Mr. Dean Kline
Teaching Philosophy
Kindergarten is a wonderful place to be. Where fun and work are one. Where imagination and possibility team up. Where learning and growth fuel daily pursuits … and that’s all just for me!
Hello, I’m Dean Kline. Most everyone at OMC knows me as Mr. Dean. I’ve been part of the OMC community since 2010 – as a parent, a volunteer and early childhood educator. I am excited to teach kindergarten again this year, having been in this role since 2022.
Ask my wife and she will tell you that I’m well suited for my work, as I’m barely more mature than most 5- and 6- year olds. I love to play. Even at my ripe old age, I still want to be a hockey player when I grow up.
Play encourages imagination and makes the tiring and repetitive work of skill development exciting and fun. I bring this approach to our classroom where we try to have as much fun learning and working as we do playing.
Curriculum Overview
ELA – “Into Reading” from HMH Ed. We follow a “Structured Literacy” pathway that builds our reading skills from phonics on up.
Math – McGraw Hill’s “My Math”
Science/STREAM – Wherever curiosity takes us! We also use select parts of Nancy Larson Science and McGraw Hill’s Inspire Science.
Social Studies – Using various sources, we cover everything from citizenry to map making, history to geology etc.
Religion – “Christ Our Life” text and other various sources.
Educational Background and Experience
Prior to becoming an educator, I worked as an advertising/branding director, and as an editor and journalist. I have a B.S. in Writing from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania.