John Dewey once said “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself”.  Learning happens all the time.  Learning is a constant process, something that we continue to do everyday of our existence.  Whether it takes place informally or formally, we are constantly learning new information, deciphering its usefulness, retaining it for future use and applying it as we see fit.  Learning creates interest and interest creates action.  It is through this action that we impact those around us.  As an educator, it is my goal to not only help students acquire the knowledge necessary to find academic success but to spark an interest in learning and science that they take with themselves into adulthood.

Education makes us accountable to ourselves, our teachers, our families, and our communities.  Education teaches us how to think, teaches us how to communicate and how to have an impact in our families and on society.  Education gives us the opportunity to serve in ways we didn’t think possible.  Education forms our moral character and our moral character is reflected in how we treat and inspire those around us.   Similarly, education gives me the chance to impact young people and help shape their thinking about science.    If my love of science and service is enough to make one student excited about what they are learning, than I have succeeded. 

Teachers have a responsibility to help students succeed in the classroom and in society. Educators need to display enthusiasm and excitement in teaching and in the interest of each student.  With the advancements in technology, teachers need to be more astute in the presentation of lessons, integrating many teaching methods and modalities into the learning.    It is also important to differentiate instruction in order to convey the information to students with varied learning styles and abilities, thus deepening students’ knowledge and developing their confidence.  Additionally, incorporating a variety of assessment techniques ensures that students with varying learning styles and abilities are tested fairly and appropriately.  I want my enthusiasm, excitement of learning to be contagious to my students allowing them to walk away from high school as life-long learners.

Positive communication with students and parents is crucial to both my success as a teacher and to student success in the classroom.  Keeping parents abreast of academic achievements, areas of concern and overall progress ensures that all of the key players in a student’s journey to success are on the same page.  I see my role as a teacher in concert with student learning as they pursue academic success and in partnership with parents as they support the academic endeavors of their children.

Teaching science is more than teaching facts and concepts.  Rather, teaching science is about teaching students to think like scientists and how to relate what they learn in the classroom to what they experience in the natural world.  So much of what students learn in the sciences has direct application to their daily life.  The air we breathe, the food we eat, genetic traits we see expressed in those around us are all examples of science in our everyday lives.  My role as a biology teacher is to help students understand how life on earth works, how the individual parts affect the whole and how science is used everyday to provide for our well-being. My hope is for students leave my class with a desire to learn more about the world around them and to always question and investigate, just as a scientist would.