About Gary C. Booker
I was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. I received my Bachelor of Science in Space Studies from American Military University, where some of my favorite professors included Space Shuttle Astronaut Wendy Lawrence, famed astronomer Alan Hale, and Edward Albin of the Fernbank Science Center. I am an United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (USHPA) rated hang glider pilot. I am an FAA Certificated Small Unmanned Aerial Systems pilot and fly both fixed wing and quadcopter drones. I am the author of several books.

I have worn many hats. I have professional experience with construction materials testing, quality & reliability engineering, petrochemicals, project management, and web development in addition to aerospace and teaching. But my ikigai is aerospace education. I am currently a public middle school teacher and have taught in private schools in the past.

Current Interests
I'm into developing the executive functioning skills of k-12 student aspiring aviators with ADHD. The FAA has specific rules for pilots with ADHD that are not understood by most special education teachers, case managers and school psychologists. I am working to build a bridge between school psychologists and flight surgeons that will assist aspiring pilots with ADHD with achieving their dreams of flight.

I am interested in using hang gliding as a scaffolding tool to build the aeronautical knowledge of middle school students. Hang gliding is an inexpensive way to experience recreational flight that is much easier to afford by most schools and youth recreational programs than general aviation aircraft, and there is overlap between the skills of GA aircraft and hang gliders. I am also interested in building Ultralight Airplanes with an onboard student pilot that can be flown remotely by an instructor.

My Philosophy as an Educator A teacher should love his/her students (and their parents) and treat them like family. There are a lot of platitudes in education about “building relationships,” but real relationships are built on love. My commitment to every student is a lifetime commitment.

Food security is a major equity issue, as hunger is a barrier to learning. This is why providing classroom snacks for my students is important to me. Doing so is by no means a fix-all for issues that occur in class, but providing a snack for hungry children goes a long way by preventing hunger-induced behavioral issues.

Students should receive an education that empowers them to make changes in their immediate environment, as well as prepare them for a wide variety of possible futures.

Zero-Consequence discipline has the same effect as Zero-Tolerance discipline. Both extremes are ineffective. American education has a pendulum effect problem, where we oscillate back and forth between the two extremes