Mark Bryan Finger has over 25 years of experience as a teacher. He has a Specialist degree in Educational Administration from Lindenwood University, a Masters in Secondary Education from Drury University, and a B.S. in Elementary Education also from Drury University. He is certified to teach emotional disorders, learning disabilities K-12, and elementary education 1-8. Finger has taught at Waynesville High School since 1995 in various roles including alternative school, in-school suspension, reading specialist, special education, and adaptive P.E. He has received grants and started long-running programs at the school.

1. Mark Bryan Finger
573­528­5857 ­ ​mfinger66@gmail.com​ ­ ​https://www.linkedin.com/in/markbryanfinger
Education
● Specialist in Educational Administration [Lindenwood University – 2008]
● Masters Degree in Secondary Education [Drury University – 2000]
● B.S. Degree in Elementary Education [Drury University – 1994]
Missouri Certifications
● Emotional disorders and learning disabilities K­12
● Elementary education 1­8
Teaching Experience
● Waynesville High School, Waynesville, Mo. ​1995 ­ Present
● Alternative school, in­school suspension, reading specialist, special education [including
co­teaching], adaptive P.E.
The basics of teaching are simple: clear expectations, consistent classroom procedures, and a
focus upon instructional preparation and organization. However, that is not enough for students
to thrive socially and intellectually: to thrive, students need a psychologically safe and
emotionally nourishing classroom environment. [Most student discipline problems are the result
of toxic ​teacher​ behavior, e.g. the surest way to have a serious disagreement with someone is to
pick a fight with them.] Additionally, most of the things that students believe are choices [whom
they marry, where they live, what they do] are really the consequences of their habits. Their real
choices are fairly limited: how hard they work, how they treat others, how honest they are, and
their attitude: these are the real skills of life, and an effectual teacher is able to communicate
these truths in a way that persuades students to act upon them.
Notable Experiences
● Wrote and awarded a multi­year school improvement grant to develop a self­sustaining
vocational training program for moderate to severely disabled students: Tiger Joe Java, a
high school coffee shop continues to operate today
● Taught the first ‘for credit’ chess class in the state of Missouri [sponsored multiple medal
winners at multiple state chess championships]
● Assistant coach on two, top­ten ranked boys basketball teams [6A Ozark Conference]
References Available upon Request