Personal and Professional Background

I have been teaching for four years and teach Physical Science, Chemistry, Physics, and I have taught Oceanography (2 years). In a previous life (Atlanta and Boston), I was an environmental engineer working as a consultant in the hazardous waste remediation field. I have just completed my first try for National Teaching Certification and find out in November if I received it or not.

took part in this grant to improve science education at our school by helping to design engaging lessons and laboratories in chemistry class (and biology classes for other teachers). At this time, our students perform no ‘wow’ labs. I want them to feel more like they’ve learned something from a lab, other than how to observe or how to follow directions, measure, and do math calculations. I’m going to try to make these lessons more relevant to our students’ daily lives, while exposing them to possible careers in the growing fields of food science and environmental science.

On a personal note, I’m sure that this experience will help me succeed in designing and performing better lessons. I find that I have many good ideas regarding lessons but do not have the time or money to develop them. If I can use just one great lesson from this experience it will be worth it. I look forward to working with other teachers which always provides opportunities to share great ideas and good information. Adding the fellows from the college will just add to that wealth of information.