BJ TESTA'S
INTRODUCTION
This portfolio is intended to offer you a glimpse of who I am and, more importantly, how I am an effective teacher. A variety of experiences, both in and out of the classroom, have made me a successful and enthusiastic educator. Most recently, I had the opportunity to obtain emergency certification and assume full teaching responsibilities for a high school in Hellertown, PA. A more detailed description of this experience can be found in the Instruction and Professional Practice sections of this portfolio.
Outside of school, I divide my time between a landscape
company that my two brothers and I started, and traveling. Our company (Testa
Bros. or TB3) has grown into a major competitor in the four years since it began.
When I manage to get some free time, I enjoy seeing new places and experiencing
new things. 
My
travels have taken me across the United States, and into both Central and South
America.
Coming from a family full of educators (both of my parents, one of my brothers, and one uncle) you would think that I strived to be a teacher from the beginning. This, however, was not the case. My undergraduate studies led me into the corporate world as a field engineer for major environmental construction and remediation company. After a year of developing and fine-tuning my abilities to work with people, I traded in my hard hat and calculator for the opportunity to teach. After only a few weeks of working with the students, I knew that I had found what I would be most happy doing.
PHILOSOPHY OF TEACHING AND LEARNING
What I Believe about Learners and Learning
Learning is a lifelong process that we are all, hopefully, participating in. My experience as a student, in industry, and as an educator has proven to me that you can gain knowledge and insight from anyone at anytime. Learning does not need to be a formal process that only happens behind the doors of our educational institutions.
Anyone who is willing to learn, I consider to be a student. Ideally, a student is eager to gain knowledge and insight. This is not always the case though. Some individuals are apprehensive about new ideas, or afraid they will not comprehend new information. Therefore, it is essential to establish an environment in which learners are comfortable taking chances and asking questions.
What I Believe about Teachers and Teaching
Teachers are those individuals with a readiness to share their knowledge and experience with others. Effective teachers can make students eager to learn and recognize that learners are individuals.
A quality teacher has developed a technique of transferring knowledge that can reach a wide variety of learners. His style should incorporate his personality and experiences. My teaching style incorporates three different teaching philosophies, to form an effective approach that is complimented by my personality and life experiences.
I teach based on a combination of the Behaviorist, Essentialist, and Progressivist Philosophies. Appropriate and genuine reinforcement are important for building the confidence of learners. Discipline and hard work are essential for success both in school and the workplace. Finally, teaching material that is practical, as well as developing social skills they will need to excel in life. When these philosophies are combined, learners have a comfortable environment to gain knowledge in both academics and people.
CLASSROOM SETTINGS
PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES
CONTACT INFORMATION