Alan Swaney - Certified Trainer
E-mail: aswaney@crespi.org

Alan holds a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in English Literature from West Virginia University, where he began as an educator in WVU’s Teacher Assistant program.  At WVU, Alan taught to college freshmen, and the experience solidified his ambition to continue working in education.  He has also taught English courses at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill , California and Fairmont State University.

In 2005, Alan joined the faculty at Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, California, and teaches ninth grade English to freshmen at the only Gurian Model School in California.  In addition to his work in the classroom, Alan coaches the Academic Decathlon team which works year round to partake in the highly competitive Southern California Private Schools Academic Decathlon competition. 

Alan joined the Gurian Institute after going through training with Crespi’s faculty, and his work in an all-male school has given ample opportunities to employ Gurian strategies to benefit his students.

He writes, "As a Calculus student in high school, I struggled with some of the material, and I often spent hours laboring on problem after problem. The thought of turning my homework in for graded credit filled me with anxiety, but luckily, I had a teacher who was willing to experiment with teaching styles. Instead of immediately collecting homework for credit, she would allow student volunteers to work problems on the board and explain the process. As my peers explained their work, I found a deeper understanding of the problem, and though I was not always confident in my work, I took pride in the opportunity to explain my steps to my classmates. Because this teacher used movement and peer teaching in the classroom, I became a much better Calculus student.

"My experience in Calculus class is one of the reasons I pursued a teaching career, and I have always tried to make the classroom a welcoming and engaging environment that can help students grow and succeed. Following the lesson of my high school Calculus teacher, I have always tried to keep students as involved in the learning process as possible, and I have always been innately aware that some teaching strategies might not reach every student. From my earliest experiences in the classroom, I have varied my presentation of course material in my attempt to benefit as many students as possible. Work in pairs and groups has been a staple of my teaching, and even in the college English classroom where movement and experimentation is rare, I have used projects such as peer interviews that empower students to use classroom space and resources in new and different ways.

"In my first days at Crespi Carmelite High School, I heard advice on the specific challenges I would face in an all male classroom. Veteran teachers warned me of restlessness and hierarchical power struggles, and I realized that I would have to adjust some of my strategies to maintain order as well as encourage learning. Striking that balance between classroom obedience and academic productivity had not been an issue in my previous teaching experience on the college campus, and I found myself scrambling for ideas.

"Fortunately, Crespi Carmelite has arranged for the Gurian Institute to train the faculty on their latest research and strategies. The training I received from Kathy Stevens proved priceless in aiding my transition to the all male classroom. Many of my instincts were justified, and the Gurian Institute provided me with a plan to make my classroom more effective for the boys I would be teaching. In my first year at Crespi Carmelite, I have used Gurian strategies, and I strongly believe in the foundations of brain-based research. I want to become a Gurian Certified trainer so I may bring these strategies to more teachers and administrators who may or may not be aware of the many advantages to using brain-based research to shape curriculum.

"The biological evidence that justified bridging the gap between the physical and the mental is especially convincing, and I am excited at the opportunity to bring these strategies to classrooms other than my own. The Gurian Institute is helping to raise the bar in the field of education, and my experience witnessing the success of Gurian strategies school-wide at Crespi Carmelite High School shows that students will succeed if teachers commit to bringing effective and proven concepts into the classroom."

What participants are saying about Alan’s presentations!

  • Excellent! High Energy! Explained everything in a manner which made sense
  • Alan did a great job – Thanks!
  • Interaction between us and Alan was great
  • Clear, coherent, engaging, helpful – It was fun!
  • There was fair amount of information conveyed in an interesting, context-grounded manner
  • Very interesting. I learned a lot of new facts presented in a clear and entertaining fashion. Alan knows his stuff!
  • Interactive and right pacing; a lot of innovative and carefully researched material. Fun, diverse activities.
  • This will help me remember how to work with boys as I “talk” with them in a counseling session! I’m not a teacher, however I will use all of these strategies with my son in his education. THANK YOU!

Crespi Carmelite High School is a Gurian Institute Model School.