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About Me

I am a senior Music Education major at Xavier University with an interest in math, physics, philosophy, life, and pretty much the whole world. I grew up in Beach Park, IL and as a middle child in a family of six. I attribute my large appetite for life to my dad, who is huge proponent of the Boy Scouts, and my mom, who is the kindest, sweetest, most loving person in the world.

Location:
United States, Cincinnati, OH
Current organization:
TEDxXavierUniversity
Past organizations:
Winton Woods City Schools, Ergon Employment Solutions, Kumon North America, Learning Assistance Center at Xavier University
Current role:
Student Teacher
Gender:
Male
Areas of expertise:
Music Theory, Calculus, Band Directing
I am:
Educator/Teacher, Musician, Student
Associations:
Eagle Scout, MENC/OMEA, NAfME
Languages:
English
Universities:
Xavier University (Cincinnati)
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TEDCRED 500+ TEDx Organizer

More About Me

I'm passionate about

Education and learning. Seeing the world not as compartmentalized subjects, but as one interconnected, interdependent world. Connecting seemingly different subjects and people. Misperceptions.

An idea worth spreading

We are all one world. Interconnected, interdependent, spiderwebed in a network of thoughts, feelings, and actions. There is not one thing that can be defined as isolated. People, environments, subjects of study, or even ideas: we are all one world.

Talk to me about

Higher Education. Music theory. Math. Technology! Innovations that will change the world.

People don't know that I'm good at

Ukulele. Ocarina. Python. Any Final Fantasy game.

My TED Story

I was first exposed to TED my freshman year in college (2009) when the freshman music major seminar watched "Music and Passion" by Benjamin Zander. Ever since that video I have been hooked: watching talk after talk and sharing the videos to just the people who I think would like the talks as well. The passion I have for TED and TEDx pinnacled January of 2012 when I became one of the four core organizers of the very first TEDxXavierUniversity.

Comments

  • TEDCred score: +1600.00 TEDCred reflects your contribution to the TED community.

  • A comment on Conversation: Education curriculum for elementary - high school should be more practical than theorical

    Sep 25 2012: I believe, that one major part of the issue of formal education is the mindset behind it. Currently, the value of what is being taught is judged on the "immediately apparent usefulness," or the surface level "what" of what you are learning. For example, proofs in geometry are not valued as important because, odds are, you'll never need to prove that two triangles are congruent ever again. When, I believe, the value of what is being taught should be judged on a deeper level, or the "how" of what is being taught. Example, proofs of triangle congruence are important because of the process of proving things, and knowing what it takes for things to be "known" as true.

    I hear this mentality (value based on the "what") articulated constantly when I tutor calculus. And I understand partly where it comes from. From MS through HS, I was also the subject to the "is this useful?" mentality. When teacher's tested me, they wanted back definitions, vocab words, theorem names....AS IF WHAT WAS IMPORTANT WAS THE NAME. It wasn't until HS senior year that I had a teacher explain to me, that "odds are, you'll never need to know these particulars ever again. So what I'm interested in is not that you know that or why Emerson used imagery to make his point, but the process of reading a text closely to pick apart arguments, to truly understand all that is said."

    So, I agree and disagree with you. Yes school should be more "practical." But not by teaching students how to set the time on the VCR, that information is on the internet. School should be practical in the sense that what is emphasized is the PROCESS, that are universal and useful to everyone, and not the PRODUCT ("what"), that you'll probably never see again.
  • +4

    A comment on Talk: Drew Dudley: Everyday leadership

    Feb 11 2012: Excellent talk! I just e-mailed it to my 6th grade math teacher. I don't even know if she remembers me, but I would never be where I am today without her telling me one day: "You are quite the out of the box thinker." Thank you Ms. P.

  • A comment on Conversation: Ask Students How to Reform the Education System

    Nov 29 2011: I wish I could study the subjects, and take the classes that I would like. I do not like being caged by the constructed "Major." I feel like I am entirely limited in what I can do in my four years of school over specializing when I see much more value in getting my fingers into everything to connect the dots and realize where/how everything interconnects. So an encouraged flexibility in curriculum.

    I also wish, on the high school level, we could have a class dedicated to what is happening in the world: today. I didn't read the paper in high school as I know many others are the same. I wish we could have an opportunity to discuss the current events and their implications. A class to show how we can act upon our global responsibility.

    Again on the high school level, I wish there was an open opportunity to explore something that interests you in an academic way. If you love video games, the experience of learning about and trying to create their own! Think of how valuable that would have been to you. To have the chance to look into something that really interests you, with the support of a teacher that, may know nothing about what you're doing, but can foster your excitement and steer you in the right direction so you can discover the information yourself. So learning how to navigate and use information outside of the school setting to your own ends.

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