Ralston Carder Hartness

      Ralston has spent countless hours leading and serving adolescents inside middle- and high-school classrooms and facilitating meaningful experiences for peers and students in diverse settings. Whether in the West Virginia backcountry or on-campus housing at Washington & Lee, Ralston seeks to capitalize on his skills and resources to identify and fulfill the needs in his community. As a Student Teacher and service-leadership coordinator at Maury River Middle School, Ralston has had the opportunity to both challenge students in the classroom and deepen those relationships in extracurricular settings. Ralston has demonstrated proficiency in building rapport with a diverse set of students and responding to a variety of classroom challenges and concerns. His experiences in the university and local communities have given him opportunities to unite others behind shared visions and to serve on supportive and goal-oriented professional teams.

      Ralston’s experience leading outdoor adventures, instructing new skills and activities, and implementing programming in residential settings, has led him to develop a community-focused philosophy of education. As an educator, he sees himself as one who forms, facilitates, and builds effective communities. Ralston is deeply passionate about building relationships and is eager to listen to and participate in the dreams of others. He believes that the best way to have meaningful conversations is over a home-cooked meal or hunkered in a sturdy camping tent. When he is not cooking meals for his friends, you can find Ralston running an ultramarathon, writing new songs, or reading Cormac McCarthy novels. Ralston loves spending time with his younger brother, Graham, and both of them are often found laughing and recalling stories from their many backpacking trips.

      This portfolio outlines in detail Ralston’s experience as a Student Teacher in 8th Grade World History I at Maury River Middle School. You can learn more about Ralston here.