Philosophy of Education
Building a strong foundation of scientific learning and having fun doing it is my goal as a science teacher. The scientific method is paramount in my middle school teaching. Regardless of the content or unit objectives, there should always be an element of asking questions and designing methods to answer those questions. Learning content is a part of middle school science education, but it is not the only aspect. Being able to ask questions, research, and record and organize information is crucial to building lifelong learners who are able to tackle problems and find applicable solutions. These are skills that I teach at the middle school level to help prepare students for learning in high school and beyond.
Educational Background
Undergraduate biology major at Pacific Lutheran University
Bachelor of Science – Environmental Science, University of Washington – Tacoma
Masters of Science – Environmental and Civil Engineering, University of Washington
Teaching endorsement – Grade 6-12 Science
Teaching Experience
Prior to coming to Saint Patrick, I taught Grades 6-9 science at the International School of Berne, in Berne Switzerland. I also was the lab technician for Grades 6-12. I also taught middle school courses in math, humanities, and photography. Prior to teaching, I worked at NOAA Fisheries in Seattle working on a number of projects dealing with databases and endangered salmon abundance and habitat metrics in the Pacific Northwest.