Teaching Philosophy
I credit much of my teaching philosophy to the amazing Department of Education at Augustana University where I received my bachelor's degree in secondary education. While there, I learned how to teach compassionately and engage students of all backgrounds and have carried these lessons with me into my own teaching career. I also learned how to engage curriculum design with evidenced-based teaching tools to maximize the effectiveness of my teaching strategies.
Likewise, my liberal arts education showed me the value of small class sizes and the benefit early research experiences.
Active learning is the key to deep understanding. Learning should be student-directed rather than instructor-directed, and an instructor's purpose should be to assess understanding by posing questions at multiple levels of Bloom's Taxonomy both the through curriculum design and socratic questioning. Paired with humor and engaging content, ANY student can advance their understanding of the study of life we call biology.
DEI Teaching Statement: My goal is to provide an equitable and safe classroom with individual support for each student, while understanding the individual, societal, and economical circumstances that affect a student's learning environment.
Likewise, my liberal arts education showed me the value of small class sizes and the benefit early research experiences.
Active learning is the key to deep understanding. Learning should be student-directed rather than instructor-directed, and an instructor's purpose should be to assess understanding by posing questions at multiple levels of Bloom's Taxonomy both the through curriculum design and socratic questioning. Paired with humor and engaging content, ANY student can advance their understanding of the study of life we call biology.
DEI Teaching Statement: My goal is to provide an equitable and safe classroom with individual support for each student, while understanding the individual, societal, and economical circumstances that affect a student's learning environment.
Teaching Experience
2018 - 2022 University of Illinois - Teaching Assistant (8 semesters)
- Courses: Merit Program Introduction to Biology*, Biology of Dinosaurs (Online)^, Merit Program Physiology*, & Ecology*, Biology in Today's World (Online)*
- (*) Denotes courses ranked as an excellent instructor by students (average of 4.3/5 or higher rating)
- (^) No survey was conducted for this online course
- Won Heiligenstein Excellence in Teaching Award in 2020
- General Chemistry
- Chemistry for Everyday Life to students on Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and 504 plans.
- Courses: Introduction to Biology, Ecology, & Ornithology (3 semesters)
- Student Teaching - AP Biology & Accelerated Chemistry (one semester) at Harrisburg High School, Harrisburg, SD
Mentorship Statement
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Mentoring was an important part of my PhD and early teaching experiences. I have mentored 1 high school student and 6 undergraduates both in the field and lab as PhD student and a further 5 undergraduates in my time as a postdoc. I value the contributions and efforts of young researchers deeply, and want to provide the quality of early career research mentorship that I received when I was at their stage. This means that I support a high degree of independence in researchers I mentor, while scaffolding with the necessary training, background, and support for my mentees to be successful. |
Photo with mentee and NSF REU student C.F. Stowers presenting at SICB 2023 in Seattle, Washington.
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