Welcome, nerds

Hello! My name is Mitch von Puttkammer, and I'm in the process of becoming a professional teacher. Like all teachers, I had to make the decision of what my students would call me. Since my whole last name is out of the question, and while 'Mr. Von' would probably work just fine, how about Nerd? 

Nerds currently, and to increasing effect, rule the world. They know what algorithms drive which parts of our technology, or even how the economy functions. The definition of nerd has as a noun is: a person who is extremely enthusiastic and knowledgeable about a particular subject, especially one of specialist or niche interest. This is the exact definition I want attached to my professional pursuits in education. And it has the added bonus of being self-deprecating while also giving students the constant reminder that being a nerd is okay. Maybe even cool.

The actual origin of my nickname 'Nerd' is similar to the way most nicknames start: it's ironic and it stuck. My older sister is the one who started calling me nerd ironically. She was always more driven and gifted in academic endeavors while my gifts were exposed less in the classroom and more in the social settings of my academic career. She started calling me 'Nerd' because that was essentially the opposite of what I was. Nowadays, I'm the nerd.

What to expect

• All the content here was written and created by me. 
• Besides the predictive text native to Google software on Blogger, none of my content is AI generated. For this reason, my writing might be choppy and somewhat scattered. My goal remains to produce honest, wholistic, and inspiring accounts of events and situations that happen in my role as a teacher.
• I'm committed to the privacy and confidentiality of my students, fellow teachers, and school. In the case names are used, they are changed. 
• I use no identifiable information when writing about my experiences teaching.
• All of my posts will involve a game. 
• I started teaching my teaching career as a Recess Coach and always have valued a positive and inclusive atmosphere at school. I'll either include rules for the game so you can play with your family, friends, colleagues, or random people.
• Some of the games are more appropriate for large group settings with children while others can be played within pairs of any age.
• I'm a special education teacher and in the process of getting a master's degree to support learning in individuals with mild to moderate learning disabilities. 
• While my goal is to at least post once a month, my coursework will sometimes postpone my social activity. 
• I'll be digging into scholarly articles and finding research that interests me! While I don't plan to post any of my research papers, I'll occasionally flag a group project or reflection from my courses that I feel to be worthwhile. Here is an example of small group social skills instruction: 

Thank you for being here!

I'd love to hear from you if a particular story resonates or with feedback. My email is nerdvonp@gmail.com or you can comment or direct message me on Instagram @coach.nerd.

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