Our role as teachers is not to reproduce the power structures in society that actively oppress and hold our students back, but to give our students tools to challenge and change these power structures. In science, that means teaching our students the language and tools of science so that they can challenge the narrative that science is only for certain people.”
Sean’s Story
Teaching Discipline
Chemistry
Why Chemistry
“My own interests lie in biochemistry and molecular biology, particularly where organic chemistry intersects with those disciplines. I also think students find chemistry to be inaccessible, so I want to challenge that notion and bring my own interest in the field into the classroom.”
Professional Experience
As an undergraduate, Sean had the opportunity to work in an optometry research lab. His role involved learning to analyze samples using a mass spectrometer. Sean also spent one semester working as a lab teaching assistant for a general chemistry class.
After he graduated, Sean worked as a tutor for four years, teaching mostly high school math and science, as well as test preparation.
Sean will begin teaching at Kennedy High School during the 2019–2020 school year.
Hobbies
Sean is passionate about incorporating more community engagement and citizen science into his chemistry curriculum.
Academic Background
- University of California, Berkeley (Master of Arts in Teacher Education)
- University of California, Berkeley (Bachelor of Science in Chemical Biology)