User:FishMcFisherton/sandbox

Randy Appell graduated from the University of Michigan in 1998 with a Bachelor's degree in Biopsychology and the Cognitive Sciences. He graduated from New York University in 2001 with a Masters degree in Science Education. After teaching for a year in an Elite private school in Manhattan, Mr. Appell began working at Great Neck North High School in 2001. At North High, Mr. Appell has taught all levels on Biology, Chemistry, and even Environmental Sciences. When not in the classroom, Mr. Appell enjoys playing guitar, spending time with his family, listening to Pearl Jam and eating sushi.

Mr. Appell practices very interesting, yet effective teaching methods. It may take only one period to realize that Mr.Appell is not an ordinary teacher, but it will most likely take half a year to understand the goal of his obscure tricks and mind games. His degree in psychology might be the explanation for why everything he does has a twisted meaning behind it, but it isn’t until the latter half of the year that his students realize he ultimately does everything for their benefit. For instance, he tells his students in the beginning of the year that they are not allowed to help their classmates when trying to answer a question. At first, his students believe he does this for his pure enjoyment of watching his students squirm in front of the whole class, but his students later learn that struggling plays a crucial role in the learning process and without allowing kids to struggle, Mr. Appell believes they can't fully learn to their potential. Teaching class material is second to teaching life lessons on Appell’s To-Do List, yet he makes sure both of these bullets are checked off by the end of the school year. He teaches his students not just about oxidation numbers and gas laws, but more importantly, about themselves. Never afraid to be blunt, Mr. Appell tells his students, and anyone for that matter, how it is. As a result, his students leave the classroom as more confident human beings as well as more knowledgeable science students. To perform successfully in Appell’s class, one must develop trust with him. Mr. Appell believes trust cultivates an unregrettable experience and inevitable success. Mr. Appell is very strategic and may create elaborate schemes to execute his lesson plan. At the same time, Mr. Appell is very spontaneous in and out of the classroom. His extreme sarcasm and constant jokes greatly enhance the learning dynamic by making each class period absolutely hilarious and surprisingly enjoyable. Underneath Mr. Appell’s comical and sometimes aggravating facade, however, he has a big heart and only wants the best for his students. Although Mr. Appell’s classes may be some of the most difficult classes that one could take at Great Neck North, his class is definitely one his students will remember for the rest of their lives.