Meet Dr. RyanDr. Ryan has been an educator for approximately 30 years. Her years of experiences include teaching at the elementary school level in the earlier years of her career; high school, middle school and part-time university/college levels. She has taught internationally and served as department chair in the areas of Social Studies and Special Education. After 15 years as a special educator in the special education and inclusion classrooms, she decided to return to the regular education classroom as a Social Studies educator armed with the rich experiences of a special educator. She served as an online adjunct professor at an accredited university based in Portland, Oregon. Some of the courses taught were: Contemporary Educational Thought in Special Education; Managing and Teaching across Learning Environments for Students with Disabilities at the Middle and High School Levels; and Applied Approach to Systematic Instruction for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Other Developmental Disabilities. She also served as her district's facilitator for teachers new to the field of education. She ran summer workshops in adult education for professionals and parents on how to maximize opportunities for students with reading challenges. Dr. Ryan has also been recognized by her district for her work with students with challenges in math and bringing them from below proficiency to grade level on standardized testing. She is also an item writer in Social Studies final exams for the state of North Carolina. Dr. Ryan began her career earning her first degree in the Science of Education with a concentration in Social Studies/Geography Education from the University of the West Indies in Mona, Jamaica. She moved on to earn her Master's degree in the Science of Education with a concentration in Special Education from North Carolina State University, Raleigh, USA. At the end of this fascinating program and exposure to meeting the needs of students with disabilities and students from a diverse background, Dr. Ryan enrolled, pursued, and successfully achieved her doctorate degree in Educational Administration with a specialization in Special Education Administration/Leadership, from Capella University. She holds a current NC teaching license as a highly qualified teacher in Special Education K-12, a license as an Exceptional Children's Administrator, and Social Studies Educator K-12 with reciprocity in multiple states within the US. In her spare time, Dr. Ryan enjoys cooking, listening to music, traveling-taking trips to the Caribbean and enjoying the attractions closer to home and in different states. She loves technology and embraces opportunities to extend learning through the various digital tools. Her love for Sociology, Sociological Research, Geography, History, studying the dynamics of societies, and the joy she experiences from watching her students extend their critical thinking continue to drive her passion for teaching. |
My Professional Philosophy on Teaching |
"Education is the cornerstone of our society" is a saying that should not be taken lightly. It is the backbone to a strong economy and an even stronger human resource that can qualify as a win win for our society. My professional philosophy on education is deeply embedded in one of the thoughts and quotes from Socrates: 'I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think.' The essence of my classroom interactions with students is to encourage deeper and extended thought on topics we cover within our courses. While it is important to know the important and significant facts, it is equally important to apply critical thought and create new positions that reflect a deeper understanding of the content and concepts within the course of study. The 4Cs principles weave smoothly into my practices for student engagement and underscore my general and overall philosophy on education and teaching.
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