Teacher Profile for Rob Acker, MA

TEACHER PROFILE FOR ROB ACKER, MA

BIO:

AGE: 34

BIRTHDAY: JANUARY 24

PREFERRED MOVIE GENRE(S): Science Fiction, Drama, Biopics, History, Action

PREFERRED BOOK GENRE(S): Science Fiction, Dystopian, Classics, Historical Fiction

PREFERRED MUSIC GENRE(S): Classical, 60s/70s Rock, 80s Pop, 90s Hip Hop, 2000s Metal

FAVORITE MUSIC ARTIST(S): Nas, Wu-Tang Clan, the Roots, DJ Premier

INTERESTS: Snowboarding, Hip Hop, Education, History, Politics, Cultivating the Potential of Youth, Video Games, Hiking (especially 14ers), Creative Writing (especially poetry).

FAVORITE CUISINE: Spicy Asian Food, especially Thai and Chinese Food, particularly Sichuan Style

BEST DISH I CAN COOK: Lemon Pepper Salmon with Wild Rice, Side Salad, and Soup.

FAVORITE BEVERAGE (NON-ALCOHOLIC): Water

FAVORITE DRINK (ALCOHOLIC): Long Island Iced Tea

FAVORITE BAR(S): The Ugly Dog, Moe’s Original BBQ

FAVORITE RESTAURANT(S): Fred’s Breakfast Burritos, Star Kitchen, Super Star, European Market, Danny’s Carnation, Davies’ Chuck Wagon, Belmarasia Pho

FAVORITE COLOR: All blues, especially Aqua and Navy Blue together.

PET(S): Blue Merle Border Collie (Winter), and Chihuahua / Italian Greyhound Mix (Obi)

FAVORITE OUTFIT: Long graphic tee / band shirt, fly sneaks, and jeans or cargo shorts

FAVORITE ACCESSORY: Wristwatch

FAVORITE MEANS OF TRANSPORT: Subaru, Train

BEST TRIP FOR VACATION: Moab, Bangkok, or Chengdu

SOMETHING PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT ME: All my immediate family members are dead with the sole exception being my younger brother. Also, I have climbed all but nine of the 14ers in Colorado.

SELF-INTRODUCTION:

Extremely driven and exceptionally motivated to benefit students, my passion for teaching only continues to refine and grow. A devout humanist, I always strive to see and awaken the dormant potential in every person, whether inside or outside the classroom. I have taught numerous teachers at both government schools and private organizations, helping them to increase their confidence and effectiveness both in school and in society.

My teaching methods are constantly being updated and refined, and I'm not afraid to make mistakes trying new things in the classroom. Often I can use these times as ways to teach and inspire my students to not be afraid to make mistakes and how to improve oneself by learning from their experiences. I'm a true believer in the value-creation pedagogy espoused by the great Japanese educator and reformer Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, which encourages people to live happy fulfilled lives by altruistically contributing to their surrounding communities and citizens. I'm also partial to the educational beliefs and pedagogical methods emphasized by such educators and reformers as John Dewey, Daisaku Ikeda, Tao Xingzhi, Booker T. Washington, Jane Addams, Albert Schweitzer, Rabindranath Tagore, and W.E.B. Du Bois.

I believe in the humaneness and limitless potential of every individual, and strive to do my utmost to serve as a catalyst for the cultivation and positive transformation of each student toward their greatest self; while convincing them that by mastering themselves and transforming their lives they can not only change their lives, but also the lives of others, and in the process begin to change the world. My greatest challenge is not to reach every student in the classroom, but rather to touch their lives so deeply that every student aspires to altruistically transform the world around them in order to create better lives and better futures for all the people in their communities, and for future generations and co-inhabitants of Earth.

EDUCATION:

COLLEGES ATTENDED: Western Colorado University, University of Colorado at Denver, Capitol Normal University, SUNY Oswego

SUBJECTS TAUGHT: U.S. History; World History; Chinese History; English; Creative Writing/Poetry; Mathematics; Political Science; Education and Pedagogy; and International, East Asian, and Peace Studies.

SCHOOL(S) TAUGHT AT: University of Colorado at Denver, English Center of Colorado, Hua Run High School, Sichuan University of Arts and Science, Smith Bilingual English School, John F. Kennedy High School, ULTIMATE Academy

CURRENT JOB: Adjunct Professor, Silver Lecturer, University of Colorado at Denver; Headmaster, ULTIMATE Academy

YEARS TEACHING: 8+

STRENGTHS: Variety of mediums used for instruction, eLearning and online resource use, extremely effective at reaching students and making the instruction relevant to student’s lives.

WEAKNESSES: Prone to being Long-Winded, Constantly Trying to Beat the Clock

PREFERRED PEDGOGY: Value-Creation Pedagogy

SHORT ANSWERS SECTION:

ABOUT ME:

Rob Acker’s teaching career began as a graduate Teaching Assistant in the Department of History at the University of Colorado at Denver, where he received his Master of Arts degree in 2012. After graduating, he went on to become the head instructor at an ESL Academy, before embarking on a two-year adventure to the People’s Republic of China. While in China, he worked as an educational consultant and teacher trainer for placement agencies, and at both public and private schools, in addition to multiple semesters as an Adjunct Professor at Sichuan University of Arts and Science (四川文理学院), where he co-founded the school’s first English publication, Four Rivers Magazine.

Since returning to America, he continued fulfilling numerous teaching roles, including as an online teaching specialist, a Denver Math Fellow at DPS, a Buddhism instructor, a nationally certified teacher trainer, and even a nine-month stint back in China as a school headmaster for a new private academy. He now splits his time between being a Silver Lecturer / Adjunct Professor for CU Denver, and as the founder and headmaster of ULTIMATE Academy. His hobbies include hip hop, history, politics, volunteering, Buddhism, snowboarding, climbing mountains, tutoring, video games, anime, Asian cultures, and mentoring. 

WHY I TEACH: My reasons for loving teaching are innumerable, though at the core, it revolves around my life’s mission, and improving the well-being of mankind. My greatest satisfaction and joy comes from watching my students succeed, taking happiness in knowing I had an indelible hand at fostering and teaching them how to improve continuously and permanently as a happier and healthier human being.