Colgate's Teacher Education Claims

As a graduate of the Colgate teacher education program, I…

1)...understand my subject and how to teach it;

Most of my undergraduate work has been in the field of science, and in particular, astronomy and physics. I have a solid background in the field of science, and this is shown in my physics and earth science lesson plans which can be found on the Lesson Plans page. It includes the subjects that I have taught, or plan to teach as well as how I will teach the subject. It includes in class questions, problems, and demonstrations.

2)...am a critical thinker with a broad understanding of the liberal arts;

Not only have I focused my studies in astronomy and physics, but I have studied a variety of other fields that include geology, chemistry, biology, women’s studies, culture, music, and education.

Some of my works in biology and education can be found on the Other page, while more of my work in geology and chemistry can be found on the Earth Science and Physics page, Virtual Field Experience page, and the Lesson Plans page. Many of the research documents contain information that I have learned during my time at Colgate. You will also notice that on some pages there is music playing, which is music that I have written and programmed myself. The music on some of the pages reflects my interests that go beyond my concentration that were sparked by taking a wide array of classes outside of my major.

3)...have a solid understanding of the relevance of educational research to teaching;...care about all students and am committed to their diverse ways of learning;

Many of the ideals that I hold close can be found within the work of Parker Palmer. I also see teaching as a reflection of the self, and that there needs to be a balance between the who we are in the classroom and who we are inside of the classroom. However, in order to establish this, we need to find out who we are as an individual, before we can reflect ourselves on others. In order to understand my own identity, I am currently reading articles that focus on my racial identity and build upon my other multiple identities.

Many of my Unit Plans have incorporated multiple sources of research in order to address the diverse needs of students. I have used reference websites, a variety of text books, as well as some stories from my past to try and address the diverse ways of learning. Below is an example of my Circuits Unit Plan, in which I used several websites to express the same concepts in different ways.

Circuits Unit Plan

My Links page also contains a variety of websites that I have either used or researched.

Below are a few images that I researched online, because many students were interested in visual examples of galaxies and space. I also incorporated some of the research I have done in the past with galaxies and showed them a few images of the topics I was interested in.

(This image is a that of our own Milky Way Galaxy- many students had questions of what our galaxy looked like and how we could see it)

(Students wanted to know the relative scale of our solar system- these visualizations are to scale and show the planets in comparison to the sun. This was also done in one of the Earth Science labs to further emphasize the scale of our solar system.)

(To show that was engaged in what I was teaching, I showed students an image of the quasar that I did research on in the past)

4)...am a reflective practitioner who creates and manages effective learning environments;

Being in the field of education, you are constantly being reflective and are trying to facilitate a learning environment. Being reflective incorporates lesson planning, thinking about student behavior, teaching methods, and can even extend into personal reflection. I have various works of thinking of methods to incorporate students into the classroom, and in my teaching philosophy both motivation and community are integral parts of the learning experience. Some works include personal journals, lesson plans and techniques to involve students in the classroom. Other works include being reflective about student behavior.

One example of facilitating a learning environment is the use of “apple problems” in physics. Typically at the beginning of class, students are given a problem or a series of problems to work on that show their understanding of the topic that was taught previously. This method creates an environment where students are learning as soon as they enter the classroom. They are also allowed to discuss the problems with one another, fostering a sense of student community.

Many of these things can be found on the Other page, as well as Lesson Plans page.

Another article of mine focuses on a failed lesson that I have taught. It includes my reflection of the lesson taught, and the ways that I tried to improve the lesson. This can be found here, or on the Other page

 

5)...am committed to the principles of social and environmental justice;

Throughout my studies of education, I have sought out methods to motivate and engage students in the classroom. Many of my ideas are centered around developing a sense of community and trust among students as well as the teacher. I regularly meet with struggling students to assist them with their work as well.

I also want science to be seen as something that can be accessed and learned by any individual regardless of their "identity." Science is something that can be learned and practiced by any student. Science is typically treated as the "hard subject," but I want students to feel as equals in the classroom, and many of the students will be dependent on one another to develop new ideas and concepts. Such activities include collective group work where all students are held accountable. Other goals include incorporating and showing students that science can be done by any individual if they are committed to it. (This includes showing students scientists and experiments done by diverse individuals that include people of different cultural backgrounds and gender).

This article, which is also featured on the Other page focuses on how to motivate a student in math, as well as how to create a positive environment for the student to learn.

 

6)...use appropriate assessments to guide instruction and develop a fluid and reflective relationship between assessment and instruction;

Many of my assessments either incorporate the ideas taught prior or during class time. I have created worksheets as well as in class problems that reflect on what students do and do not understand completely. I also incorporate questions into my unit plans that require students to use previous concepts and their background knowledge.

Below are two examples in which I have arranged questions to be asked during my lessons as well as worksheets that I have given my students in order to assess their understanding.

Climate Unit Plan: This Unit Plan incorporates questions to ask students to refresh and guide their thinking. Many of the questions address concepts that the students have learned about, yet they are placed in a new context.

Super Apple Problems: This is an example of the series of questions that I typically ask my students before or during class time, to get an idea of the concepts that need to be expanded or readdressed.

 

7)...am active in the professional teaching community;

I currently am a member of New York State teacher list servers that include ESPIRIT and OPHUN.

Both are email chains that connect me to earth science and physics teachers across the state of new york, which allows for communication across boundaries and enhances a teachers resources by connecting with other fellow teachers.

I also attended TAC (Teachers Advisory Council) meetings to meet with other teachers to discuss different aspects of teaching.

I have also attended superintendent meetings before and after my student teaching that dealt with different methods to engage and teach students.