mark kefalos, Educational Rockstar!!

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.