Welcome to my portfolio! My name is James Barnett and I received my B.A in Social Studies Education in 2004 from St. Olaf College in Northfield. My area of license is Social studies where I will teach Early American History and Advanced Placement United States History. As a teacher, my job is to understand how my students learn and develop and provide learning opportunities that support my student's intellectual, social, and personal development. I believe that learning should occur in an environment that is open and inclusive. As an educator, I will keep high expectations of my students and I expect that all my students are capable of living up to the expectations held of them. Therefore, students must be challenged continually and regularly given opportunities to explore new ideas.