Getting to know you: Caston Binger, Academician

Born and raised in Niagara Falls, New York, Caston spent his formative years at Lassell Senior High School where he mastered athletics, especially basketball. He earned a prominent place on the varsity basketball team and was instrumental in their winning the New York State Class A championship in 1995 and 1996. After graduating from high school, he enrolled at New York State University. , SUNY Cortland, and was assigned to that organization ‘s Men’s basketball team, as well. That team won the 2000 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Championship.Sweet 16Divisional Tournament.

For his academic career, Caston Binger earned a BA in elementary education and then an MA in educational supervision and administration. In May 2021, Caston decided to further enhance his qualifications in education, this time pursuing another postgraduate degree with a special focus on school leadership.

A perennial optimist, Caston Binger is also an educator with a well-defined philosophy. It is his firm belief that the work done in school has a profound effect on student development, resilience and ultimately success. Caston’s overall approach is designed to provide leadership that promotes a secure, supportive, and inclusive learning community that contributes to the academic achievement of all students.

What do you currently do in your organization?

For a long time, I was a general elementary school classroom teacher and I loved it. There is something about guiding kids and watching them learn and discover in real time that fills me with joy and hope for the future.

Recently, though, I have taken on a new role as a teacher of special assignments, which is a much broader role. Instead of being charged for a single class, my perimeter is now every student in the school. My responsibilities are different. I spend some days observing classroom lessons and giving teachers feedback on what I see. I spend other days in various instructional meetings and discussions about different aspects of school improvement. There are days when I have to deal with a crisis, but thankfully those days are relatively rare. As you can imagine, a crisis involving staff members or students can be challenging and demand more time than my other responsibilities. And it is almost impossible to predict such events ahead of time, so I have to be mentally prepared for anything every day. It’s an interesting job and I’m enjoying it a lot.

What defines the way you do business?

If I have to point out one thing, it would be cooperation. I am a big believer in seeking feedback from all parties involved in the educational process; Teachers, students, parents and sometimes even ordinary members of the community. It is important for everyone to know that their input is welcome and valuable. And while the school may not always implement every piece of advice from its stakeholders, everyone is aware that they are part of the decision-making process for everything from curriculum changes to school changes. “Its operational principle.

What can you share in being productive?

Personally, I find that I was most productive when I left my office and went to school. A lot can be achieved by interacting with students and staff during daily activities. I learn a lot that way. In that vein, I try to be present and visible when students arrive in the morning and when they leave in the afternoon, because it allows me to talk to parents and find out what they have in mind. Beyond that, I visit different classrooms throughout the day to feel the dynamism of the student / teacher, and I talk to the students in their more informal capacity during their lunch. This kind of authentic interaction helps me to understand more about the educational experience and life of the students and ultimately builds a stronger bond with them. These interactions help me to have a better idea of ​​the overall mood of the school.

Say a long-term goal in your career.

In the near future, I hope to take an executive role in my school; Either vice president or principal. In the long run, I hope to one day work for the school district and use my skills and experience to make a wide range of changes for the better.

What are some of your favorite things outside of work?

I have a twin brother, and we head home in our spare time. Most of the time it’s a fun problem-solving exercise, and if we’re lucky, it’s also profitable. It ‘s A great way to spend time together, because we both live busy lives. I also love basketball. Whenever I have the chance I play a pick-up game with my friends and I follow what’s happening at NBA, WNBA, NCAA and local school matches.

How do you measure success?

I measure my success based on how effective the school is in providing quality education for our students. Keeping them safe and building a welcoming and inclusive environment where they can thrive is my primary goal. Many of our students go to fantastic schools and achieve great things academically, so this is an easy way to measure our success.

What advice would you give to aspirants to succeed in your case?

Theoretically taught practice is somewhat different than teaching. When a new teacher joins the staff, it is common for them to want to take a little more than they are able to accomplish. I totally get it, too. It is normal to want to help children as humanely as possible. But I guess my advice for new teachers is: Burnout is a real thing. It affects almost everyone in the profession at one time or another. Sometimes, it’s best not to take too much responsibility, because if you start to get too tired or burn out, your ability to teach will be damaged, and thus everyone will lose-especially students. To that end, it is important to take care of yourself and get plenty of rest. After all, teaching can be a very difficult, very tedious profession.