Brain Brigade

As an educator for the past 40 years and as Wisconsin’s 2003 Teacher of the Year I have languished over the lack of hands-on learning in our schools. In 2008, my daughter and I started Brain Brigade with the idea of bringing hands-on learning to every child particularly in the area of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

I believe that we need to get children and teachers out of their comfort zones by providing novel learning activities that challenge them and are applicable to real life. As teachers we need to awaken a child’s curiosity by providing dynamic learning experiences. There is nothing more fulfilling than seeing the eyes of a child sparkle after launching a rocket. This is what all learning should be about; children, who having a spark ignite a fire within, seek to discover more on their own.

2003 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year 2002 Herb Kohl Fellowship Recipient 2001 Teacher of the Year, Neosho School, Neosho, WI 1993 Taught a graduate course, Lego® Logo, University of Wisconsin, Madison 1990 Developed and taught a graduate course, Integrating Environmental Education into the Curriculum, Aurora University 1988 Safari Club International Award Awarded tuition grant for outdoor education seminar, Jackson Hole, WY 1980 Developed and coordinated Outdoor Education Program-Neosho Middle School, Neosho, WI

Master of Education - National College of Education Evanston, IL B.A. Elementary Education – 1973 Concordia Teacher’s College Seward, NE A.A. - Concordia College Milwaukee, WI

As a newly retired teacher I have been cataloging my classroom resources designed to bring hands-on learning to every student and sharing them here with you. I also lead after school programs, tutoring and summer camps. We blog at BrainBrigade.org. I spend my spare time with my wonderful wife, four daughters, three sons-in-law, five grandchildren, and even more grand-dogs. I love gardening and traveling. My wife and I are always up for an adventure! Whether walking 70 miles in a weekend or piling our grandkids into our car and taking them for a road trip – we are up for the challenge!