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Mr. Ross Warfel
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Garfield Cont High School
Class Information:
Room Number: 305
Students per Class: 125 Total
Class Description:
I teach 6 classes on a blocked schedule. Period 1 is U.S. History; period 2 is American Government; period 3 is Advisory; period 4 is American Literature; period 5 is Humanities; period 6 is Nutrition and Fitness.
Position:
Teacher
Needs:
I would like a Document Camera setup and a Mac Laptop Computer with a very large hard drive and an external hard drive. The Mac should have extra memory, the latest ILife software, and a wireless mouse. Although I do have a good projector and use the Internet to find appropriate pictures for social studies classes, I do not have the capacity to download appropriate video clips, Nor can I find the right material for Nutrition and Fitness. Often this material is found in magazines and books which I pass around the room. A document camera would alleviate this process. In the Social Studies classes, students make presentations using PowerPoint and IMovie. I have a mix of older PCs and Macs in my classroom, but only two have USB inputs. Only one has firewire. We make do with the set up we have, but want to upgrade to the latest version of IMovie and infuse more video production into our projects. We also want to improve our capacity to present our projects. Obviously, other schools are light years ahead of me. Administration is sympathetic to my needs, but money is always allocated elsewhere.
Personal Information:
About Me:
I have been teaching for over 37 years. The most important thing to know about me is that I sincerely believe you can lead a horse to water and you can motivate her to drink. This attitude, my sense of humor, and my flexibility have served me well in a school populated by students At Risk.
College and Degrees:
I majored in U.S. History, minored in English. I received a Reading Specialist Certification, a Master's Degree, and a Teaching Credential concurrently.
Activities:
I am married to a Navy Nurse (Reserve) who is also a School Nurse. We enjoy a variety of outdoor activities and hanging out with our Lab. We have no children of our own, but have devoted a lot of time to the children we serve.
Favorite Books:
I could list a number of impressive titles, but there is one that I always mention when asked to list my favorites: Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat. In the book he discusses his observation of a pack of wolves that were being blamed for killing Caribou. Mowat lived with the wolves and got to know them on a personal basis. As a result of his careful observations, he learned that the Wolves were innocent and was able to prove his findings. There is more to the story, but the bottom line is that because of Mowat's personal investment of time and actual study of his subjects, he was able to do something to help save their lives. I feel the same way about my students. By getting to know them on a one to one basis, I am able to do things that save their lives.
Favorite Quotes:
If you do what you have always done, you will be what you have always been. Where there is no vision, the people perish. ( a translation of Proverbs 29:18 from the Christian Bible)
Interests:
Keeping Fit Motivating At Risk Youth Reading
Employment History:
Former Marine Worked my way through college as a tool grinder in an aircraft plant 37 years of teaching high school and college
Why Do I Teach?:
For the money (joke) Because I can't do anything else (joke) Because I need to feel I am contributing to the future and because I derive a sense of accomplishment from helping students learn.