Hello, I am Christopher Snyderbrown(he/him), MLC's high school Social Studies and Health teacher.

The courses I teach vary slightly year to year. I craft my courses to teach my students typical social studies and health skills, with the intention that these skills will serve students beyond high school. I teach with the belief that study of history is not an exercise in trivia but an avenue to empower people to positively impact their communities and futures. I strive to teach students to think analytically, follow their passions for learning, connect to historical figures with empathy, and find ways to act.

I was born and raised in California  and moved to Portland after I graduated with a History degree from Occidental College. I spent much of my 20s teaching at Outdoor school, after school programs, and teaching English in Italy. Eventually I earned M.A.T. at Lewis and Clark and then began teaching at MLC. I have been joyfully teaching at MLC since 2007-08.

Outside of school I enjoy getting out into nature, reading and playing with my two kids, basketball, music, movies, eating, and following the news. 

Feel free to contact me with any questions. I am most easily reached via email at csnyder1@pps.net

Hello, my name is Catherine Ordway (she/her) and I’m a lifelong Oregonian. This is my first year at MLC and I teach Algebra 1-4.

I earned my Bachelor’s of Science in Mathematics with a Secondary Teaching Emphasis and my Bachelor’s of Science in Education with a concentration in Advanced Mathematics Teaching from Oregon State University. In the past, I’ve been a math teacher or teacher candidate at Crescent Valley High School in Corvallis, Philomath Middle School in Philomath, and Central Linn Jr/Sr High in Halsey. I’ve also worked or volunteered at College Hill Alternative High School in Corvallis, Portland Summer Scholars, and as a tutor and learning assistant with OSU’s Math Department. 

I love math and want to encourage students to be curious and look for patterns in new mathematical concepts. I believe that building rapport with students is key and getting to know students is one of the best parts of my job. I want to meet students where they’re at and I enjoy working individually to build their confidence in mathematics. 

Outside of school, I enjoy reading, baking, and walking. I also spent many years doing dragon boat and would love to return to it when possible. 

The 2020-2021 school year will be my sixth year at MLC. Science courses I teach regularly are Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. I frequently teach science-based elective classes with themes such as Space, Survival Skills, Ocean ecosystems, and Microbiology. I also teach an Arts & Crafts elective and an Adulting 101 elective.

I obtained a Bachelor's degree in Biology and a Master's degree in Education from Portland State University in 2012 and 2015, respectively. I have been a special education assistant for the David Douglas School District and a tutor for the Portland Youth Builders GED program. Throughout my time as an educator, I have met some amazing young people who have taught me things beyond my own experiences and assumptions in many ways.

I believe that education is about growing as a whole person - mentally, socially, and emotionally. As such, my passion as a teacher is in getting to know my students and making an authentic connection with them. I work hard to be responsive to the needs of all my students. My ultimate goal is to inspire curiosity, empathy, and an inner strength that will enable my students to obtain the skills and knowledge they need to accomplish their dreams in life.

In my spare time, I love to knit, read, and drink hot tea. I also enjoy science fiction and fantasy-themed shows and movies. I am currently watching the entire Star Trek: Next Generation series for the first time and am enjoying it enormously. If you need to contact me, the best way to reach me is via email. Don't hesitate to reach out if you have questions or concerns. 

My first teaching experiences include working as an English Conversation teacher in Japan and Hawaii, as well as working as a snowboard instructor at Timberline Lodge.  I've been working in education for Portland Public Schools since 1998 and my first experiences include three years as a para-educator at George Middle School and three years at Madison High School.  I also substitute taught for 2 years, teaching primarily in North and North East Portland.  I have been working as a special education teacher for 5 years working—teaching one year at Lane Middle School and four years at Leadership Entrepreneurial Public Charter High School.  This is my first year at Metropolitan Learning Center and I am so excited to be here as I love the alternative school environment, as well as high school students.  I currently work as a Special Education Case Manager and Study Skills Teacher at the High School level—teaching two Study Skills classes and one Virtual Scholars credit recovery class.  

As a Study Skills teacher, I try to provide an environment that is respectful to students, honoring different personalities, backgrounds, cultures, and learning styles.  I also try to provide a quiet and structured space so students have the ability to focus on their own thinking, learning goals and academic tasks.  I teach study strategies that include time management, organization, communication, self-advocacy, and assignment planning and completion, as well as strategies to support academic IEP goals. I believe that all students have the ability to succeed and I look forward to supporting students in achieving their goals.