 | Author's Professional
Career Experiences
and Interests
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 Timothy Dirks
Resides in downtown
Palo Alto, California |
|
c/o The Tech Museum of Innovation
145 W. San Carlos St.
San Jose, CA 95113
|
Although this is a chronological sequence of professional experiences
starting with the most recent first, my entire career has been focused on
education, development and coordination of curriculum, programs, and activities,
and using technology in creative and exciting ways.
Educational Credentials
The Tech Museum of Innovation
(San Jose, CA) (http://www.thetech.org)
1991 - Present
Manager of Public Programs, The Tech Museum
The Tech Museum is an educational resource established to engage people of all ages and backgrounds in exploring and experiencing technologies affecting their lives and to inspire our youth to become innovators in the technologies of the future
- Plan, develop, budget, and teach a diverse weekend schedule of unique activities, programs, "do-it-yourself" workshops, demonstrations, clinics, and special events for students, young people, teachers, and the general public, to explore and experience technology. These are interactive, fun, engaging, imaginative, high-tech
learning experiences.
- Direct popular camp programs (summer and winter) for 9-15 year
olds including computer animation, 3-D virtual worlds, elementary to advanced robotics, Web page
publishing, and multimedia. The programs also include "Tech Trips"
to off-site Silicon Valley companies and locations. As manager, I hire and supervise
the support staff of instructors, consultants and student interns
- Chair "Tech Challenge" engineering design contest committee and coordinate annual event to solve "real-world"
engineering problems, involving 600-800 students (grades 5-12) in team competitions
- Manage "Tech Talks" speaker series of industry experts, bringing
well-known speakers to the museum to inspire and enlighten
- Collaborated with other managerial staff, volunteers, industry experts,
consultants and visitors to keep programs fresh, reflecting the latest developments
and trends in technology; knowledgeable in program planning, and content
areas of computers, software, creative technology, multimedia, film and
video, edu-tainment, lasers, high-tech art, virtual reality, electronic
media, robots, space, the environment, computer animation, microelectronics, the Internet and the World Wide Web
and more. Conduct training sessions and provide software/hardware support for staff.
- Wrote two guidebooks for the museum, "Exploring Science and Technology
at The Tech Museum of Innovation", and "The Internet and the World
Wide Web"
- Successfully planned, staffed, and implemented each program (including
materials preparation), functioning creatively within budget contraints;
substantially increased program participation from 1991 to the present.
1991 (partial year): 144; 1992: 901; 1993: 3,203; 1994: 5,378; 1995: 6,737.
An independent, coeducational, college preparatory school for day students
in grades K-12 and for boarding students in grades 6-12. The school is located
in Kamuela on the Big Island of Hawaii, 30 minutes by plane from Honolulu.
1990 - 1991
Dean of Upper School, Counselor, Teacher, Admissions Officer
- Successfully administered new student citizenship (discipline) system
in college preparatory school of 340 students; served as school counselor
to school community
- Managed student attendance system; supervised Attendance Officer
- Traveled and recruited boarding students with marketing trip to N. California;
interviewed prospective day and boarding students; led campus tours
- Taught US History (11th grade) course; developed Outdoor Education Program
Plan
1976 - 1977
Academic Faculty Member, Residence Counselor, Coach
- Instructed four classes of World History (10th grade) and one class
of Introduction to Psychology (12th grade)
- Coached intermurals, supervised horseback riding program, and led beach
activity group
- Served as residence counselor in boys dormitory
Castilleja School (Palo
Alto, CA) (http://www.castilleja.pvt.k12.ca.us/)
Castilleja School is an all-girls' school, a non-sectarian day program for
approximately 350 motivated young women of diverse backgrounds and cultures.
In its ninth decade, the school blends a contemporary global perspective
with a challenging curriculum that prepares students in grades 6-12 for
college as well as for fulfilled, constructive lives
1980 - 1990
Dean of Students, Teacher (History Department), Director of Student Activities,
Director of Summer Programs (1982-89)
- Administrated school's conduct and discipline system, including behavior
policies; planned, developed, coordinated multi-faceted program of events/activities
in school of 350 students; managed large student activities budget as Director
of Student Activities; led many kinds of social functions, class events,
extra-curricular activities, trips
- Planned, emceed all-school weekly Assembly programs; coordinated master
calendar, school scheduling, Emergency Preparedness Plan, and Student Government;
chaired Faculty-Student Discipline Committee
- Taught History Department courses (US History, Psychology, US Government)
in 8th, 11th, and 12th grades; developed curriculum content, video library,
creative classroom activities
- Planned, implemented, and oversaw all operations of 8-week summer recreational
program for elementary-aged girls; interviewed, hired, and supervised 10-
person counselor staff; scheduled campers, staff, and activities; coordinated
with Food Service and Maintenance Departments; arranged field trips and
transportation with outside vendors; planned special events, Parents' Days,
and the counselor-in-training program
- Managed camp income of $166,000 and established annual profit of $93,000
(1989); doubled camp enrollment to 248 campers with successful planning
strategies, marketing, and advertising; developed summer activity programming
and curriculum of unique, attractive nature
Addison-Wesley Publishing Company (Menlo Park,
CA)
1978 - 1980
Traffic Coordinator (Production and Composition Departments), In-House Typesetter,
Editorial Writer (free lance)
- Provided central organizational and traffic control for all materials
in progress within two departments of large educational textbook publishing
company; responsible for Reprints coordination; served as Assistant Composition
Coordinator within Production Department
- Authored two teachers' editions (free lance) for textbook series (Asian
Culture books) and teacher's activity materials (US History text) within
Social Studies Department
Northfield-Mt. Hermon School (E. Northfield, MA)
1977 - 1978
Academic Faculty Member, Residence Counselor, Coach
- Instructed six classes of 10-12th grade students in Religious Studies
Department courses (Intro. to Religion, Images of the Self, Issues in Human
Sexuality)
- Directed two sports (intermural soccer, beginning tennis)
- Served as residence counselor in boys dormitory
Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, UT)
Wasatch Academy, originally founded as a Presbyterian mission school in
1875, is now an independent, interdenominational school, located in the
heart of Utah, in a small but beautiful mountain community 100 miles south
of Salt Lake City. It offers students in grades 9-12 an education designed
to equip them for a lifetime of learning in a caring and supportive atmosphere.
1973 - 1975
Academic Faculty Member, Residence Counselor
- Taught elective and required courses in Religion and Social Studies
Departments
- Co-directed Summer Utah Recreational Weekend Program and managed church
youth group work camps
- Served as Resident Dorm Head (9-10th grade boys)
Professional Career Interests
Return
Created in 1996 by Tim Dirks,
tdirks@thetech.org
Hawaii Preparatory Academy (Kamuela,
HI) (http://www.hpa.edu)