Your Start in Teaching

Question

How did you get started teaching?

Answer 1

In the late 60’s I was considering a career in aviation. After earning my private and commercial pilots licenses I qualified as a flight instructor. To be considered as an airline pilot you must have an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate. This requires a minimum of 1,500 logged flight hours. To build experience and log hours I taught basic flying skills to entry-level students. I was 21 years old when I logged my first hours as a flight instructor. I became the staff pilot for the TV station that hired me for my first media job.   Decades later in the late 80’s I was recruited to help develop a community college curriculum to train film professionals in Florida. I taught filmmakers for more that 20 years in Florida and North Carolina. More recently I was tasked with developing the curriculum for Digital Effects and Animation used by North Carolina community colleges.

Answer 2

As a member at a major modeling and acting school, I did bookings for both runway and commercial events. I was asked to begin a teaching program and then taught students who have gone on to appear on national networks, Comcast, and Netflix. Current affiliations include a 6 time Grammy winner sound engineer who assists in coaching music talent, Disney and Warner Brothers writers and a tri-state talent agency.

I am a manager for The Vandellas, singing group.