Dennis R. Ringling

State:

Pennsylvania

Testimonial from a participant

This PLS stuff works!

— MH, Williamsport Area, PA, HS English Teacher

PLS courses I teach:

• Achieving Student Outcomes Through Cooperative Learning™
• Brain-Based Ways We Think and Learn™
• Keys to Motivation™
• PRIDE™ (Professional Refinements in Developing Effectiveness)
• Project TEACH™ (Teacher Effectiveness and Classroom Handling)
• Purposeful Learning Through Multiple Intelligences®
• Successful Teaching for Acceptance of Responsibility®
• Teaching the Skills of the 21st Century®
• Teaching Through Learning Channels™

Years with PLS:

Since 1979

Why I love teaching PLS courses:

This is my 32nd year teaching forestry at the Pennsylvania College of Technology and PLS has afforded me the skills and techniques to truly teach effectively and efficiently the next generation of forest technicians.

Education:

• B.S. Forest Science, PSU
• B.S. Agricultural Ed., PSU
• M.Ed. Agricultural Ed., PSU
• D.Ed. Voc. Ed., Temple U.

Teaching experience:

Forestry, PA College of Technology — 32 years

Related experience, recognition, awards, etc.:

• Excellence in Teaching Award — Penn College
• 5000 Participants — PLS
• "Outstanding Publication Award" — American Association of Teacher Educators in Agriculture

What I love most about teaching:

I like "stretching" my students to go beyond, to use their inductive capabilities — now that's exciting!

The "fun level" is always high in my classes. It's very contagious — you set the expectations and you model it. That's part your job!

My favorite moment in teaching:

I especially like the non-traditionals in my forestry classes — the single parent moms and dads trying to cope with life's many changes. They really seem to appreciate my efforts. Also I love the look of a 25-year veteran in the classroom when she/he sees how pragmatic those PLS courses are. They say, "I should have had these 24 years ago!"

Personal information:

Outdoors, naturally; reading; sports; my family, especially my 3 daughters — I live in a house of pink!