TEaching
Students and their educators exist in a network that can become a community that supports learning
- I emphasize teaching about the real world, in the real world.
- In designing courses, I seek to bring current events and important everyday topics into every lesson. Application of course material to the real world is an essential component of all of my classes.
- In leading classrooms, I focus on finding opportunities to get outside, to make observations and measurements directly, and to feel and smell - not just see. First-hand field experience is a central component of each class I teach.
Courses Taught
BIOEE 1610 - Ecology and the Environment
I led two writing-intensive and discussion-focused groups of students in custom-designed curriculum intended to replace a traditional lecture-and-exam format course. High student enthusiasm in the course resulted in opening a second section of the class. Students developed their own blog posts, wrote environmental consulting reports based on real citizen-science data, and practiced influencing each other with in-class debates. Classmates improved each others' work through in-class writing workshops. I received multiple teaching awards for my work in that class, including the Russell Distinguished Teaching Award.
BIOEE 1780 - Evolutionary Biology & Diversity
I led both writing-intensive and regular sections of the required evolutionary biology lecture course. Students explored evolution by reading the primary literature and writing blog posts that were shared among classmates. The semester was capped by student-led sections, where I worked with small groups of students to design lesson plans for classes on the evolution of life, natural selection, and macroevolution.
I led two writing-intensive and discussion-focused groups of students in custom-designed curriculum intended to replace a traditional lecture-and-exam format course. High student enthusiasm in the course resulted in opening a second section of the class. Students developed their own blog posts, wrote environmental consulting reports based on real citizen-science data, and practiced influencing each other with in-class debates. Classmates improved each others' work through in-class writing workshops. I received multiple teaching awards for my work in that class, including the Russell Distinguished Teaching Award.
BIOEE 1780 - Evolutionary Biology & Diversity
I led both writing-intensive and regular sections of the required evolutionary biology lecture course. Students explored evolution by reading the primary literature and writing blog posts that were shared among classmates. The semester was capped by student-led sections, where I worked with small groups of students to design lesson plans for classes on the evolution of life, natural selection, and macroevolution.
AP Environmental Science
Within the confines of an AP Curriculum, I have worked to enhance the field- and experiment-based components of this course. Classes have sampled lake water for water quality, assessed patterns of nutrient limitation and estimated lake metabolism. Back on dry land, I established long-term sampling sites along a recent disturbance to measure patterns of succession. Clear communication is also a primary focus of the course, with assignments asking students to 'learn by writing', including alternative formats such as social media and student-written blogs.
Biology & Chemistry
I have worked with peers to develop new curriculum for Rivers' trademark joint Biology & Chemistry course for 9-10th grade. New curriculum focuses on bringing more first hand experimentation into the course, as well as more projects focused on application of course material. Students work in small groups to solve problems relating course material to the real world, and they communicate with each other using a range of media.
Within the confines of an AP Curriculum, I have worked to enhance the field- and experiment-based components of this course. Classes have sampled lake water for water quality, assessed patterns of nutrient limitation and estimated lake metabolism. Back on dry land, I established long-term sampling sites along a recent disturbance to measure patterns of succession. Clear communication is also a primary focus of the course, with assignments asking students to 'learn by writing', including alternative formats such as social media and student-written blogs.
Biology & Chemistry
I have worked with peers to develop new curriculum for Rivers' trademark joint Biology & Chemistry course for 9-10th grade. New curriculum focuses on bringing more first hand experimentation into the course, as well as more projects focused on application of course material. Students work in small groups to solve problems relating course material to the real world, and they communicate with each other using a range of media.
