in the Scouting program where the possibilities for learning are endless, earning 48 merit badges and achieving the rank of Eagle Scout, as well as serving on summer camp staff 6 times. In high school I frequently took classes, not because they would look good on my transcript or get me into a “better” university, but because those classes interested me. I took Astronomy, Aerospace Science, Computer Programming, and worked on the school paper rather than take Physics, Calculus, and Literature. And, truth be told, it did not hamper my ability to graduate high school or be accepted into a “good” university. And it was there that I learned Physics, and Calculus, and Literature, as these classes were requirements for the degree I was pursuing at the time. However, I also took courses in Theater, Swimming, Cartography, and Native American Studies. My love for learning led me to attend two universities and change my major three times before I settled into that thing I always felt called to do - Education.

 

I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from the University of Tennessee with a concentration in Earth, Space, and Environmental Science, and a Master of Science degree in Curriculum & Instruction from Western Governors University. I have been a classroom Science teacher for 22 years teaching Earth and Space Science, Biology, Physical Science, Astronomy, Marine Science, Chemistry, Physics, Aerospace Science, Anatomy & Physiology, Biotechnology, Health Science Theory, and Pathophysiology, in public, private, and charter schools, in middle and high schools, in rural and urban settings. In addition, I worked as a high school swim team coach for three years. I have also worked as a program director for Boy Scout summer camp programs and the Boys’ and Girls’ Club. I was a substitute teacher for 3 years while at the same time managing a bookstore. And after completing a 7-year enlistment in the Army as a Satellite Communication Systems Network Controller, I worked as a contractor developing and implementing an on-site training program for tactical military satellite communications terminals before embarking on my teaching journey. I have spent my 30+ years as an educator focused on three things: learning to be a better teacher, helping others to become better teachers, and changing the system to better serve our students.

 

As a parent, I was fortunate enough to be able to enroll my son in a private school through the 6th grade, until we moved and that option was no longer available. He subsequently attended the public school where I taught. Lucky him. We went through the experience of having him diagnosed with ADHD, at the behest of the school, and prescribed Ritalin, and later Adderall. I watched a lively and inquisitive little boy turn into a zombie; however, the school was thrilled that he could sit at his desk and do the work that they asked of him. After only a couple of years and in-depth research, we decided to stop the medication. We could not allow what was tantamount to child abuse to continue as a tradeoff for a contented teacher. He needed to be allowed to live a life as a normal, if somewhat rambunctious (aren’t they all?), boy . Through my experience as a teacher, I became more aware that it was the school that would have to accommodate him rather than the other way around. In all honesty, if I had it all to do over again, I would have unschooled him. Our fondest memories of his childhood involved day trips into Washington to explore the city and its many museums, or hikes or bike trips in the mountains, and usually the places he wanted to check out. He spent quite a bit of time working for and with his mother stocking grocery store shelves and learned about earnings and inventory control. These experiences highlight the essence of true self-directed learning.

 

I tell you my story to say this - my personal experience has taught me that choices are important for students to be truly motivated and engaged in their learning. And they should be allowed to pursue those interests, even if they change over time. Now, as an educator, I have grown to realize two things: First, that life is learning, and learning is life. Second, that finding and fueling a child’s passion is the key to motivation, engagement, and life-long learning.

​

​

​

Sam was raised in an Air Force family and enjoyed the experience of living in various locations across the United States, Hawai'i, the Philippines, and Panama. He served his own enlistment in the Army as a satellite communication network controller and later, as a civilian contractor, developed and implemented an on-site training program for tactical military satellite communications terminals and conducted training in Korea, Germany, and Hawai'i, as well as across the United States.

 

He currently resides in Elgin, Texas with his wife Kathy, his father-in-law, five dogs, five cats, over sixty chickens, and a myriad of native critters. He teaches High School Science for the McDade Independent School District. He enjoys reading, being outdoors, swimming, playing guitar, riding his motorcycle, brewing his own beer, and practicing his faith.

​

​

Check out my blog page. Click here!

​

​