Why Do I Want to Teach Your Child?

I have a deep, life-long passion for science & technology as well as the future of our children and our world. As a professional futurist, I strongly believe the solution to most of the world's problems lie in the hands, hearts and (well-trained) minds of our children. I can think of no greater cause than to ignite our children's lifelong explorations in science and technology.

My name is Ken Lim; I am a former high-tech executive with experience at startups, Intuit, Apple, Dataquest and NASA. I have performed strategy consultations with dozens of major corporations. My wife, Nancy, is a teacher at Christa McAuliffe School in Saratoga, CA and we have four children from 9-18 years old.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

• 2 years teaching for A Schmahl Science Workshop, an excellent, award-winning, non-profit org serving students in Silicon Valley. SSW has nearly 500 prepared standards-aligned lessons with demos & hands-on activities. SSW offers in-school classes, after-school programs, evening & weekend Science Fair mentoring programs, and summer camps. SSW has “Advanced Research” students with patents & journal publications pending!

• 3 years Instructor and Science Lab Coordinator. I created, organized and stocked a middle school Science Lab for Christa McAuliffe and created a program of Science Electives for 4-8th graders. The kids loved it and always wanted to stay longer! Children happily gave up playground time for my “Lunchtime Electives”!

• 6 years of occasional classroom aiding at Christa McAuliffe School in Saratoga.

• 15 years coaching high-tech executives in strategic planning, market research, futures/scenario planning in the converging Computer, Consumer Electronics, Communications & Content (Media) industries.

I have been a Boy Scouts of America Patrol Mentor and am currently a registered Merit Badge Counselor for Astronomy, Cinematography, Entrepreneurialism, Geology, Photography, Public Speaking & Space Travel. All four of our children are in Scouting. I have been a Mentor in [too] many Pinewood Derbies and Raingutter Regattas!

Since 1996, I have also been a Youth Basketball Coach; first at Northwest YMCA, then with Cupertino Hoops for the last five years. My teams have always excelled at sportsmanship, fairness, respect and teamwork (and top 3 finishes, as well!) I have been trained in Stanford University's Positive Coaching Alliance program.

EDUCATION: At San Jose State University, I studied Aeronautics, Astronomy, Advertising, Television Production, Philosophy, Developmental Psychology, Classics, Mythology, Religion, etc. My Bachelors degree (summa cum laude) was in Business Management & Marketing (double concentration) with a Minor in Computer Science. In the Masters program I studied Cybernetic Systems, General Systems Theory, Operations Management, Systems Dynamics and Computer Simulation. My SAT scores were 700 & 700. My ACT score was 34.

SCIENCE BACKGROUND: Before my high-tech career, I interned at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Mountain View. As an Avionics Technician, I installed & tested scientific measurement & telemetry equipment in research aircraft such as the Gerard P Kuiper Flying Observatory. As a Researcher in the Search for Extra-Terrrestrial Intelligence (SETI) program, I programmed computer feasibility studies for the Very Large Array Radio Telescope in New Mexico and search algorithms for the “Water Hole”, a quiet radio band between hydrogen & hydroxyl spectral frequencies.

As a child, I always “knew” that I was going to be a scientist someday...I just couldn’t decide on astronomer, paleontologist, archaeologist, chemist, environmental engineer, rocket designer, urban planner, etc. Teaching science to your child is my way of “coming full circle!”

I've always planned to have (at least) 3 distinct careers and I believe being a teacher is the most noble.  (For info on my first two careers see My Bio) After passing the CBEST and exploring the Professionals-to-Teaching program at SJSU, I've decided against dealing with classroom/school/district politics. I believe in the most direct approach...I want to answer only to my students & parents! 1-on-1!