My journey has led me to being an Educational Coach in schools throughout California. Now that I get to experience a variety of grades and classroom plans, I thought it would be okay to highlight some of the exceptional strategies, procedures, techniques, and management systems used in these learning environments.

I'm always looking for how teachers are addressing the Common Core Standards. I been through a series of informational meetings on how educators were expected to address and meets these changes. I've been working on opening up myself to and adapting to change. I'm grateful for the coaches at Adams School in Stockton for giving me a solid foundation in DII, Direct Interactive Instruction, that has allowed me to acclimate successfully to the daily demands of the classroom.

I know that backwards mapping of a state standard was a huge component to the instructional series. When I enter a classroom I try to break the standard of the lesson down into kid friendly language, connect it with a visual, and apply it to a graphic organizer. Here are some samples:

Among my many topics on this blog, I thought I should share my successes, and those of my educator peers. What are you doing today to make change?

Pursuing the dream. I'm attempting to throw myself into the comic world mix by submitting penciled pages to the Top Cow Talent Search. Top Cow is a leading comic book producer under the Image publishing house. Led by founder Marc Silvestri, they have developed some of the most amazing talents, including David Finch and Kenneth Rocafort.

I am choosing to attempt the pencils to the provided script for the Witchblade series. I admit I am not a follower of this book title. I am attracted to it as an opportunity to show my ability to draw dynamic women. The challenge is to redraw 8 pages from issue 165.

I am using the pages as a storyboard to expand upon. I will attempt to put an intense spin to the previous pages. I've found that I don't fully understand her costuming so I've drawn her a few times to sample and explore the possibilities.

I hope to showcase the process and the finished pages soon.

I want to thank The Lord for completing my incompletions. I have always had this dream to draw comic books. My earliest school memory is winning a book fair contest at North Terrace Elementary School. I was maybe in first or second grade. I drew a scene from Disneys Fantasia, the classic sequence for The Rite of Spring. I took a dinosaur scene from my favorite library book, The Art of Disney. I replicated the image with a small twist. A T Rex and a stegosaurus are arguing over books. The poster was copied and placed in the library. I don't remember much about those early years of my education. But me looking up at the door of the library and seeing my work still stands as a highlight.

I recently was a substitute teacher at North Terrace. The school has been remodeled. But my dream is still the same. I'm currently working on a few books. I hope to share some pages here soon. They are not big name projects but I know that God wants me to make steps to completing and harvesting the fruits that were planted so deep. Remember God has a vision for your life!

It's the NFL playoff season. It's the time of the year that I'm grateful for church service on Saturday nights. This is when I put a dent in my couch and fill up on only the finest junk foods.

To celebrate each week, I will poll friends and fans on Facebook before and after each game. I will list the most popular players from each team and the victor will be honored with an original art piece. The original will be for sale at the fan friendly price of $100. Prints will be available starting the week after the artwork is posted as complete.

First the San Diego Chargers. Between Dan Fouts, Philip Rivers, Ladainian Tomlinson, and Kellen Winslow, the audience chose #21.

I'm easily inspired as I'm from San Diego, and a huge Charger fan. All around town I see Bolts. I started this piece while sitting at church. Yes, I draw in my seat. I believe if people can praise The Lord with their gifts of song and words, then I should share my talent. At my church, many members proudly share their football passion. How do you share what God has gifted you?

Stepping into another year I want to record the many ways I receive The Lord's blessing. So often I hear of the wrongs and ills of life. In living under the light of God's goodness, I hope to remind you and myself of the small seeds planted daily that produce a bountiful life. As in a recent conversation with my family, when asked by my brother and mother to retell the tale of God's favor on my life, I, without a wasted breath, replied, "Which one?!!"