Striking the "Heisman" pose with
the school's mascot |
"From the Desk of Mr. Collins" 
Hello! My name is Kevin Collins, or "Mr. Collins" as my students address me at school. I've been teaching an elementary school in the state of Michigan for the past fifteen years. Prior to becoming an educator, I worked several years in the advertising industry.
I earned both my Bachelor's in Business and Master's in Education degrees from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. I am also a huge fan of my Alma-mater's football team, the Wolverines! I'm a fan of the maize and blue through and through!
Parents and students describe me as energetic, knowledgeable and caring. I'm also a big lover of pets. Every year, we have a different classroom pet so that my students can learn responsibility while they care for the animal. We've had guinea pigs, degus, hermit crabs and reptiles in our classroom! Speaking of reptiles, I am still looking forward to the day when my family and I can see Komodo dragons in Komodo Island, Indonesia. Speaking of Indonesia, I've been visiting that country every Summer for quite some time. I've also been learning Bahasa Indonesia in my spare time when I'm not traveling, running, biking, or writing children's stories. Yes, that's right! I've published a couple of children books and currently working on a full length novel!
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During my childhood, I was fortunate to live abroad. While my parents were relocated overseas, I attended middle school in Japan and Saudi Arabia. (I attended wonderful
international schools in Yokohama, Japan and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.)
These experiences would broaden my horizons and help shape me into the man I am today.
As an adult, I married an Indonesian woman who also spent her formative years living in different countries. Together, my wife and I true global trotters! Our eight year old daughter is the true apple of our eyes. Anyone who has met her will tell you how she loves going to school, how she's an avid reader, and how interested she is in playing the piano and performing the arts. From the time she was infant, not an evening went by without my wife or I reading bedtime story to her. As a matter of fact, her very first bedtime
story book was the "Goldilocks and the Three Bears". Her all-time favorite bedtime story (other than the ones I penned) was Munro Leaf's "The Story of Ferdinand". As a precocious two year old, she could recite the entire story line by line. It's a Spanish tale of a bull who eschews bull-fighting so that he can smell flowers. The moral to that story is the importance of standing up for what you believe in, even if you're standing alone.
My Credentials
For the supporting documents related to my Resume/Curriculum Vitae, Certifications, Letter of Recommendations, and Awards, please visit "My Credentials" page on this webpage.
Summary of Leadership Roles:
- International Baccalaureate (IB) trained Teacher
- School Union Area Representative
- Teacher liaison on Contract Management Committee team
- Leader on the IB Primary Year Program
- Instructor on district wide training in school educational software
- Leader of Teacher Technology Initiative
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Let's hear it from me in person.....sort of! |
Click on the image
for a fun presentation!
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My Teaching Philosophy 
My philosophy on teaching can be summed up by certain beliefs that I hold near and dear to my heart. These beliefs guide my pedagogical approach to my classroom and students: - Children are people filled with hopes, dreams, and needs. I respect their thoughts and actions, I do not make light of them.
- Children are curious by nature. It is my job to foster and grow this sense of curiosity and wonderment.
- Children learn by example, so it is my duty to be a good model inside and outside of the classroom.
- Young students seek structure and order in their lives. For this reason, I will design a classroom founded on routine.
- Students need to be able to work cooperatively with one another to solve problems and overcome challenges. I work to build a learning community where we are responsible for our own learning as well as our neighbors.
- A 'can do' attitude can move mountains. I encourage students to be like the 'little train that could' in all their affairs.
- There is no such thing as a "stupid" question.
- Telling is not teaching. I know that simply saying something does not make it so in the minds of my students.
- Every student possesses both strengths and limitations. It is my job to help them build on their strengths while at the same time helping them overcome their limitations.
- Learning is FUN! I try to develop a curriculum that follow this principle to capture student's interest and imaginations.
- The most important goal of education is to teach students how to think critically about the world within which they live. Therefore, I teach my students how to think for themselves and how to question what they see around them.
Why Teaching & Learning Abroad Intrigues Me? 
Even though I still enjoy my work teaching fourth
grade, I feel that it is time for a new challenge. The type of challenge that
only teaching abroad will satisfy. I would like to translate my successes and
approach to teaching to a new culture. Adapting to the needs of students of a
new culture would be very energizing. What’s more, my family is an
international family. My wife is from Indonesia, and years ago she chose to
come to America for college and graduate school. After earning her graduate
degree, she built a career here in the United States. Our child is bi-cultural.
Also, I spent some years living in the Far East and the Middle East as a
youngster. These were very broadening experiences for me; my wife and I would
like to provide a similar experience for our daughter and make her a true
citizen of the world.
I have every reason to believe
that I will be successful in an international setting. In addition to having
the support of my family, I am an extremely adaptable person. When placed in a
new and different situation, I tend to thrive. Also, when it comes to dealing
with children, there has not been much I have not seen or experienced
firsthand. I would be able to ‘hit the ground running’ from the very beginning.
Perhaps most importantly, I am a very motivated person and I have every
intention of making this work out just like other pursuits I have undertaken in
the past. Those who know me, know that I often use quotes and messages in the
classroom to inspire my students. One of my favorites is to “Dream big, and
reach for the stars.” Well, here I am following my own advice, as it would be a
virtual dream come true to teach abroad. If given the chance, I would not waste
the opportunity.
My Classroom Sample of my class' Lesson Plan. This is one of the lesson plans for a first grade class.
- Sample of my class' Newsletters, which on a weekly basis I sent out to my students' parents to communicate on what we are currently learning
in the class, announcement, and any upcoming events.
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Sample of My Students' Classwork
Favorite Quote:
 Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars!
- Les Brown 
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