Meet our Instructors
Visual & Performing Arts Instructors
Anthony Gonzales :: agonzales@sileducation.com
World Languages Department Chair
Instructor of Spanish Language, American Sign Language (ASL) & English
Anthony Gonzales grew up between Albuquerque, New Mexico and Santa Cruz, California. He now feels at home in the Bay Area.
Anthony earned his B.A. from the University of New Mexico. His degree was a double major in English / Creative Writing, and Spanish. His career at UNM included travel to a dozen countries, as well as studies in such Humanities as: Philosophy, History, Chicano/Latino Studies, American Sign Language (ASL), and Anthropology.
After graduating, Anthony continued his education in the University of San Francisco's Master's of Fine Arts in Writing Program. His M.F.A. thesis was a novel, entitled Movimiento.
Anthony's current life is a continued investigation into cultural, societal, and individual interaction. As a trilingual individual, he values languages as instruments of expression; he is currently learning Portuguese, French, and Italian in hopes of reading some of his favorite works in the original.
He values the written word, and hopes to contribute to the realm of public ideas. He loves art in all forms.
Anthony is an experienced teacher of students of all ages, from pre-school to college. He believes that every interaction is an opportunity for growth and development. He loves to see students learn, and has learned immensely from his students. His only wish is to continuously grow as a learner and educator, along with his students and all who surround him.
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Ashley Sarver :: asarver@sileducation.com
Program Director
Instructor of English, Photography & Art History
Ashley Sarver is the Program Director of School for Independent Learners, as well as our WASC Self-Study Coordinator and Guidance Counselor. She's grateful for the opportunity to help the Ohmes realize their "failure is not an option" approach to education.
She works closely with a team of 25+ teachers to create a cohesive schoolwide curriculum set, with a full-range of classes. Last year SIL submitted to the UC Doorways--and gained approval for--over 70+ new courses, and SIL now teaches 27 discreet Advanced Placement courses. Ashley values a "grass roots" collaborative process, and helps teachers to originate curriculum in the classroom, individualized for each student. She's incredibly intrigued by the Internet's ability to make knowledge available to anyone with the yearning to seek it, and she envisions a school that enables every student--through the creative use of technology--to customize an education.
As a peer tutor in high school and college, Ashley first discovered her love of teaching, which is fueled by those moments when a student suddenly understands, when some line of thinking shifts just enough. Her enthusiasm for teaching has evolved into a broader interest in learning theory and instructional design, as she seeks to understand the cognitive and emotional processes that create meaningful learning. Her curiosity has led her to pursue an M.Ed. in Teaching and Learning, from the Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania.
Ashley was born and raised among the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, in the rural college town of Athens, Ohio. She enrolled in college at 15 and, at age 19, graduated with honors from Boston University with a B.S. in Literary Journalism. In Boston, she worked as a website copywriter, political speechwriter, literary editor, volunteer coordinator, and music publicist. In 2005, she moved from Boston to San Francisco to begin her teaching career.
Ashley is also invested in the arts. She studied photography at California College of the Arts (in Oakland), and has exhibited work, curated shows, and taught photography workshops. Ashley is an avid learner and teacher of vintage jazz dances, such as 1920's Charleston, Lindy Hop, and Balboa.
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Chris Raynor :: craynor@sileducation.com
Administrator, Print & Web Designer
Instructor of Art
Chris assumes many roles here at SIL. He is an administrator, our lead designer for all that appears online and in print, and a driving force behind our art department.
Chris graduated from Penn State University with a B.A. in Integrative Arts. While his studies emphasized graphic design, his passion for the arts is much broader. Previous to SIL, Chris worked as part of a marketing team at a firm in Boston, and as a freelance designer. Chris feels at home in the school environment, and finds his experiences at SIL to be incredibly rewarding.
Outside of school, Chris fills his time with a variety of outdoor sports and recreation. When he's not exploring the natural world, Chris is playing music, reading, and cooking.
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Michael Kahn :: mkahn@sileducation.com
Instructor of Social Studies & English
Michael Kahn instructs students in history, economics, government & English literature. Mike holds a B.A. in Political Science--with minors in History and Philosophy--from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. While in the nation's capital, Mike immersed himself in the D.C. political landscape, and worked for various campaigns and at a local talk radio station. He was the senior editor and a columnist for Independence Magazine, a highly regarded weekly GWU student publication.
After a decade in the legal profession, Mike made a move certain to shock the many teachers he'd once frustrated as a young student: he became a teacher himself. Mike's experience as an unfocused student--one who overcame his own limitations--underpins his compassionate approach to teaching.
"The first task for students--and their teachers--is to figure out how their minds work, and then to approach knowledge accordingly. Our one-to-one teaching offers a unique opportunity to engage students. I engage and challenge students however I can."
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