My education has shaped the person I am today.  Beginning at an early age these experiences focused on the arts, nature, and the humanities.  My own philosophies on education have been heavily influenced by my earliest education at a Waldorf school.  This journey has continued throughout my life leading to McGill University and UNT. These experiences have given me the foundation to become a great teacher and father today.

Waldorf’s educational philosophy was based on the teachings of the artist Rudolf Steiner.  These philosophies focus on integrating the arts into all content areas. Waldorf believes this focus helps students develop cognitive and metacognitive skills they will use throughout their lives.  Further, their education focuses on encouraging freedom for students to learn at their own pace.

At Waldorf teachers follow students throughout their education and provide a rich foundation for children to excel.  More than anything, Waldorf taught me the importance of imagination and wonder. It taught me to explore the world through learning.

In 4th grade, I transitioned to public schools.  I had not learned to read yet so my mother taught me to read over the course of that summer.  With her help, I was able to end the summer reading the LA Times. I didn't realize this at the time but I had dyslexia which would be a challenge during elementary school. Starting in public school was initially a shock to me.  I had worn costumes most days to Waldorf and this was not accepted by my peers in my new public schools. My favorite memories in elementary school were being in the choir, spending the night on a ship built in 1825, and 6th-grade camp.  This was a time where I transitioned into public schools.

By the time I reached High School, I had begun to excel.  HS became a competitive environment where I worked hard to be the best I could.  I took lots of AP courses and several community college courses. All this hard work helped me skip a year and a half of university.  Capistrano Valley HS, or CAPO, was so overcrowded while I was there the students came in shifts. I went during the Zero-Period so I was off school by 12 pm on most days.  This allowed me to work during HS while completing my studies.