ith this website, I really want you to understand my passion of faith, family and my profession.  My name is Roderick and I teach at an awesome school in Georgia, called Alton C. Crews Middle School.  I have been teaching for many years.  I went to college at the University of West Georgia.  I hold a Specialist Degree in Business Education from UWG.  I am over 40 and I have a beautiful wife named Jennifer.  We live near downtown Grayson in Gwinnett County.  Some of my family lives in Douglasville about 25 miles west of Atlanta.  We have four children Susana, Adrian, Joy and Rod   Rod's pictures (March 26, 2001).  Here are more of Rod's (Nov. 5, 2001) pictures.  Our landscape pictures are now available.

grew up in East Point Georgia (east of Atlanta).  I went to Mt. Olive Elementary School in East Point.  I attended a middle school in Douglas County called Chapel Hill.  I later attended high school at Lithia Springs High where I got interested in computers.  My first class in computers was taught by my favorite high school teacher, Mrs. Melinda Worthy (a dedicated giving person).  She was the chairperson of the department and took me under her wings.  She got me involved in FBLA and other activities associated with business.  I guess it was because of her that I even attended college.  A very special thanks to a very special wonderful teacher and person!

y days at the university started with majoring in Accounting.  I changed my major in my junior year to marketing so I could co-op with a company that had just purchased all 80 of the IBM market centers.  The company was called NYNEX.  I worked every other quarter with NYNEX selling IBM computers and typewriters.  It was an excellent experience.  It convinced me to change my major to Business Education.  I also worked my way through college as a waiter at two restaurants in the Atlanta area (Aldo's Italian restaurant. and William's Seafood).  This also was great experience for me.

really disliked the idea of a sales person.  It seemed much too demanding and really not the directions I wanted my career to head.  Even then I felt God had a different plan for my life.  I went back to college and met my second mentor, Dr. Crawford, Chairperson of Business Education at SUWG.  He was a tremendous asset and counselor to me.  I don't think I would have had such a great experience in college without his guidance.

finally graduated from UWG in 1990.  In the previous year I met my wife and grew stronger as a Christian.  It was some of the teacher from Crown Ministries that helped me stay out of debt http://www.crown.org/.  I also grew in my walk with the Lord from other ministries like: Focus on the Family, Insight for Living, Love Worth Finding, and Turning Point.  I attended the Baptist Student Union and even served as a Summer Missionary in the Washington DC area in Bowie Maryland.

y the way, the following year I went back and got most of my Master's program finished before beginning my first job.  I got my first job at a school called Trickum Middle School.  This turned out to be an awesome blessing and again I saw God's hand on my life.  I changed schools with my principal and technology coordinator to work at a brand new school called Alton C. Crews Middle School.  It is where I call home now.

y passion is to work with young kids unlocking the secrets of technology.  I enjoy all of my Web extracurricular activities like the E-lluminator, Bronco Sports Page, Web Club, Intramurals and the Crews Lunch Page.  Recently, I was honored by being named teacher of the year at Crews.  I really enjoyed sharing my thoughts about education and sharing the blessings God has given.  I only wish others could work at a place they enjoyed as much as I.  I am blessed to have my vocation and hobby one in the same.

ltimately I my goal is to continue to grow in this field of business education as a leader of new and innovative approaches to learning.  Recently I presented at the SBEA Convention in Louisville, KY.  Here are some of the event highlights. I want to thank you for reading and welcome your comments and suggestions.  I have enjoyed share my experiences with you and hope you will contact me if I can share my teaching experience with you.  If you are a teacher of business education or computer science I would love to hear about your program.  Just click on the link below.  It is always great to know what other people around the world are teaching and doing at their school.  Mail Me

1. I want kids to learn how to communicate and develop excellent listening skills.

 
2. I want kids to learn from each other by strengthening their teamwork skills.

 
3. I want kids to learn to follow direction and in turn have more hands-on learning experiences.

 
4. I want to always stay positive and enthusiastic in all circumstances

 
5. I want all students to be successful with their life and learning objectives here at school.

 
6. I want to always explain and clarify difficult or complicated materials

 
7. I want to help develop student’s decision-making and problem solving skills

 
8. I want to help promote and develop in students: Responsibility, good self-esteem, sociability, self-management, integrity, and honesty

 
9. My overall goal is to help my students become life-long learners while pursuing their dreams.

They're written by Andy Rooney a man who has the gift of saying so much with so few words. I don't normally put other's stuff on my web site but this seemed too true to let pass by.

• I've learned....That the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.
• I've learned....That when you're in love, it shows.
• I've learned....that just one person saying to me, "You've made my day!" makes my day.
• I've learned....That having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.
• I've learned....That being kind is more important than being right.
• I've learned....That you should never say no to a gift from a child.
• I've learned....That I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way.
• I've learned....That no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.
• I've learned....That sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.
• I've learned....That simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.
• I've learned....That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it  gets to the end, the faster it goes.
• I've learned....That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.
• I've learned....That money doesn't buy class.
• I've learned....That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.
• I've learned....That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.
• I've learned....That the Lord didn't do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?
• I've learned....That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.
• I've learned....That when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.
• I've learned....That love, not time, heals all wounds.
• I've learned....That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.
• I've learned....That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.
• I've learned....That there's nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies and feeling their breath on your cheeks.
• I've learned.... That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.
• I've learned....That life is tough, but I'm tougher.
• I've learned....That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.
• I've learned....That when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.
• I've learned....That I wish I could have told my Mom that I love her one more time before she passed away.
• I've learned....That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.
• I've learned....That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.
• I've learned....That I can't choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.
• I've learned....That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.
• I've learned....That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.
• I've learned ...That it is best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it is requested and when it is a life threatening situation.
• I've learned....That the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

1. I became a Christian at Prays Mill Baptist Church in Douglasville on October 4th of 1987
2. The Atlanta Braves are my favorite sports team.
3. I attended church at Lilburn Alliance Church for 9 years.
4. We go to Anchor Baptist Church.
5. I am adopted.
6. My father is a retired letter carrier and my mom was a stay home mother (Praise God).
7. My parents live in Douglasville Ga.
8. I enjoy sports video games of all most all kinds.
9. I like to run 5 and 10k races in the Atlanta area.
10. My favorite restaurant is any good seafood or steakhouse.
11. I worked for IBM and Apple as a Georgia Tech G.I.F.T. Fellow.
12. I have taught for 5 years the summer camps at Gwinnett Tech.
13. I once worked the Christmas season at UPS. (I hope I never have to work that hard again.)

ot Links !

ere are some links that might be helpful.

Alton C. Crews Middle School

 

Business Education Related Sites

• National: http://www.acteonline.org/ Georgia: http://www.gacte.org/
• http://www.gaetc.org/
• http://www.iste.org/
• National Business Education Association
• Southern Business Education Association
• http://www.crews.org/curriculum/ex/compsci/