Harrison Max Pfingsten
Head of Theory of Knowledge Department at United World College Changshu China- Claim this Profile
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German -
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Latin -
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Greek, Ancient (to 1453) -
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Mandarin -
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English Native or bilingual proficiency
Topline Score
Bio
Credentials
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Teaching Certification
Illinois State Board of EducationApr, 2014- Oct, 2024
Experience
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United World College Changshu China
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China
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Primary and Secondary Education
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1 - 100 Employee
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Head of Theory of Knowledge Department
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Aug 2021 - Present
I am the 6th head of ToK at my school. It is something of a cursed chalice. I head a team of 16 ToK teachers. It is a varied group, with first time ToK teachers and experienced examiners, ToK enthusiasts and those who really don’t want to be there, new recruits and Heads of Departments. Managing such a diverse group, with such different levels of experience, engagement, and positions in the school hierarchy, has its challenges. I have managed my team by using consensus building techniques, to ensure that everyone is heard, and everyone is on the same page. It is often time consuming, but it seems to get the best out of my team. Hitherto, each new head of ToK has ended up reinventing the wheel, giving us years upon years of redundant and contradictory materials. Rather than start anew, the first thing we did as a department was to sift through all the resources we already had and find the good stuff. As a team, we established a set of standards for engagement, experience, clarity and content. With these standards in hand we formed teams for each unit, to find the best of the best, or make something new. As a result, each teacher now has access to as many high-quality lesson plans as they might want, while still having full freedom to revise and experiment. The results have been quite good. Student ToK attendance is up dramatically. Teachers actually volunteer to design materials. We got every student to submit their Essays and Exhibitions on schedule, and their final IB scores were respectable. Show less
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Founder and Secretary General of College Council
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2018 - Present
In 2018, I was tasked with the creation of a College Council, a community governing body composed of students, staff and faculty. With a team of 3 students, I wrote its constitution and established its consensus-based parliamentary procedure. In 2019 our constitution was ratified and the College Council was formalized with the following mandate. • Create an effective system of communication between all members of the community.• Ensure that the concerns of all members of the community are considered in decisions.• Ensure that all community members are treated fairly.• Bring transparency to the decision making process.• Enable all community members to share in the responsibility of improving and sustaining the community.• Nurture cooperation, leadership, compassion and understanding in all community members.• Learn as a community how to make positive change, both in our community and in the world.This body has been granted extraordinary powers in our community. We have mechanisms in place to revise and create policy in partnership with administrators. Our student members sit on every administrative committee in the school. Student committee members raise concerns and offer advice on administrative decisions. With that authority, this body has accomplished many impressive feats. Some of our greatest achievements are listed in the associated projects (see project section below).Since its formation, I have served as the College Council’s secretary general. This position includes many duties, from the foundational to the mundane; uphold the constitution, enforce norms and expectations, organize elections, recruit adult members, coordinate the efforts of our members, assign members to taskforces and committees, oversee meetings, resolve conflicts between administrators and student members, edit the final drafts of policy proposals, and generally make sure everyone does their jobs. Show less
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Lead IB Philosophy Teacher
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Aug 2016 - Present
As the sole Philosophy teacher, and with no one to teach me, I built my IB philosophy curriculum from scratch. Bringing my passion for experiential learning and engagement to the class, every unit centers around a core set of experiences, from which students derive their own learning: from mock trials to determine the personhood of various beings; to incorporating Tai Chi into the teaching of the Dao De Jing; to the Iceland Scenario, in which students explore the implications of various political philosophies by founding and legislating an imaginary state in a post-apocalyptic world. These efforts made the course wildly popular, and the demand soon exceeded my bandwidth. Upon hiring new teachers, I became lead teacher of Philosophy, and I have since trained 3 new IB philosophy teachers. In the process I learned to strike the balance between providing support and giving teachers room to experiment. Show less
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Learner Engagement Coordinator
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2018 - Present
Learner Engagement Coordinator: Ran a professional development team geared at fostering intrinsic motivation to learn in students, created engagement best practices and resources for the school. Later led a Vision Building Team for NEASC accreditation, establishing a shared vision for academics at the school (see attached video). Also designed and led a great number of associated projects (see projects section).
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Designer and Director of Foundation Program Critical Thinking Course
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2017 - 2021
Out of a desire to help our Foundation Program (year 10) Chinese students transition from a traditional Chinese education to the rigors of the IB, I identified critical thinking as one of the areas which needed additional support. Toward that end I created an FP critical thinking program. I created the curriculum, built and administered a team, and revised the curriculum each year. Having established a functional program, I handed this role off to a colleague in 2021 to take on the larger challenge of Head of ToK. Show less
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Johns Hopkins Center For Talented Youth (CTY)
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United States
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Primary and Secondary Education
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200 - 300 Employee
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Summer School Curriculum Designer and Teacher: The Ancient World
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Jun 2015 - Aug 2016
I created a highly interactive and multimedia summer course on the Ancient World for middle schoolers. Students learned about different features of ancient societies; how they eat, how they trade, how they fight, how they write, how they design their cities, etc. They simultaneously created their own fictitious ancient society, building on each theme day by day. Each day began with an experiential activity on the day's theme (trade, writing, etc), then students explored how different ancient societies expressed the theme, then students decided how their own fictitious society would address those themes. The kids had a blast and I received rave reviews from students and parents alike. Show less
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Ameson Education and Cultural Exchange Foundation
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United States
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Education Management
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1 - 100 Employee
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Teacher: History, Oral English & English Composition
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Aug 2014 - May 2016
As a teacher, I tried to break students of the habits of rote learning and nurture critical thinking, creativity, and interdisciplinary learning. My Jr. English Composition students engaged in weekly debates before writing their papers. My Jr. History students engaged a wide variety of games and simulations focused on problem based learning, rather than explicit instruction. My Oral English students engaged in a variety of improvisational games and story telling activities. My Senior English Composition and History classes fed into one another, with students writing personal histories, exploring events from Chinese history, writing biographies of their grandparents, culminating with an historical narrative about an event in Chinese history written from the perspective of their grandparent. These activities developed skills that my students have put to use in their college careers. During my time teaching at Ameson's American Program at Suzhou #10 High School, I was part of several initiatives to improve the educational opportunities of students. I created a mentorship program, in which upper classmen mentored their younger peers, helping with both academic and social issues. I also formed an extracurricular period, in which students to explore an interest from film making to choir to arts and crafts. Once that choir was formed, I directed it for various choirs. Show less
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Study.com
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United States
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E-Learning Providers
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700 & Above Employee
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Department Head : Social Sciences
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Jul 2012 - Aug 2013
Oversaw the growth of the academy from 12 to 60 instructors. Trained new instructors in new mediums of pedagogy and provided delivery coaching. I currently manage about 20 instructors on a daily basis.
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Western Civ Instructor
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Feb 2012 - Aug 2013
Wrote and recorded over 75 lessons in Western Civilization, with over 60,000 students worldwide. Provided instructions and ideas to video editors. My course can be found here: https://study.com/academy/course/western-civilization-i-help-and-review.html
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StudyPoint
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United States
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Education Management
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1 - 100 Employee
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Private Tutor
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Mar 2011 - Jun 2012
Tutored Tutored
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Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
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United States
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Primary and Secondary Education
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100 - 200 Employee
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Director of Energy Center
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Oct 2010 - May 2012
Director of projects for IMSA's Energy Center.Help students plan and complete projects in Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.Last semester we completed work on a traveling Energy house on wheels. The house features a variety of energy efficient features, as well as solar panels and a wind turbine. Next semester we will begin work on an electric go kart to accompany the energy house as it begins touring schools around the Chicagoland area.
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Student Teacher
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Aug 2011 - Dec 2011
I completed my student teaching at one of the most amazing schools in the world. I was able to study under and collaborate with a history department that has been praised as a model for the nation. Most importantly, I was able to work with some of the smartest students in the state, in a close knit, multicultural community of young scholars. Having been a member of that community myself, I can appreciate the impact a pioneering educational environment can have on young minds. If ever I doubted whether I wanted to be a teacher, these 5 months made me surer than ever. Show less
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Sales Rep, Bartender, Handyman and sometime Pirate
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Apr 2011 - Sep 2011
This may well be the most fun I've ever had at a job. I work for the tall ship Windy, which sails out of Navy Pier. Its a combination of lake front tours and historical interpretation, as patrons are treated to stories and songs of piracy on the Great Lakes, while they learn to hoist sails and maintain rigging. This may well be the most fun I've ever had at a job. I work for the tall ship Windy, which sails out of Navy Pier. Its a combination of lake front tours and historical interpretation, as patrons are treated to stories and songs of piracy on the Great Lakes, while they learn to hoist sails and maintain rigging.
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Maintenance Man / Property Manager
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May 2007 - May 2010
Repairing Houses Remodeling Book Keeping Showing Houses Repairing Houses Remodeling Book Keeping Showing Houses
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Tutor
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Oct 2006 - May 2010
Tutored various age groups in all subjects. Also taught reading retention and analysis as well as philosophy. Tutored various age groups in all subjects. Also taught reading retention and analysis as well as philosophy.
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Travel Representative/Recruiter
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Aug 2008 - Dec 2009
Visited Colleges and Universities throughout the country. Arranged meetings with Faculty, Staff and Prospective Students. Attended study abroad fairs. Visited Colleges and Universities throughout the country. Arranged meetings with Faculty, Staff and Prospective Students. Attended study abroad fairs.
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Boulder Valley School District
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United States
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Primary and Secondary Education
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700 & Above Employee
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AVID Tutor
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Oct 2006 - May 2009
Learned AVID tutoring program. Got a great deal of classroom experience at both Casey Middle School and Boulder High School. Independently created and led Socratic seminars for my classes. Volunteered as a Latin Tutor at Boulder High School. Learned AVID tutoring program. Got a great deal of classroom experience at both Casey Middle School and Boulder High School. Independently created and led Socratic seminars for my classes. Volunteered as a Latin Tutor at Boulder High School.
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Bulldozer Operator
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May 2006 - Aug 2006
Clocked about 500 hours on a bulldozer. about 50 on a bobcat and 1 terrified hour on a backhoe (Arland had set the forest on fire) Clocked about 500 hours on a bulldozer. about 50 on a bobcat and 1 terrified hour on a backhoe (Arland had set the forest on fire)
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Maintenance Man / Project Manager
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May 2002 - Aug 2006
Learned all the basic trades needed to maintain an apartment complex. Replacing Flooring, Cabinets and Fixtures Tiling, Painting, Drywall Patching Air Conditioner Maintenance and Repair Basic Plumbing Window and Screen Repair Personal Projects Restoring a set of 6 5' tall Tiffany lamp posts Constructing a Corral for race horses. (One of whom ran in the Kentucky Derby of 06) Learned all the basic trades needed to maintain an apartment complex. Replacing Flooring, Cabinets and Fixtures Tiling, Painting, Drywall Patching Air Conditioner Maintenance and Repair Basic Plumbing Window and Screen Repair Personal Projects Restoring a set of 6 5' tall Tiffany lamp posts Constructing a Corral for race horses. (One of whom ran in the Kentucky Derby of 06)
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General Laborer / Apprentice Operator
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May 2000 - Aug 2001
Learned how to maintain heavy machinery. Some basic operational knowledge of each machine. Shot Grade Shovel Work Also Maintained orchards and beehives Built split rail fence Learned how to maintain heavy machinery. Some basic operational knowledge of each machine. Shot Grade Shovel Work Also Maintained orchards and beehives Built split rail fence
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Education
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2008 - 2011
Graduate School: Jones International University
Master of Education -
2006 - 2008
University of Colorado Boulder
M.A., Classics, Religion, Philosophy, Behavioral Genetics -
2002 - 2006
DePauw University
B.A., Classics, Religion, Philosophy, Evolutionary Psychology -
2000 - 2002
Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
High School Diploma
Community
