"Teacher seeks student. Must have earnest desire to save the world." -Daniel Quinn

Every teaching philosophy I've ever written has started with the above quote. It was read in a seemingly absurd book about a telepathic gorilla. The cognitive basis of the book, though, is sociological perfection. Diligent readers find the field of education to be dull and repetitive reading after about five years, because they've read everything there is to read. Education is a tragically underfunded, and therefore dull field when it comes to producing new and exciting reading opportunities. Most of my exciting reading opportunities come from brain-based learning and addiction-based research, both well-funded fields making vast leaps forward in intentionally engaging our biological neuroplasticity.

Teachers are never supposed to have "favorite" classes, but my first group of "133's" from 2017-2018 will likely forever remain my proudest educational accomplishment; the group of students I loved the most deeply.

Eliud Kipchoge was part of the team that successfully broke the two-hour marathon. Throughout his efforts, he shared the quote "no human is limited" many times, to anyone who would listen. He was attempting the impossible, and he was doing it with a smile on his face. He might be the most preeminent, accidental, zen master of all time.

Not only that, he never said "I am unlimited." We are all unlimited. That is his message. I've adopted it as my own. The only difference is our BMI, and the fact that I think my "moonshot" attempt is much more difficult - educating a perpetually-changing population of students ranging from kindergarten to 11th grade level in the same classroom, using the most up to date technology, and more importantly, the most up to date methodology.
​

Throughout the years, I've focused on different aspects of education, but right now I very much enjoy using technology to creatively enhance education, using data to drive instruction and behavior management in ways that no one ever thought to bother measuring, and expanding my well-honed skills as an eighth-grade educator to the college setting. Each time I get better at teaching, my students and I experience less limits in our classroom.

My goal as an educator is to continue refining my practice until every student who crosses my threshold leaves knowing that their brilliance and creativity are the only limits to their own learning. We are all unlimited.

​You can marginalize standardized test scores. You can question the common core. No one can ever impose limits on my students and I. We will continue to work together to create the most beautiful learning environment in the world. Join us, it's challenging, but it's beautiful.

​-Brad Karpie

These four images share the professional whimsy I hope to instill in my students. Learning isn't tedious. It's the only true entertainment.

Nothing says "your educational philosophy works, Mr. Karpie" like students openly hating you. (seriously...)

These boys embody my educational philosophy - a group of kids conversing bilingually to help each other to achieve greatness. Not adequacy. Greatness.