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Teacher Biographies


Fall 2013
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English

Mrs. S. H, author of Advanced Language & Composition, has taught all levels of high school English, including honors and college-level classes. Both an SAT essay reader and Advanced Placement® Language reader, Mrs. H. specializes in teaching advanced rhetoric to high school juniors. She has also served as a founding member of a campus vertical alignment team, as an English department chair, and as a member of a core curriculum development team. In addition, Mrs. H. regularly delivers presentations on the teaching of English and the use of technology in the classroom setting at local, state, and national conferences. Most recently, she presented the session, "The Rhetorical Triad: The Foundation of the Advanced Placement Language Course" at the 2013 AP National Convention. Mrs. H. has established and directed two secondary writing centers and was the founding faculty sponsor of her campus student art and writing magazine. In addition to her current work in the classroom, Mrs. H. also directs an academic advancement center and facilitates student and teacher publications and collaborative projects.
She will teach Saturday: 9-11th grade Literary Analysis and Advanced Vocabulary; 9-11th grade  Success In Writing and Grammar; 10-12th grade College Applications Process and Personal Essay Writing.

Mr. M. S. has received a bachelor's degree and Master¡¯s degree in English from Rice University. Since 1998 he has been at St. John¡¯s Academy, one of Houston¡¯s most prestigious private schools, teaching various levels of middle-school and high-school English and serving as an Admissions Committee member. He draws from his extensive teaching experience of English at all levels to give all students precise and dedicated instruction.
He will teach Sunday:
7-8th grade Reading & Vocabulary Navigator; 7-8th grade Sharpening Writing & Grammar Skills; 10-12th grade Advanced Critical Reading and Analytical Writing.

Ms. M. P. is a returning instructor last year. She has extensive teaching experience in English, Speech & Debate, and Social Studies and is well versed in the most effective pedagogical techniques. She is highly regarded by her students and colleagues as a dependable and intuitive instructor.
She will teach Saturday: 7-8th grade Reading & Vocabulary Navigator; 7-8th grade Sharpening Writing & Grammar Skills; 8-11th grade Creative Writing for Scholarship and Competitions; 7 grade Duke TIP Verbal; Friday: SAT Verbal.

Ms. K. H. is a dynamic, passionate educator entering her 24th year of teaching. She has spent 12 years teaching middle school English and has also taught high school English in grades 9 ¨C 12, Creative Writing, and Survey of World Literature. She has attended the College Board Advanced Placement Institute at Rice University twice. This past spring, she taught AP Literature Exam Prep at the Glasscock School of Continuing Studies at Rice University. Ms. Harrison considers herself a lifelong learner which adds to her enthusiasm in the classroom; she is just as excited and interested in whatever she is teaching as her students are to learn. She works diligently and consistently to deliver challenging, relevant, useful lessons which her kids can use and apply, not only in the classroom, but in real life applications as well. Ms. H. received her BA in English from the University of Houston in 1982.
She will teach Saturday:
10-12th grade Advanced Critical Reading and Analytical Writing.

Ms. L. R. is an exceptional middle school teacher with 14 years experience. She has experience teaching grades Sixth ¨C Eighth. She is also the assistant principal of her middle school with a Master degree in education. She has a outstanding record for successfully meeting the needs of the students, organizing instructional programs and promoting community activities. As a life-time learner, she attends workshops and trainings frequently to stay current with teaching strategies and sharpen her teaching skills.
She will teach Saturday and Sunday:
5 -6th grade Reading/Vocabulary and Writing/Grammar.

Mrs. E. K. has thirty seven years experience in HISD at the elementary level. She is certified through 6th grade and has specialized in teaching English. Mrs. K. also has her gifted and talented certification. All past years she has met exemplary status on all state required tests given to her students. She has a B.S in psychology from Texas Tech University and some mastery education coursework at St. Thomas University.
She will teach Saturday:
4th grade Reading/Vocabulary and Writing/Grammar.

Ms. R. H. is an exceptional teacher with thirty years experience. She has been voted teacher of the Year at her school twice consecutively, a fact which speaks to her reputation as a motivator and her exceptional skills as a catalyst of higher level students. She has experience teaching Kindergarten through fifth Grade and has been a mentor for many new teachers. This teacher is certified to teach students whose first language is not English and has an outstanding record for successfully meeting the needs of the students. Currently she is working with Gifted and Talented third grade students in the Vanguard Program. She will be teaching the second grade and third grade classes this spring.
She will teach Saturday: 3rd grade English Enrichment and challenge math; Sunday: 4th grade Reading/Vocabulary and Writing/Grammar.

Mrs. H. L. has a Master of Science Teaching degree from Rice University. She is currently a Science Teacher for grades K-12 at Preparatory School and a Teacher Assistant at Rice University. She also teaches in Physics, Astronomy, and Thinking Skills. Over the past 12 years, Mrs. L. has taught Science, Math, and Computer Skills to grades 2-10; taught Social studies to grades 3-6; She was a Science and Technology Coordinator for grades 3-6.
She will teach Saturday: 2nd grade Enrichment and challenge math;
6-8th grade Middle School .

New Chinese Program

Advance Academy proudly introduces a brand new Chinese program called NIHAOMA in the spring. NIHAOMA Chinese is an educational institution specializing in teaching Chinese language and culture to children.  There are more than 12 schools/centers that are currently offering Nihaoma Chinese programs and the list keeps expanding. 

Advance Academy¡¯s NIHAOMA program director, Ms. Jiayao Pang has 18 years of Chinese teaching experience from elementary to college levels in Europe and in the U.S. She has a B.A. degree in Chinese Language and Literature, and a M.A. in Educational Psychology. In both 2009 and 2010, Ms. Pang was presented with ¡°Outstanding Achievement Award¡± by the Consulate-General of China in Houston. She is also a columnist for the leading magazine of learning Chinese in North America ¡°Learn Chinese Language and Culture¡±.

Nihaoma Chinese classes will be offered for two different levels ¨C Beginner and Intermediate.
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Math

Ms. V. S. is a very popular teacher with our students. She consistently shares her passion and understanding of students as well as her great competence as a catalyst of learning excitement in mathematics. She brings 40 years of teaching experience and was given the honor of Best Mathematics Teacher by HISD twice. She specializes in grades four, five, and six.
She will teach Saturday: 4-6th grade Challenge Math, and Word Problem Solving (Brain Fitness).

Ms. C. M. will be joining our Math team this fall.  Ms. M. graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with Summa Cum Laude honors.  For the last 13 years in Spring Branch ISD, Ms. M. has had the highest exemplary math scores in her Elementary school.  She is certified as a GT and ESL teacher.  She is also a private math tutor.  She is confident that she can help your child extend their math abilities during the Fall session. 
She will teach Sunday: 4th and 5th grade Challenge Math.

Mr. A. J. has been working as an AP Calculus instructor at Madison High School of Meteorology and Space Science for the last ten years. He has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and Masters in Business Administration (International Business).  He spent seven years working with leading automotive companies as a Project Engineer.
Mr. J has vast experience in teaching AP Calculus, Engineering, Statistics, SAT, ACT, Geometry, Algebra II and Pre-Calculus.  He has a dynamic teaching style and a very high success rate. He connects Mathematics and Sciences to Engineering to promote students towards Science and Technology. He has taken the role of an Educational Consultant with a strong background in Engineering. He has done numerous Research Engineering projects at Texas A & M University and Penn State University. He has worked on
Shape Memory Alloys titled ¡°How to build a Stiquito Making a truly autonomous Robot¡±. Silver Nano particles titled ¡°Synthesis of Silver Nano particles¡± at The Penn State Center for Nano scale Science, Penn State University. ¡°Carbon Nanotube-Epoxy Composites¡± at Aerospace Engineering, Texas A & M University.
He will teach on Friday, Saturday and Sunday: 7th grade Duke TIP Math, 7-8th grade Contest Math, 8-9th grade Algebra I, 9-10th grade Geometry, 9-11th grade Principles of English, 10th grade Algebra II, 11-12th grade Calculus BC.  

Ms. R. B. is a returning instructor from Summer Session I & II where she taught Pre-Algebra and Geometry.  She instilled the core content areas that are crucial toward building the foundation of critical thinking and analytical skills.
Ms. B. has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and an M.S. in Mathematics.  She spent ten years working with network and software development at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).  Upon her move to Houston, she was presented with the opportunity to pass on her real life experiences in the classroom through teaching 7th & 8th grade mathematics, Geometry, Algebra II and Pre-Calculus.  With a high success rate and enthusiastic teaching style she has taken her profession to the next level as an educational consultant of all secondary mathematical content areas.
She will teach Saturday: 7-8th grade Pre-Algebra, 6th grade Math Olympiad.

Mr. B. O. is an enthusiastic and dedicated math instructor with over twenty-six years of teaching experience. He always seeks to bring the best out of his students and was also Distinguished Educator by Spring ISD in Texas for seven consecutive years (2007 through 2013). Mr. Bruno is reliable and sensitive to the needs of individual students and builds a strong foundation of education through good rapport with students, parents, and colleagues. In addition, he was a finalist for the NASA Educator Astronaut Selection.
He will teach Saturday: 10-11th Grade Algebra II, 11-12th grade Calculus BC.

Mr. J. F. earned his Bachelor's degree in Mathematics at University of Houston. He is a member of Pi Mu Epsilon, the honorary math fraternity. He is certified to teach Secondary Mathematics with endorsements in Gifted and Talented instruction. Over the past five years, he has taught both regular and honors courses in Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus and was named Rookie Teacher of the Year in past 3 three years at one of Houston¡¯s most prestigious public schools. Mr. F. is a returning instructor from Summer Session I & II where he taught Pre-Calculus. 
He will teach Saturday and Sunday:  11-12th grade Pre-Calculus and 8-9th grade Algebra I.

Mrs. M. S. is a native of LaGrange, Georgia.  Prior to teaching, she worked as an Industrial Engineer with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.  Mrs. S. has taught middle school and high school math at some of the finest schools in Houston and Washington, DC.  She is a returning instructor from past years where she taught all levels of math.
She will teach Sunday: 6th grade Mental Math Strategies/Financial Literacy; 9-10th grade Geometry.

 

Speech & Debate

Mr. C. H. has over twenty years of experience as an educator in HISD, Austin ISD and most recently Alief ISD. He has taught short courses at Stanford, Berkeley and Northwest Polytech University in speech and ESL. Serving as speech and forensic director at Kerr High School, he coached the debate team to its first trophy in eight years. Since then, his team has won 175 trophies and also produced a national debate finalist.
He will teach Saturday and Sunday: 6-9th grade Speech, Sunday, 9-11th grade Speech & Debate. 

 

Science

Mr. G. A. has more than twenty-five years of science teaching experience from sixth through twelfth grade.  He has a master¡¯s degree in Science from Rice University. He currently works for a prestigious college prep high school as a Physics, Chemistry and Math teacher. He has taught Pre-AP Physics, AP Physics and Chemistry.
He will teach Saturday: 10th grade Pre-AP Chemistry.

Ms. R. M. has been teaching science for 19 years. Eighteen of those have been in the high school level and one year at the intermediate level. She has taught IPC, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Science and Geology, Meteorology and Oceanography. She currently teaches Chemistry and Environmental Science. She uses technology in class and incorporates hands-on activities to teach some concepts.
She will teach Sunday: 6-8th grade Middle School Science.

Mr. K. W. has taught all levels of Biology from regular to Pre-AP/Honors/Gifted and Talented Biology to Advanced Placement Biology and Collegiate Biology courses with over sixteen years of teaching experience.  He also has in depth knowledge of new AP curriculum.
He will teach Saturday: 9-10th grade Pre-AP Biology, 11-12th grade AP Biology.

Mr. A. R. earned his Bachelor's degree in Physics with minor in Mathematics at University of Houston. He currently works for Everest Academy as a Physics teacher. He has taught Pre-AP Physics and AP Physics. He is also a private physics and math tutor. 
He will teach Saturday: 10-11th grade Pre-AP Physics and 11-12th grade AP Physics.

Mrs. H. L. has a Master of Science Teaching degree from Rice University. She is currently a Science Teacher for grades K-12 at Preparatory School and a Teacher Assistant at Rice University. She also teaches in Physics, Astronomy, and Thinking Skills. Over the past 12 years, Mrs. L. has taught Science, Math, and Computer Skills to grades 2-10; taught Social studies to grades 3-6; She was a Science and Technology Coordinator for grades 3-6.
She will teach Saturday: 6-8th grade Middle School Science.

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Fine Arts

Ms. Y. W. is an accomplished fine art teacher for over ten years of experience and has received numerous media awards. She graduated with a BFA from the University of Houston taught at the Museum Fine Art Houston Glassell Jr. School of Art for many years. She offers tremendous creative support to each student for his or her technical development in a variety of media and art history. At the Glassell Jr. School, she taught non-conventional visual art in all subjects and created many interesting and challenging art assignments including ¡°Global Cultural Arts and Crafts¡± and Hands on 3D projects. She understands and fosters all level of student¡¯s individual creativity. Whether painting/drawing or hands on project, she continues to focus and explore a new venue in fine art to help developing student to complete a successful project in its individual creativity.
She will teach Saturday: 3-6th grade Painting, Drawing and Sculpture; Sunday: 3-6th grade Painting, Drawing and Sculpture; 6-11th grade Visual Arts Design.

 

Social Studies

Mr. T. M.¡¯s extensive knowledge of human history spans the eras and bridges cultures. With twenty years experience teaching U.S. and World History, he shows students the deep connections between world affairs and pushes them to answer hard, meaningful questions about society and humanity. He is a B.S. in History and Political Science and received his Masters degree in Education.  In addition to serving as a principal teacher and assistant superintendent for several years, Mr. M. is also a consultant for ITACP (Teacher Certification Program). 
He will teach: 8-10th grade US History and 9-11 World History.
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Physical Education

Mr. J. H. has more than six years experience teaching/coaching chess. Mr. H. is a chess Master and he was 1996 Texas Junior Chess Champion.  In addition he has coached State and National Champions for the past years.
He will teach Saturday and Sunday: 6-11th grade Chess Strategy and Tactics.

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