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Christopher Garniewicz

 

I was born and raised in Massachusetts, attending Northeastern for my Bachelors degree in scenic design (’92).  After a number of years working in the theatre industry around Boston, I transplanted to South Carolina where I began a full-time career in the fire service.  Throughout my career I have always enjoyed learning and teaching.  I became an adjunct instructor for the SC State Fire Academy in 2001 and have continued to instruct on a part-time basis continually since then.  I have worked as a contracted fire service educator as well, lecturing mostly in the Southeast.  As I am closing in on the end of my firefighting career, I noticed that I have the desire to continue to teach and instruct once I retire.  While I considered myself to be good at my job, I thought that there was more to teaching than the little I had learned from the Fire Academy.  Northeastern was kind enough to accept me into their Master’s program where I received my MEd. 

While there were other universities I had applied with, the idea of being a triple-Husky definitely weighed into my decision to work towards my EdD at NEU.  My concentration for this program is Curriculum, Teaching, Learning, and Leadership (CTLL).  Of the programs offered, this seemed closest to the work I am already producing and where I want to take my teaching once my degree has been completed.  I am concentrating my work on, for lack of a better term, Instructor Instruction.  The fire service has, in my opinion and experience, undervalued their cadre of instructors.  There needs to be a new direction in fire service training, one that focusses on providing Instructors with the tools and education to properly teach the newest generations of Recruit.  We are teaching students how we were taught, unfortunately as time has passed, that is no longer the best way to do business.  The fire service, just like the rest of the educational community has evolved, expanded and improved.  My desire is to bring our Instructors to that level as well, rather than leaving them behind to fend for themselves.

 

I am including links to my Professional and LinkedIn profiles

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.