WellnessWithMarcus

K-8th Teacher/Athletic Director/Outdoor Education/Advisor/Coach: Co-Educational, Independent, Progressive Day School; Physical Education, Yoga & Wellness, using a progressive curriculum. Yoga Teacher Certification: Rishikesh, India. Core subjects of focus: Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Pranayama, Yoga Nidra, Yoga Philosophy, Yoga Anatomy, Adjustment and Alignment, Cleansing Practices, Yoga Therapy, Yoga Ethics, Yoga Science, Mantra, and Meditation. University Academic Success Coach/Assistant Hall Director. 6th-12th Teacher/Coach/Advisor: American International School: Physical Education/Health/Mathematics. 6th - 12th Academic Support/In-School Resource Teacher: Public-Charter College-Prep. K - 8th Teacher/Administrator: Urban, K-8 Independent Catholic School. Math, Science, Health, Technology, Religion. Assistant Principal & After-School Director. K - 5th Teacher: Physical Education, Urban, Independent School.

Statement of Educational Philosophy: I reflect to a day last summer. We are high in the mountains, having hiked miles outside of Rishikesh, India, the said birthplace of Yoga. We are gathered around a Yogi, long dreads looped on the top of his head, scar lines on his stomach. He has meditated in a nearby cave for over 12 years. He is speaking to us in his native tongue and it is being translated, transcripts on life lessons learned throughout his meditative journey. We are inspired and we are eager. Many travel from around the world, simply to be in proximity of the cave. On this special day, we are allowed inside, to mediate with him. He tells us not to touch the walls; there are gigantic spiders stuck to them. This is terrifying, spiders being my biggest fear, and also being 6 foot 5 inches and having to squeeze through sideways to get to the meditation area, deep within the cave. As we descend into the darkness, one of my new friends is immediately struck by the energy and begins to cry. You can feel its strength. It’s hard to describe, but not hard to remember. Although in the previous days we have been prepped by true yoga teachers; philosophy, alignment, body-bending, meditation, and mantra, today it is not about their teachings. Today, we are students of the universe and it has our full attention. Having been involved in many levels of education, I most often found the influential teachers were those who displayed passion and experience for the subjects they taught: A Russian History professor who wore a gorlatnaya fur hat and played classical Russian music during class; A science teacher who went on outdoor discovery excursions during his school breaks and came back and shared photos; A literature teacher who wrote and recited poetry. Students respond to passion. People respond to passion. They enjoy learning through story-telling, creating visuals, and processing it as something tangible that they themselves have or could have experienced. I am a strong believer in this engagement philosophy of teaching and it has shaped my path within education. When you structure your teachings around the knowledge you gain continuously throughout your own life, the content is fresh and exciting, your voice strong and confident, your passion felt, and the lessons are appreciated, enjoyed, and more easily learned. You instill in students the energy and confidence to seek their own path. I am passionate about self-discovery and health and wellness. It is a way of living for me. Everyday, series of decisions are made that affect my body, mind, and spirit. It is what drives me each day. The first thoughts I have when I wake up are choices. Choices in how to feel positive about approaching the day, what to put into my body to fuel me, and staying present throughout the day, conscious of my mindset. I try to maintain as a self-assured, positive person who thrives from interaction with others, learns from my students, colleagues and those around me, but also one who can be energized by silence. It is these strengths that I possess as an individual that I feel impassioned to impart to my students. I want them to know how THEY best learn and if they thrive best with visual, verbal, written, or hands-on interaction. I want my students to know they can make micro decisions that will change the course of their lives. It is all dependent on their ability to put effort forth into continually discovering themselves and which decisions they can make to affect positive change in their lives and the lives of those around them. My goal is to empower students to take ownership of who they are and who they want to be, and then show them the healthy paths to aid in reaching those goals. When teaching, I believe in a flexible manner of instruction, based on the energy and responsiveness a class reveals on that particular day. I also approach each class by attempting to create a family atmosphere - one that is open and trusting, positive and supportive. You must work diligently at developing personal relationships with your students, to achieve a level of comfort and respect, where they will be open to your teachings. Teens typically face a strong desire to be validated by their peers. Unfortunately, often times they begin to lose their self-identity and can be easily influenced. To me, this is where teachings of the body and of the mind become so important. If you can achieve a learning environment that promotes individuality, creativity, and self-expression, students will feel comfortable sharing and invest in the well-being of themselves and others. I encourage dialogue above all, and promote free flowing conversation amongst one another. I differentiate in many ways when introducing and teaching content. Students self-reflect, share, write, ask, and interact with me and with peers. Students will follow along through Google docs, many youtube clips are presented, art projects created, student-led activities assigned, and also, students are encouraged to be a part of presenting learned information to the teacher and class. Sharing knowledge is practiced at every opportunity. Life as a teacher is a unique process unto its own. Each personal experience, observations that are made, and people met along the way, shape how I communicate the knowledge that I’ve learned and experienced. Teaching, for me, takes the inherent way I approach the world and my desire to passionately learn and seek, and gives me the opportunity to help others find their place within their own journey. I would like to help them see that they are also students of the universe, and to give it their full attention.