Professional Development

 

Effective teachers engage in reflective practice and continually seek to imporove their knowledge base and effectiveness as a teacher, make positive contributions to the culture of their field, and demonstrate the dispositions of an emerging professional. 

 

I was first introduced to the concept of inquiry-based teaching during the first few days of Ithaca College’s M.A.T. program back in June, 2014. This concept was new to me—certainly during my time as a high school student most of my biology education was based on rote memorization. Once I graduated from Cornell University, I knew that science involved more than just memorization of facts. It is inquiry at its core. In the past 5 years, inquiry based teaching has been increasingly supported by education researchers (Bybee, National Research Council, NSTA just to name a few.) The benefits are well known—students are more engaged, not only in the investigation of scientific questions, but in the nature of science as well. Once I began to read the research on inquiry-based teaching, I saw the value in it more and more. Although most of the research revolved around its implementation in physics classrooms, I thought it was a natural fit for the biology classroom. The fact that it hasn’t been done as widely as one would hope made it all the more challenging, but not impossible.

 

In any effort, I have continually sought to improve my methods of inquiry-based teaching. It is something that I research on a daily basis—using all of the resources that are available to me (NSTA, Education Week, NSTA Reports, NIBT). I intend to attend a NSTA conference in the near future to learn more about this methodology. I value the outcomes of this style of teaching and learning for both students and teachers alike. Students take a constructivist approach to their learning, as the teacher acts as a mentor/facilitator throughout the process. As a result, the student creates more meaning from the investigation, and comprehends the process at a deeper level of understanding.

 

Since I seek to improve my methods of teaching and student learning outcomes on a daily basis, I recently attended a Cornell Insititute of Biology Teachers pre-service/new teacher workshop in January, 2015. Following the workshop, I was able to incorporate some of the interactive learning kits in both of my placements. The students were thoroughly engaged, as a result.

 

As a new teacher, I am constantly on the lookout for approved resources that will better my teaching. The National Science Teachers Association has numerous books that I have purchased to improve student assessments and supplement my inquiry-based units (e.g. Everyday Life Science Mysteries: Stories for Inquiry-Based Science Teaching and Scientific Argumentation in Biology). The possibilities are virtually endless, and I am excited for what the future holds. Regardless of the challenge, I will rise to the occasion, always keeping the engagement and achievement of my students at the forefront of my intentions. I want them to be citizen scientists for life, not just for the duration of my course. I want them to love it as much as I do.

Artifact 3. Education Week Subscriber 

 

 

 

 

 

The attached artifact is the most current edition of Education Week. I have been a subscriber for over 15 months. I actively read Education Week to keep myself up to date with current national discussions regarding education through a political lens. Education Week has allowed me to incorporate multiple perspectives on various issues--including, most notably, Governor Cuomo's recent actions.