Colin M. Roach, M.Ed.

Mr. Roach is an avid student of Japanese history, culture and martial arts. Four generations of familial connection to Japan fueled Mr. Roach's passionate study of Japanese history and warrior culture. In addition to his study of sword-related history, iconography, and metallurgy, Mr. Roach studied traditional Japanese martial arts from a young age.

Combining research materials from multiple disciplines, Roach uses his expertise as an educator to guide readers through the sword's rise to greatness in a unique way. The Samurai saw their swords as both lethal tools and divine companions- social and religious Icons. Through exhaustive research, Mr. Roach has collaborated with several top-level artisans, historians, and martial arts experts in completing Japanese Swords. In addition to a foreword by acclaimed martial arts teacher and author Nicklaus Suino and an afterword by "Mukansa" level polisher Abe Kazunori, Japanese Swords: Cultural Icons of a Nation includes rare looks into the world of mukansa-level swordsmiths Kawachi Kunihira and Gassan Sadatoshi. Roach's work, Japanese Swords is complemented by hundreds of stunning high-resolution photos and a bonus DVD featuring a beautifully filmed documentary entitled, "Forging the Future of the Japanese Sword." DVD bonus features include an introduction to the Japanese sword while shopping in Kyoto and also a visit to a traditional dojo... A rare peek at a beginners class in the medieval sword-drawing art, iaido.

He has studied with top teachers of iaido and aikido in Japan and America. Iaido is a classical art of sword-drawing which dates to the mid 1500's. Aikido is a Japanese martial art that uses attackers' energy to unbalance and subdue them and features a strong emphasis on ethical conflict resolution. He holds the ranks of Rokundan (6th degree) in iaido, as well as in Yondan (4th Degree) in aikido. He also holds official teaching titles in both arts. He and his students teach both arts in the Mountain Wind Dojo Group, which has 4 locations in Utah, Iowa, and Tennessee. Roach also travels around the country to teach these arts in seminars.

Mr. Roach serves as the Headmaster of Rivermont Collegiate, an independent college preparatory school that has been ranked among the top 5% of all independent schools nationwide. Much of Roach's academic work has been in the areas of neuroscience research-based teaching and learning methods. Mr. Roach specializes in training and mentoring teachers in the areas of differentiation in curriculum design, instructional delivery, and assessment methodology. Mr. Roach trained teachers and administrators around the country as a member of the All Kinds of Minds institute's national teaching faculty. Mr. Roach's work in developing programs at the individual student, classroom, and school-wide levels has received national recognition and acclaim in educational publications. Roach also attended Vanderbilt University as a Peabody Fellow of Education, in independent school leadership.