MARK KEFALOS, ABLE/GED TEACHER
Eastern Horizons Center
Belmont Correctional Institution (BeCI), ODRC
As a twenty-year correctional educator, I continue to push the limits
of the traditional correctional classroom boundaries. My focus is to
create an atmosphere that removes my students from a correctional
setting into a true learning environment. With an emphasis on
teaching students to “want to learn”, I introduced many different and
innovative exercises as learning experiences. My teaching is designed
to incorporate a differentiated approach through a cooperative
student/teacher style. I first presented traditional high school
reading unit plans such as “Of Mice and Men”, “The Lottery”, and
“Tuesdays With Morrie”, then acquired weekly subscriptions to the
USA Today newspaper for reading comprehension, current events,
character education, and reading for information. I also conducted a
moot court giving the students an issue to research which culminated
in a mock supreme court trial. The trial involved students making
oral arguments in front of a panel of seven judges which consisted
of tutors, educational staff and DRC administrative officials. My
tutors produced an educational games program which
was eventually distributed to all Computer Aided
Instructional Labs in the department. I have
advocated for educational games/tools to create a
non-correctional environment. I work with other
staff members throughout the institution to make the
educational process truly inclusive. I still approach
every day as a new opportunity to impact the
correctional education setting.
My educational background includes a MS. Education
from Marygrove College, and a BS. in Education from
Ohio University. I am currently working on
becoming highly qualified in all subject areas.