Title: Teacher
Company: Institute for Collaborative Education
Location: Cornwall, Connecticut, United States
Daniel F. Clarke, teacher at the Institute for Collaborative Education, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in academia.
With over 20 years of experience to his credit, Mr. Clarke has carved out a distinguished career in the fields of special education, teaching photography and English, and ecology. Currently excelling as a special education and science teacher at the Institute for Collaborative Education in New York since 2018, he acts as the designated case manager for seventh-grade special education, focusing on students with individualized education plans while also assisting other students within the classroom.
In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Mr. Clarke oversees technology integration throughout the entire school and functions as a co-director for international field trips, facilitating experiences for high school students as they travel to destinations like Nepal and Malaysia annually. These trips provide opportunities for students to impart storytelling skills through photography to children in those countries. Furthermore, he delivers instruction in 12th-grade ecology and 11th-grade neuroscience, collaborates in teaching seventh-grade humanities and math courses, and leads training sessions for students in information technology. He ensures the smooth functioning and regular updating of equipment and applications, particularly during critical periods such as Scholastic Aptitude Test examinations.
Prior to his current role, Mr. Clarke served as a science teacher at the Institute for Collaborative Education in 2012. He has also been the school’s designated employee tasked with managing all communications related to specific IT functions or projects since 2015. His career includes positions such as a graduate teacher with the Ministry of Education from 2006 to 2011, head field data collector, biologist, and researcher for the Barbados Sea Turtle Project at The University of the West Indies from 2003 to 2006, and field scientist, ranger officer, and research fisheries officer with the British Virgin Islands Conservation and Fisheries Department in 2005. He began his career as an elementary school teacher in Barbados.
Laying a solid foundation for his future success, Mr. Clarke pursued an education at the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in zoology and botany. He continued his academic efforts at the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill, Barbados, completing a Master of Science in biology with a specialization in coastal and marine management in 2006. Following these accomplishments, he concluded his studies with a Master of Arts in teacher of biology 7-12 from New York University in 2011. He is currently pursuing a Master of Education in special education at Western Governors University.
In light of his impressive undertakings, Mr. Clarke has accrued several accolades throughout his career. He has consistently received accolades for his teaching efforts in Barbados. Additionally, he was recognized as a two-time nominee for the Big Apple Award and Fellowship by the New York City Department of Education.
A standout moment in Mr. Clarke’s career was his success in inspiring female students to develop an interest and excel in STEM, particularly chemistry, which he began teaching post-pandemic. To stimulate interest in the field, he invites professionals, including a Brooklyn College director and representatives from the American Chemical Society, to present in his classes. One former student, inspired by these interactions, became a teaching assistant during her 12th-grade internship, focusing on 11th-grade chemistry. Subsequently, she secured an internship with the Brooklyn College director, contributing to a cancer research project aimed at binding metals to certain drugs to combat cancer. He takes pride in his students’ application of knowledge for societal impact and their ability to share scientific understanding with their families.
When giving advice to aspiring professionals, Mr. Clarke emphasizes the importance of possessing qualities such as kindness, compassion, caring, and empathy, particularly toward students. He believes that without these essential traits, one may not thrive in this profession. Therefore, he advises aspiring educators to carefully assess whether they naturally embody these qualities before pursuing a career in teaching.
Mr. Clarke attributes his success to his upbringing on the island of Barbados, where his teachers were deeply invested in their students’ education. He carries this same attitude into the schools he has served, including the Institute for Collaborative Education. Here, he sets high standards for the students and consistently holds them accountable to those standards. He has built a strong reputation for his unwavering dedication to supporting students.
Looking ahead, Mr. Clarke is currently pursuing a master’s degree in special education at Western Governors University to cover the spectrum of special education from kindergarten to 12th grade. One of his goals is to help teach students with elementary-level reading skills. He intends to pursue another master’s degree in school administration and obtain his assistant principal and principal license. With these credentials, he aims to transition into teaching at the collegiate level and potentially establish his own school.
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