[…]for colleagues in her region. She served on the committee to revise the National Board Standards for accomplished science teachers. In 2013, she co-founded the Learning Project, a half-day program for seniors in the Johnstown School District, which integrates physics, math, english, and social studies through project-based learning. In addition to teaching, she serves as an instructional coach for HFM PTech, a new career focused school in her community. Heather continues to advocate for science education. As a New York State Master Teacher, she served on the Teach NY advisory council for the State University of New York. She has […]
[…]science and math coursework. Alex believes that supporting good teachers should be a priority for our society, “as they touch hundreds of students’ lives throughout their careers and have an incalculable value to our society.” […]
[…]why we crave certain foods at certain times? Well, biology is the field that can provide answers for all those random questions. As we learn more about the world around us, even more questions arise, and the cycle of curiosity continues.” Professional Experience Before beginning his teaching career, Will worked as a substitute teacher across Marin Country, where he discovered that he definitely wanted to become a teacher. During his credentialing, Will worked as a middle school math tutor and assistant director at Mathnasium. Hobbies Will likes to compete in Super Smash Bros. tournaments. He’s been playing Smash Bros. since […]
[…]most of my classes was, “Why are we doing this in a science class?” and some students were uncomfortable the first time. It took most of my students about two sessions to buy in to the ideas, but there were still one to three students in each class that I am not sure ever fully accepted them. As I built a routine of practicing mindfulness and self-compassion with my students, the atmosphere of my classroom changed tremendously to become an environment where the emotional well-being of both my students and myself was valued. For example, after one month of doing […]
[…]and puzzles. I enjoyed the fact that math had concrete answers but also room for creativity.” At California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, Nicole wanted a major that could make the best use of her math skills. She chose industrial engineering. “My undergraduate courses were stimulating and fun, with many mathematical undertones and foundations.” Nicole completed several summer internships in order to gain work experience in her proposed field but realized that there was something missing. It was when she began tutoring and helping high school students with geometry, calculus and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) preparation, that she […]
[…]prepare my students for the world ahead of them, cultivating intelligent citizens who will transform society for the better.” Mandi’s Story Teaching Discipline Mathematics Why Mathematics “I love that math is a fluid and active field, begging to be explored and manipulated. It can be used to describe every component of the world around us. Math is a beautiful challenge, and by studying it we train ourselves to persevere, think critically, and tackle any problem that we face.” Professional Experience For three years, Mandi has been investigating the most effective ways to incorporate 3D printing and 3D design into the […]
[…]ruined the peach blossoms or the persistent rains that bogged down the plows, weather is where newcomers from the city and third generation cattle ranchers find common conversational ground. A frequent misconception in my earth science classroom, my rural Colorado community, and society as a whole is the conflation of the terms “weather” and “climate.” This confusion can lead students and the public towards unscientific conclusions about the existence and consequences of global climate change. Weather is an ever-changing melange of chaotic atmospheric conditions; the study of climate requires looking for patterns by examining decades—even centuries—of carefully averaged data. This […]
[…]to remain in places of concern or fear. With support, it is possible to move toward a place of comfort. One avenue for support to engage in conversations about race is to attend a Beyond Diversity seminar, a “two-day seminar designed to help leaders, educators, students, parents, administrators and community participants understand the impact of race on student learning and investigate the role that racism plays in institutionalizing academic achievement disparities” (Pacific Education Group, 2018). This article describes the range of emotions and subsequent learnings of two Black women who engaged in the Beyond Diversity seminar. The questions that preface […]
[…]“Convince me that…” and “I disagree because…”. Discussions can be contentious—an uncomfortable but necessary feeling when our goal is to reach a true consensus about the best way for students to learn the content. In the end, the agreed upon storyline will drive construction of the rest of the unit. It serves as the basis of daily lesson plans and motivates the assignment of relevant and useful action items. NORMS 3 & 4 IN ACTION: REFLECTION PROTOCOL Although we have had successes, we have also had problems. Some of our first issues were our inefficient use of meeting time, the […]
