Show Notes:

In this episode, I talk to educator and soon-to-be-author Dene Gainey @dene_gainey about his upcoming book, “Journey to the Y in YOU.” The book is about finding your Y (“why”). Dene also discussed his exciting opportunity to take part in the Tanzania Teaching Fellowship and how he balances being a teacher, doctoral student, writer, connected educator, and all of the many things he is involved in.

About Dene:

Dene Gainey is an educator and lifelong learner from Orlando, FL with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education (University of Central FL) and a Masters of Education in Instructional Technology (American Intercontinental University) and a current doctoral student. Currently, with eleven years of teaching experience, Dene functions in various capacities in the education world to include: English-Language Arts teacher, Technology Teacher, and Gifted Teacher. Also, he is the leader and facilitator of two extra-curricular clubs at his current work location: Odyssey of the Mind and Battle of the Books.

Dene has a passion for the C.L.I.M.B.E., celebrating diversity, building community, project-based, and problem-based learning as well as the student-driven classroom. As an educator, Dene feels it is his niche to build bridges and fill gaps, not to mention give meaning to learning experiences and use all of his skills and talents as a means to motivate students to be “more.” As a veteran of the United States Air Force, a singer and songwriter, actor and author collectively, Dene incorporates various techniques in the classroom to make it inviting for students.

Dene will publish and release his first solo book titled The “Y” in You in April 2018, which combines anecdotes, experiences and realizations of an individual’s value, diversity and authenticity with philosophical undertones and embracing the journey of the Y in You. He recently collaborated in the Edusnap 2016 “Best Practices in Education publication, released in December 2016. He also is a contributing author for the EduSnap 2017 edition, as it is a collection of educators in the trenches writing about topics of great interest to them as practitioners. Possessing a genuine love for writing and sharing, he continues to write via his educator blog and will continue to write collaboratively as well as pursuing personal writing projects in the near future. His “one word” that encapsulates his day-to-day role and function in the classroom is “IMPACT.”