Students will learn the art of leadership - how to lead and follow, how to negotiate, plan, and work around stubborn problems.  They will learn new methods of efficient communication, have the opportunity to work within a team, and the satisfaction of accomplishing a difficult goal.  Perhaps most importantly, they'll be faced with taking responsibility for their actions - often split second decisions.  Students will complete the class and want to return.  They will have gained both confidence in themselves, and in their ability to work with others.  

There is also a distinct social aspect to what we do in Tier One, and I like to emphasize this because, frankly, kids have drawn the short straw on social stuff since 2019.  One of the reasons that I send out 'intel packets' early to each team member, is so that they're encouraged to talk amongst one another in the days leading up to the mission - form friendships, and laugh a little.  Likewise, we have time in game where students are able to just talk and laugh about things that happen - as a teacher and father, I see this social interaction as absolutely vital in the lives of all of our kids.

The class is structured in three parts to maximize our learning and fun.  1. The first part of class will allow students to sort through their "Daily Intel."  I will provide them with pieces of the puzzle - maps of their area of operations and some more or less sometimes kinda accurate intelligence reports.  From these, they will plan their mission in full.  2.  Students will take their team into harm's way and execute their planned mission... some will succeed, others will fail.  3.  We will assess the mission as a whole - how did individual operators perform?  How did the team perform?  How did the mission planning hold up?  What went right... what went wrong?  

In the end, each student will learn to take personal responsibility for their actions, work within a team, communicate effectively, and learn problem-solving techniques - all of which can be applied to their lives as a whole.  

This is a tried and true method of teaching kids without them even knowing that they're learning - one that I've worked with for over twenty years now.  I take it seriously, and it yields results.

I have more than a decade of teaching experience, the majority of which was spent as an instructor in a lock-down rehabilitation facility for at-risk children (translated: gang kids who were struggling with substance abuse).  This allowed me to teach a wide variety of subjects, from second grade reading to college level physics, often in the same day in order to meet the needs of my students.
 
My emphasis throughout was teamwork, discipline, leadership, and problem solving - as these form the braided cord that carries all through our lives.  My formal education is centered around a masters degree in elementary education, and another in special education - with a bachelors in philosophy and a minor in glass art... yes, that's right.  Glass.  Art.  My mother was thrilled when I told her about that one.  

Additionally, this class is an extension of a variant that I ran successfully a decade ago at the aforementioned rehabilitation facility.  It was a resounding success, showing marked improvement in both student scores on their academic work and vast improvement in their social disposition.  Students from across the spectrum participated on a voluntary basis, and the results were astounding.  Clearly, I think a great deal about the potential of this program... but when something works for kids, I'm all in.  

Homework Offered
Assessments Offered
It's good to note here that each learner is given their own specific consideration with a customized dossier of all of their achievements.  This helps us to both reward learners and to solidify the things that they've achieved in their minds and I can send examples of these if you'd like to see how I encourage learners with awards, rank, and responsibility.

Also, I like to check in with a learner's parental units from time to time to discuss what might be useful to work on within Tier One and let them know how their learner is doing overall.  While this isn't a formal assessment, it is often terribly helpful for the parental figure and teacher alike to compare notes and set goals for their learners.
Grades Offered

Each of my classes can be specifically tailored to the needs of my learners.  My Masters was in Special Education and I strive to find a way for anyone who wants to take part, to be a part.  We can discuss what your learner needs anytime.