Bow Tie Joe

Introduction: This week’s #BowTieTuesday Educator Spotlight goes to an educator that I met when I ventured into the world that is #EdCamp. Having the opportunity to chat while we organized #EdCampNJ alongside the other Edu-Rock stars, I recognized I was in the presence of a legend! The Edu-Rock Star that I’ll be recognizing this week is none other than Mr. Shivan Persad (@MrPersad_BA), a middle school social studies teacher and technology coordinator.

Educational Pursuit: Shivan is working his way towards the decade mark within education but possesses the wisdom of a 30-year veteran! He obtained a bachelor of science in Secondary Education from Seton Hall followed by a masters in Special Education from Montclair State and a master’s in the art of teaching in Social Studies from Columbia University.

Shivan recalls his middle and high school music teacher who showed the importance of guidance and compassion in teaching which spurred his desire to pursue a career in education. In addition, his11th-grade History teacher brought the subject alive. His teacher was fairly new to the field which allowed him to connect with Shivan and his peers, something that Shivan never forgets the significance of.

Most Memorable Moment: Shivan’s most memorable moment came when he entered his first EdCampNJ in Springfield. This event afforded him the opportunity to witness the energy and passion of other educators. It also gave him an opportunity to see what other educators are doing in their schools and classrooms, connect with other like-minded educators, and have open discussions about education. Sounds like Edutopia right? All of these experiences and conversations he brings back to his school and classroom to improve his organization and learning environment for his students.

Personal Learning Interests: An ongoing interest of Shivan’s is playing golf. Although he doesn’t consider himself on the same level as Jordan Spieth, he does know his way around a golf course. It’s a challenge to him and something he hopes to improve at doing.

That being said, I plan to join him on the links as I can absolutely relate to those feelings about golf!

The Fun Stuff

Shivan’s go-to Karaoke Song: While Shivan does not have a go-to karaoke song he does enjoy a good singalong to a good cover band. Keeping it Jersey, he admitted you can’t go wrong with Bruce or Bon Jovi (to which I concur).

Shivan’s Inside Scoop: Shivan really enjoys trying different foods; not necessarily exotic foods like crickets or things along that line, but foods from various cultures. Ramen and anything that can be contained in a Pita sounds good to him.

Thank you, Shivan, for your heartfelt efforts to improve education each and every day you step foot inside a classroom. Grateful to have crossed paths with you and I look forward to what’s to come during our #EdCampNJ journey! Thank you for having a positive impact on my PLN and I truly appreciate all that you do to keep moving education forward.

Introduction: After being overwhelmed and inundated with copious amounts of work for my doctoral program we are back for another #BowTieTuesday Educator Spotlight!  This week it goes to an educator that I have had the pleasure of getting to know during my experience in my doctoral program. A comedic genius, and lifelong learner, the Edu-Rock Star that I’ll be recognizing this week is none other than Mr. Daniel Loughran (@danloughran55), an Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction for Franklin Township Public Schools.

Educational Pursuit: Dan is as seasoned as they get in the realm of education. Dan had ambitions of being a cross country coach (having participated in the sport at the college level) and figured since he was fairly adept at reading and writing, he would re-enter this classroom as a high school English teacher. To his delight, he realized that the principles that worked for coaching were the same in the classroom as well. Fast forward an undisclosed amount of time and Dan is currently in pursuit of his doctorate, with a concentration in Education, Culture, and Society from Rutgers University.

Most Memorable Moment: When questioned about the most memorable moment in his storied career, Dan spoke of the growth and development, both as a learner and as a person, that he has been able to witness among the students in school districts that he has had the pleasure of working alongside. Similarly, Dan has also enjoyed in the growth and development of the staff members that he collaborates with. Their success is critical to success for any organization and a priority for him as an organizational leader.

Personal Learning Interests: While I have learned much about Dan’s intense desire to understand the inequities among different socio-economic groups and how they contribute to pervasive gaps in student achievement, he also shared with me that he has agreed to write and present a paper at an international Bruce Springsteen Symposium at Monmouth University in April. In addition to being a world-class scholar, he is also an avid Bruce fan.

The Fun Stuff

Donny’s go-to Karaoke Song: Badlands, by Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen

Donny’s Inside Scoop: When he was 17 years old he once ran 100 miles in a single week that included a flat 5K race in Long Branch in 15:59 and a very hilly 10K race in Bernardsville in 32:21.

Thank you, Donny Loughran, for your heartfelt efforts to improve education each and every day you step foot inside a classroom. Who would have known that our dinner conversations offering humor and advice at the beginning of our doctoral program would translate into the friendship we have nowadays and the positive impact you have had on my PLN! I truly appreciate all that you do to keep moving education forward.

Introduction: This week’s #BowTieTuesday Educator Spotlight goes to an educator whose efforts to improve the lives of those he came into contact with was cut short. His time with us was cut short when his life was tragically cut short protecting the students that he vowed to serve and protect. The Edu-Hero that I’ll be recognizing this week is none other than Mr. Aaron Feis, a high school football coach, security guard, and mentor to many at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Educational Background/Pursuit: Mr. Feis was a graduate of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 1999 and returned in 2002 to serve as an assistant football coach. During this span of time, he served as a role model to the community and a mentor to a countless number of students that had the privilege of getting to know him. He constantly challenged students to push past their limits, supporting them on their journey to new heights with his goal being that they would succeed no matter what the obstacle their next phase of life brought them.

Thank you, Aaron, for your heroic efforts to protect your students no matter what the cost. In another lifetime, I wish I would have had the honor and privilege of getting to meet you. I truly appreciate all that you did during your lifetime to keep moving education forward and altering the lives of anyone who stumbled upon your path. You will forever be missed but never forgotten. I vow to always “do my job” and “make sure my last rep is my best rep”.

Rest in peace, my brother.

Introduction: This week’s #BowTieTuesday Educator Spotlight goes to another educator that I was lucky to have connected with through a mutual colleague. The Edu-Rock Star that I’ll be recognizing this week is none other than Mrs. Stacey Lindes (@iruntech), a technology coach within the West-Windsor Plainsboro Regional School District by day and a podcaster by night! Stacey is a co-host of the extremely popular podcast, PodcastPD and their latest episode features a real gem in the world of education.

Educational Pursuit: Stacey is an established veteran within the world of education. She can’t recall a time where she didn’t want to be in a career that helps others; nurse, doctor, teacher. It was the efforts of her third-grade teacher that sparked her aspirations of becoming an educator. In high school, she found further inspiration from the efforts of a student teacher and her history teachers and declared herself a secondary education/history major. Upon entering college her interests shifted slightly where she entered a masters program for elementary education.

Most Memorable Moment: Although still involved with supporting and enhancing the pedagogical practice of teachers Stacey no longer has a group of students she is able to call her own. She recalls the most memorable moment of her career to date to be the hilarious reactions she used to get from her first graders when she would call them the night before school started. What a treat for those kids to be getting a phone call from a true edu-hero!

Personal Learning Interests: Stacey is always on the go and kept it nice and simple when it came to her current personal learning interests: sketchnoting, running, and podcasting.

The Fun Stuff

Stacey’s go-to Karaoke Song: Stacey doesn’t sing in public…yet!

Stacey’s Inside Scoop: Stacey secretly admitted to me that her favorite member of the #EJL is Bow-Tie Barry. Sorry, Clark and Bruce…you better keep up!

Thank you, Diana Prince, for your heartfelt efforts to improve education each and every day you step foot inside a classroom. I was blessed that I crossed paths with Clark who put the two of us in contact with one another. Your constant stream of energy, support, and contributions to my PLN have been invaluable and I look forward to many more years of growth and progress within education! I truly appreciate all that you do to keep moving education forward.

This week’s #BowTieTuesday Educator Spotlight goes to an educator that I was lucky to have connected with through a mutual colleague. The Edu-Rock Star that I’ll be recognizing this week is none other than Mr. AJ Bianco (@AJBianco), a middle school social studies educator by day and podcaster by night! AJ is a co-host of the extremely popular podcast, PodcastPD and their latest episode features a real gem in the world of education.

Educational Pursuit: AJ is a seasoned veteran in the world of education. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in adolescent education with a concentration in social studies from SUNY Oneonta. He then went on to earn a master’s degree in history from Iona College and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Ramapo College.

AJ remembers vividly the amazing social studies teacher he had when he was in high school that showed him that learning was much more than doing things by the book. This teacher showed him that while learning can be a slow, arduous process, it was also something that could be fun. This teacher fostered opportunities for AJ and his peers to create projects, do group work and learn in an environment that was fun and engaging. It was at that point in his life that AJ knew that he wanted to be able to recreate a similar learning environment and inspire his students the way his teacher inspired him.

Most Memorable Moment: AJ is pretty fortunate as his most memorable moment occurs every year. He spoke of the times when former students come back and tell him that they remember something they did together in class. It doesn’t necessarily have to be something they learned; it could be a memory of something that was discussed or joked around about but it was still something that they took away because of the learning environment he was able to develop.

Personal Learning Interests: AJ possesses an intense passion for learning and continual growth as an educator and leader. Currently, he enjoys learning more about techniques and methodologies that he can employ within his classroom such as the Flipped Classroom, Blended Learning, Personalized Learning and technology integration.

The Fun Stuff

AJ’s go-to Karaoke Song: Anything by Frank Sinatra – Just the Way You Look Tonight

AJ’s Inside Scoop: AJ is a big softie! He wears his emotions on his sleeve and he is always thinking about what he can do to help others.

Thank you, Bruce, for your heartfelt efforts to improve education each and every day you step foot inside a classroom. I was blessed that I crossed paths with Clark who put the two of us in contact with one another. You have contributed immensely to my PLN and continue to serve as a role-model for the type of leader and man I hope to become. I truly appreciate all that you do to keep moving education forward.

This week’s #BowTieTuesday Educator Spotlight is a Bow-Tie Joe first and recognizes the first female educator that I know that regularly dons a bow-tie! She epitomizes what it means to be a trendsetter so without further ado, the Edu-Rock Star that I’ll be recognizing this week is none other than Ms. Gabby Migliore (@MigsMath_MTHS), a high school mathematics teacher at Montville High School.

Educational Pursuit: Gabby obtained a bachelor’s degree in education with a concentration in mathematics from Felician University. When asked about why she decided to pursue a career in education she referenced the English philosopher John Locke who said, “Education is not preparation for life, education is life itself”. Education has played an integral part of Gabby’s life and she simply could not imagine a lifestyle where going to school did not make up a large part of her day-to-day activities. Coupling that passion with her love for mathematics and learning, she knew that embarking down the path towards becoming an educator was the most logical thing to do (see what I did there?) Being able to share her passion every day with the next generation as well as have the opportunity to learn from them and grow in tandem is something she is extremely grateful for.

Most Memorable Moment: The biggest skill Gabby would like for her students to take away from any class she teaches is the ability to solve a problem. She works diligently to improve her students’ problem-solving abilities and then challenges them to apply these skills to performance tasks she designs. She recalls the first time she did one of her favorite problems, the Zombie Apocalypse, in her Calculus class, as her most memorable moment. She touched upon the collaboration and resiliency that was on display as her students came up with multiple solutions in several different and creative ways. As is normally the case with educators, she recalls the feeling during the activity as she watched them utilize every tool that they had been given up until that point and realized that all the work they did together in preparation paid off.

Personal Learning Interests: Having aspired to pursue a career in music at one point in her life Gabby has recently gotten back into playing the piano which is something she hasn’t done in over 10 years. On the opposite end of the spectrum, she loves how technology makes information so accessible and has recently began taking online courses in astronomy/astrophysics and psychology in addition to courses for a national coaching accreditation.

The Fun Stuff

Gabby’s go-to Karaoke Song: Sugar, We’re Going Down by Fall Out Boy or One Week by Barenaked Ladies

Gabby’s Inside Scoop: Gabby is often labeled a mathematician and an athlete, but really enjoys painting, photography, and plays several musical instruments. She actually began her college career as a music major.

Thank you, Gabby, for your heartfelt efforts to improve education each and every day you step foot inside a classroom. Your contributions to my PLN are immeasurable and I look forward to growing alongside of you in the years to come! I truly appreciate all that you do to keep moving education forward.

This week’s #BowTieTuesday Educator Spotlight goes to an educator that I met in some unusual circumstances. I was playing in an intramural softball game where the umpire had asked me if I had done a guest lecture for the mathematics student-teachers about 8 months prior. It turns out that this soon-to-be educator was actually present during my guest lecture and we connected after the game. Fast forward, two years and connecting via Twitter since then, the Edu-Rock Star that I’ll be recognizing this week is none other than Mr. Daniel Carey (@Carey_MTHSmath), a high school mathematics teacher at Montville High School.

Dan holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Rutgers University and obtained a master’s degree in mathematics education from Rutgers University through the 5-year program they offer. When asked about why he decided to pursue a career in education, Dan spoke of his passion and enjoyment he gets from working with students and the ability to be seen as a role model in their lives. He’s always excited to share his love for math with others. He strives to connect the world that exists around his students to the mathematics being discussed in class to show students that math is all around us. He strives to #MakeItReal with experiences in the classroom that can culminate in a lifelong love of learning for his students. The fact that every day in education can be different than the last is what makes his career so exciting and exhilarating!

The most memorable moment of Dan’s teaching career came when a former student reached out to him via email, informing him of the success he was experiencing in his college math course due to the lesson’s Dan had created. This student also thanked Dan for his persistence in making the content relevant to every day experiences, which he cited to be the reason behind his success.

Currently, Dan spends much of his free time learning more about technology and its applicability in the math classroom. He currently uses applications such as Doceri for instruction and creates activities for students on sites such as Desmos and GeoGebra. He is always looking for new technology tools that he can implement to increase the levels of engagement within his classroom so reach out to him via Twitter to share your ideas and strategies that you may use!

The Fun Stuff

Danny’s go-to Karaoke Song: September by Earth, Wind, & Fire (Best Wedding Song Ever)

Danny’s Inside Scoop: His ping-pong skills are out of this world and he will destroy anyone that challenges him.

Thank you, Danny, for your heartfelt efforts to improve education each and every day you step foot inside a classroom. Who would have known that small conversation we had years ago on the softball diamond would translate into the friendship we have nowadays and the positive impact you have had on my PLN! I truly appreciate all that you do to keep moving education forward.

The second #BowTieTuesday Educator Spotlight goes to an educator that I was fortunate enough to have crossed paths with so early on in my career and am blessed to be able to call a very close friend…I hope! The Edu-Rock Star I’ll be recognizing this week is none other than Mr. Christopher Nesi (@mrnesi), a high school social studies teacher at New Brunswick High School by day and by night, a podcaster. Chris hosts the House of #EdTech podcast and is also the co-host of the PodcastPD podcast. Disclaimer: Yes, this post is strongly encouraging the reader to add these two podcasts to your repertoire of podcasts and to begin binge-listening.

Chris holds a bachelor’s degree in history from William Patterson University. He then obtained a masters in curriculum design and instruction from Caldwell University in addition to a supervisor’s certification from Rowan University. He enjoys helping others and identified teaching as a career that would allow him to continue to fulfill that vision. Reflecting on his career in education, Chris identified his most memorable moment to be the first day he entered the classroom as an educator in Manalapan, NJ as an LTS Social Studies teacher.

While I can speak at large about Chris’s intense passion for learning how to cook he refined his answer regarding his personal learning interests to woodworking and completing DIY projects. In addition, he continuously seeks ways to improve his abilities as it pertains to creating digital content like websites, graphic design, and podcasting.

The Fun Stuff

Chris’s go-to Karaoke Song: Mack the Knife by Bobby Darin

Chris’s Inside Scoop: He’s pretty good at about every sport he’s tried.

Thank you, Clark, for your heartfelt efforts to improve education each and every day you step foot inside a classroom. It is because of you that I even became a connected educator and because of that, was able to enhance my own learning and be presented with opportunities in education that I didn’t even know existed. You have contributed immensely to my PLN and I truly look forward to many more years together disrupting education! I truly do appreciate what you contribute to the field. Ed Justice League for life!

The inaugural #BowTieTuesday Educator Spotlight goes to someone that I have had the pleasure of getting to know quite well throughout the years. This special person is none other than my younger brother, Nicholas Nahrwold (@CaptainNahrwold), who is a 1st-year mathematics teacher at North Brunswick Township High School and an assistant soccer coach for me with the freshman boys team of New Brunswick High School.

Nick, as I prefer to call him, holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a master’s degree in mathematics education from Rutgers University. He decided to pursue a career in education while he was a senior in high school. Citing his passion for mathematics coupled with the efforts of two teachers he greatly admired, he wanted to continue their mission and impact the lives of the nation’s youth, one student at a time. A proud big brother moment for myself, Nick admitted that every day he wakes up he doesn’t feel as though he’s going to “work” or as though there is a burden from doing his job. Instead, he’s ambitious that with each day there is an opportunity for him to enhance the lives of his students some way, shape, or form.

Being only four months old in education, when I asked him for his memorable moment he simply replied the positive affirmation he has received thus far from the members of his department who tell him that many students speak very highly of his classes and genuinely look forward to his class. He explained that connecting with students on a level beyond the scope of the educational setting has the ability to cultivate a much more meaningful bond with them that will find them coming to your class with a renewed energy and vigor!

Lastly, his personal learning interests include seeking out pedagogical methods that will increase levels of engagement within the classroom. Currently, he finds great value in increased levels of engagement through #BreakoutEdu and has even created his own home-made breakout box involving some low-cost materials off of Amazon. Connect with him via Twitter to find out how you can make your own breakout box for your classroom!

The Fun Stuff

Nick’s go-to Karaoke Song: Waiting on the World to Change by Jon Mayer

Nick’s Inside Scoop: Played 4 years of Division 1-AA Rugby at Rutgers University

Thank you, Nick, for your heartfelt efforts to improve education each and every day you step foot inside a classroom. You have contributed immensely to my PLN and in the years we’ve spent together, helped me become not only a better educator but a better man and brother. I truly do appreciate what you contribute to the field and to my life. Super Math Bros for life! I love you…even if you don’t own a bow-tie!