My name is Daniel Russell and I am an enthusiastic high
school English teacher with a passion for developing creativity and
comprehension in my students. I
believe in the power of enhancing Language Arts instruction through the use of
music and technology. Such
instruction creates a high interest access point to knowledge where lessons
resonate due to student engagement and curriculum relevance. I have been in the classroom for over five years as an
Elementary and High School teacher and have been working with disadvantaged
youth for over a decade in probation, foster care and school settings. I have
designed and implemented curriculum for music lyrics instruction that is
focused and driven by State of California language arts standards for the past
four years. I am currently
teaching 10th grade English and the “Making a Path Through Music”
program at John C. Fremont High School in South Central, Los Angeles in
conjunction with Brian Webb and the City Stars Program. I have conducted trainings and seminars
for teachers and childcare workers on various topics from Music and Poetry to
supporting foster care and probation youth in schools.
I have a Master Degree in Special Education from San Jose
State University and completed my undergraduate studies at Sarah Lawrence
College in New York. I am a
life-long author and poet and enjoy writing fiction, non-fiction, prose, poetry
and/or research nearly as much as I enjoy teaching them. Students inspire me on a daily basis
and I aim to continue to encourage their inspiration and foster their positive
academic development. I am an eternal student with a plan to pursue to a
doctorate in education focused around my work in language arts instruction
through the music forum.