[…]the next steps.” Christy’s Story Teaching Discipline Biology Why Biology “Biology has always come easily to me. I loved labs and setting up experiments, which led me to working in a research lab in college. My love for sharing how and what I did with others led me to pursue science education as a career.” Professional Experience For nine months, Christy worked as a staff research associate at the University of California, Los Angeles Department of Pediatrics: Infectious Disease. In this role, she participated in HIV clinical research studies involving infants, children, and mothers. Additionally, she managed specimens by organizing […]
[…]pattern of sharing best practices without revealing the process, as Chris Lipski describes in “Setting Teachers Up for Success: A Reflection on Providing Professional Development.” Or in the necessity of finding community with others, as described by Ayanna Perry and Dwaina Sookhoo in “Beyond Diversity: Reflections on Participation from Two Women of Color.” All of our teacher-writers in this issue illuminate some aspect of the power of this small, relational scale, some aspect of the power of looking closely at what is right in front of us. For Becky, there is a parallel to music making: one of her teachers, […]
[…]their learning and are now sharing it with us. This leaves us back at the beginning, asking new questions. Our reflection on the pieces might lead us in different directions, but their learning is still evident. We are all trying to find our place in the world and the only way we can do it is through asking questions and working our way through them, even if we never find the answers. In “Burnout by the Numbers,” Cassie Barker asks, “What does sustainability look like in teaching and how does it compare to the typical American worker?” Her exploration leads […]
[…]excellence that is able to celebrate all of our students’ achievements and emphasize the uncomfortable process of learning. By creating authentic learning opportunities, students can place importance on how they learn a new skill or new information, and be assessed on their growing competency in that skill. This supports a system that celebrates the work that they are putting in every day as well as setting them up for future success as learners. Dan Kizaur teaches physics, electronics, and engineering at Mahtomedi High School in Mahtomedi, Minnesota. He is also the lead mentor for Mahtomedi’s FIRST™ Robotics team and […]
[…]where you can learn from and share ideas with other like-minded educators.” Lidia’s Story For more than 20 years, Lidia Ortiz has taught science at Chicago’s Northside College Preparatory High School, where she has chaired the science department since 2009. She teaches advanced courses in biology and chemistry, including interdisciplinary experiential learning courses that she has created and implemented. She achieved National Board Certification in 2007 and was recertified in 2016. In 2022, she was awarded the Distinguished Secondary School Teacher Award by Northwestern University. She is the recipient of two student-nominated Outstanding Teacher Awards from the University of Chicago […]
[…]at Troy High School. “I had two wonderful teachers who really made the subject come alive.” While completing undergraduate work at Oakland University in Rochester, Mich., she spent time in the lab studying the electronic transfer rate in DNA. She also took a semester sabbatical to participate in research at Mote Marine Laboratories in Sarasota, Fla. While at Oakland, Kristen also worked as a tutor, lab report grader and teacher’s assistant. “These were the jobs I looked forward to doing. It was fun and rewarding to work with the students.”  After graduating with a BS in chemistry and a BA […]
[…]to being successful post high school. I am concerned that Study Tables forces rather than teaches.” Commenting on the value of Study Tables for all students one teacher expressed that “Study Tables only benefit those who use them properly. Consequently, good students benefit a lot from Study Tables. Apathetic students realize almost no benefit from Study Tables.” I systematically observed Jessica and Brandon and reflected on their situation and my interactions with them. In addition, I worked with KSTF’s Practitioner Inquiry for the Next Generation (PING) project: a group of educators from across the country who were also raising questions […]
[…]good to hear another teacher say it out loud and be reminded of it, especially when we take on informal and formal leadership roles in the teaching profession. – Sharon Johnson, Knowles Senior Fellow Recently, I learned to communicate with colleagues, other teachers, and staff at times that considered more than my own schedule and immediate needs. I accidentally learned this through interaction with different Knowles program officers between years three and five of the Fellowship. One program officer would respond to texts almost as shockingly fast as I do, while another would respond at a later time. This was […]
[…]is my only option. The opposite is, perhaps, that some months are “easy” and you “coast” through them. I don’t think either point of view is helpful during the school year. I don’t want to coast or just get through. What I really want is an impactful and meaningful teaching experience. I have come to realize that tough times can be more meaningful, leaving me with the feeling that my teaching matters. I’m not looking for easy, and not even happy, but I am looking to enjoy my time teaching and that comes when I find meaning in the work […]
