AP Psychology
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I have been teaching AP Psychology since 2022.
Prior to teaching this course, I had been teaching psychology as an elective for four year. The course is a college-level class, and is incredibly demanding for the students, and rigorous for the teacher to prepare for. In my inaugural year teaching AP Psychology, the results were great. The class average improved from 3.70 in 2022 to 4.33 in 2023, a 0.63-point increase! Simultaneously, the passing rate soared from 74% to a 94%, marking a 20% rise. While I recognize scores are merely one facet of the educational journey, these tangible outcomes underscore the effectiveness of my teaching approach. This year, I approach my sophomore year teaching the class. AP Research Description by College Board
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AP Capstone: Research |
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I have been teaching AP Capstone: Research class from 2018.
The course is truly unique, in the sense that the class is the only AP course that is offered which does not have a year-end test. Instead, students work on preparing a 5000 word essay, and a 15-20 minute presentation of a topic of their choice. Therefore, the course is not part of any specific department. The course improved helped me become a better well rounded educator, since the topics students selected are not confined to social sciences, but encompass science, social studies and English literature. I have taught over thirty students from 2018-2023, and the average score for my students have been above a 4.1. AP Research Description by College Board |
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Economics |
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I have been teaching economics as a semester long elective to students in grade 9 - 12 since 2019.
The class is mixed grades, which creates unique challenges and opportunities of having grade 9 students collaborate with grade 12 students. I have found this challenge to be an incredible learning opportunity for both myself and my students to learn how to collaborate with one another. In the class, I emphasize breadth over depth, and we cover everything from finance, business, to both macro and micro economics, so that students have a solid foundation of all things related to the economy by the time they exit the one semester course. A key component of economics I emphasize to the students is the philosophical element of the study of how finance works. That how there are a range of ways of thinking from libertarianism to communism, and a myriad of ideologies in-between, and most importantly how none are perfect. A way students can reflect upon their values and economic data is one of the final projects they do for the course, which is where they decide income tax rates for "Nation X". I am often glad to see how the students will often provide a range of answers, with some students approaching the issue from a more conservative view, trying to cut taxes for the rich, while other students would approach the issue from a more liberal lens trying to cut taxes for the poor, with both type of students providing ample evidence and critical thought in their essays in regards to why they made specific tax cuts. |
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Psychology |
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I have been teaching psychology as a semester long elective to students in grade 9 - 12 since 2019.
The class is mixed grades, which creates unique challenges and opportunities of having grade 9 students collaborate with grade 12 students. I have experience of teaching "Sociology" at my first school (Modern Knowledge Schools), so it was easy to ease into Psychology since there is significant overlap between the two studies. In psychology class, students learn the fundamentals of psychology through four units. Unit 1, the biology of psychology. Understanding elements of the body, whether it be the neurological pathways, endocrine system and the way hormones can affect our brains. The students then go on to learn in Unit 2, the science of behavior. The students observe the differences between operant vs conditional learning, and how observational and cognitive learning differ. In Unit 3, motivation, students attempt to understanding motivation through biological, cognitive and humanistic theories. In Unit 4, students study human behavior. This unit is where they delve into areas of psychology which overlap with sociology, reviewing prominent sociology cases such as the Stanford Prison Experiment and the Milgram Shock Experiment. |
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Debate |
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I have been teaching debate as a semester long elective to students in grade 9 - 12 since 2019.
The class is mixed grades, which creates unique challenges and opportunities of having grade 9 students collaborate with grade 12 students. Debate was a natural fit for me, since I already had experience teaching MUN, which incorporated major units in regards to logical fallacies and understanding debate. In debate, I strongly emphasize students learn to practice public speaking. One of the most affective public speaking exercises we do is the Pecha Kucha assignment. This is where students speak with slides behind them, which automatically transition every 20-seconds, so students are forced to present without looking back, and placed in a situation where they have to naturally speak off the top of their head as opposed to rigidly reading off texts from slides. I utilize my background in MUN in my debate class, with students having two MUN simulations a semester as part of the debate course. |
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Global Studies 9 |
I taught Global Studies 9 at Korea International School Jeju from 2014 to 2018 for four-years. Since the school was only founded in 2011, much of the foundation of the curriculum and the course itself was created during my four years. It was a great opportunity to explore various activities that went beyond the standard "sit-down exam", whether it be the "Timevine" where students showcased their knowledge through a "vines" or the "Columbus Debate" where students role played being lawyers putting Christopher Columbus on trial.
I created most of the frame work for the schools grade 9 social studies program, utilizing the "Atlas" software, where I created four units for the year, which incorporated concepts of design thinking and essential questions, utilizing AERO social studies standards.
I created most of the frame work for the schools grade 9 social studies program, utilizing the "Atlas" software, where I created four units for the year, which incorporated concepts of design thinking and essential questions, utilizing AERO social studies standards.
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Harris Histories Episode 2.
Answering the essential question, "Were the "dark ages", dark?" |
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Greek Gods Speed Dating Activity
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MUN |
I started "MUNing" as an adult. It wasn't until 2011 at age 25 that I was able to participate in MUN as a MUN coach in Bahrain, and I fell in love with it: the skillsets students acquire, the way that students can observe and resolve real life issues, and the creativity and innovation I witnessed in crisis committees. I was truly fortunate that I had the opportunity to get involved with my first team in 2011. Since then, my fortune continued, and I was provided the opportunity to teach and be the head coach for MUN at Escuela Internacional Sampedrana (EIS) in Honduras. There, I started the San Pedro Sula Conferences (SPSCON) in 2013, and merged our MOAS and MUN program to begin EIS Global Leadership. Three years later, the Global Leadership program I founded was recognized by Best Delegate as one of the top international programs in the world. I now work as a social studies teacher at Korea International School Jeju, where I teach AP Research, Economics, Psychology and debate/MUN. In South Korea, I started the Global Education City Model United Nations (GECMUN) conference in 2014. A conference which started with only 50 students in a few classrooms in 2014, is now the 3rd largest MUN conference in South Korea with over 250 delegates with delegates from various countries.
I wrote an article on Best Delegate on how to begin your own MUN conference. I would consider myself an expert in this area having started a major conference in Honduras and in South Korea.
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I was one of the two representatives selected for the EARCOS 2020 Spring (which was cancelled) to present about MUN.
View the full slides |
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I utilize my MUN knowledge in Global Studies 9 and in debate class, where I have students engage in MUN committees in class. The following video is from my Global Studies 9 class, where students played roles of various Middle Aged Kingdoms and engaged in what is known as a "crisis committee".
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Our MUN team took a trip to Japan to attend ASIJMUN in 2023.
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Coaching (Soccer and Tennis) |
I find it incredibly valuable for teachers to be able to communicate with students outside of the classroom.
In the past decade, I've had the opportunity to coach students in various contexts. Whether this be through being the tennis coach, the MUN coach, the soccer coach, or the Knowledge Bowl coach. By being able to connect with students outside the academic paradigm, it allows students to comfortably communicate and discuss with me matters outside the classroom, and helps me develop stronger and long lasting relationships with students in my class. It also provides me with the opportunity to meet other high school students who may not be taking my classes, and allows me have a greater breadth when it comes to communicating and connecting to the high school community. |
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