Richard Coles is a former teacher at several middle schools in Toronto. He is an adjunct professor at OISE at the University of Toronto, teaching courses in literacy and reading. Richard is also an educational researcher and consultant. He conducts workshops and presents at conferences on a wide range of topics including literacy development in the middle grades, humor and learning, cyberbullying, and assessment and evaluation. Richard's current research interests include how students learn, culturally sustaining pedagogy, curiosity, creativity and innovation in education. He enjoys reading about a wide range of topics including pop culture, technology, sports and history. Richard enjoys interacting with educators from around the world, traveling, weight training, films and indie music.