TEACHING
When I go into a classroom I adopt the Ms. Frizzle approach - "Take Chances, Make Mistakes, and Get Messy!"
It is my belief that science education shouldn't be clean (so to speak) because science itself isn't very clean. My hope for my students is that at the end of the semester they know that being wrong is the first step to knowing something.
I often use a cookie dough analogy in my classes:
The ideas in science books are mostly baked, but they didn't start out that way. They started as cookie dough. Most people love cookie dough, some more than the actual baked cookies. I'm one of those people. I want your cookie dough ideas - the half-baked, not-at-all-baked, and everything in-between.
It is my belief that science education shouldn't be clean (so to speak) because science itself isn't very clean. My hope for my students is that at the end of the semester they know that being wrong is the first step to knowing something.
I often use a cookie dough analogy in my classes:
The ideas in science books are mostly baked, but they didn't start out that way. They started as cookie dough. Most people love cookie dough, some more than the actual baked cookies. I'm one of those people. I want your cookie dough ideas - the half-baked, not-at-all-baked, and everything in-between.
I've held a variety of roles in the courses below from Instructional Assistant to Instructor of Record. Some may not be "in-the-system" official, but all courses listed below I have had varying levels of instructional/mentoring responsibility ranging from teaching intern to instructor of record.
Syllabi and other materials for the courses listed below are available upon request.
(*) denotes curriculum redesign
(^) denotes distance/remote delivery course
All education courses below involved field assignment and observation of secondary math and science teacher candidates.
Syllabi and other materials for the courses listed below are available upon request.
(*) denotes curriculum redesign
(^) denotes distance/remote delivery course
All education courses below involved field assignment and observation of secondary math and science teacher candidates.
Courses taught at CRC
Physical Science (lecture & lab) Biological Science* (lecture & lab) Human Anatomy & Physiology I* (lecture & lab) Human Anatomy & Physiology II* (lecture & lab) |
Courses taught at other Universities
Essentials of Biology^ (lecture & lab) Majors General Biology I & II (lecture & lab) Human Anatomy & Physiology I^ & II (lecture & lab) Microbiology (lab) Life Science for Elementary Teachers*^ Genetics* (lab) Undergraduate Research in Biology Education Human Genetics (lecture & lab) Inquiry Lesson Design Knowing and Learning in Mathematics and Science* Secondary Education Residency I Project-based Instruction in Mathematics and Science |
MENTORING
At the secondary level, I have been part of a project with Central Magnet School in Murfreesboro, TN. This project pairs High School Seniors with professional scientists in order to help the students develop a robust senior thesis. The students produce hypotheses and research ideas, my role was to help the students work through and refine their ideas and help them create an experimental process to answer their questions.
At the undergraduate biology level, I have mentored students through research design in Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE) style labs in both Standard and Honors Genetics, and Human Genetics. Many of these students continue on to present their individual projects at the University-sponsored Scholar's week. Additionally, I have mentored students enrolled in research hours through different aspects of biology education research including literature reviews and analysis, and quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis.
At the undergraduate education level, I have mentored students through lesson design and implementation at the elementary, middle, and secondary levels. These lessons were in a range of topics from both mathematics and science and were anywhere from 1 to 5 days/class periods in length. Lessons capitalized on the integration of available technology and/or the use of project-based design. Students were also mentored through identification of misconceptions through research literature and assessment design.
At the graduate level, I have been a mentor to first-year MSE PhD students as they are onboarded into the program and throughout their time in the program.
At the undergraduate biology level, I have mentored students through research design in Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE) style labs in both Standard and Honors Genetics, and Human Genetics. Many of these students continue on to present their individual projects at the University-sponsored Scholar's week. Additionally, I have mentored students enrolled in research hours through different aspects of biology education research including literature reviews and analysis, and quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis.
At the undergraduate education level, I have mentored students through lesson design and implementation at the elementary, middle, and secondary levels. These lessons were in a range of topics from both mathematics and science and were anywhere from 1 to 5 days/class periods in length. Lessons capitalized on the integration of available technology and/or the use of project-based design. Students were also mentored through identification of misconceptions through research literature and assessment design.
At the graduate level, I have been a mentor to first-year MSE PhD students as they are onboarded into the program and throughout their time in the program.