The adolescent and early adulthood years serve as a critical period of neuroplasticity

where humans are primed to learn and adapt. This critical time period of development can not be
wasted with inefficient schooling and complex topics just thrown in the direction of students.
Instead, students need to be given structure and resources to help explore topics on their own.
Students need to be instructed and guided in how to approach problems and how to solve them.
Students need to be empowered by the classroom and empowered by the possibilities of the
world around them. This however isnt easy, it takes precise steps to construct a community in
which students are comfortable and able to learn. It takes a teacher.
Science is all around us. Its in every news article, in every commute to school, in every
favorite food, its in every sport, and hobby that our students can and will engage in. We are
science because science is in everything and as a teacher of the biological life sciences, my
teaching will represent this. Every lesson has the potential to engage students in factors of their
real life and drawing on expertise that students already have. Students have to want to learn, but
creating an enviornment where they do want to learn is much easier when targeting their
interests, and their currents funds of knowledge.
My passion for science and the detailed intricacies of the natural word have been with me
since my highschool years. Studying kinesiology at the University of Michigan broadened my
understanding and knowledge of these topics and created a burning passion for them. Knowing
that I can spend my career informing students of these critical topics and hopefully igniting a
passion within them is why I have choose teaching as my career. Biological sciences have the
potential to save lives through disease prevention, creating cures and informing the public. The
topics studied are critical and can serve to change the lives of many. Giving students the abilities
and helping them find the opportunities to do this is incredibly rewarding.
My role as a teacher is to ensure that students learn. This role cannot be explicitly spelled
out because I hold the firm belief that this role looks different year to year, period to period and
often times student to student. With student’s interests, demeanors, and abilities all differnet,
engagement and specific teaching strategies can and will be significantly different. There are
some constants within this role however. Ensuring students feel safe and appreciated for what
they bring to the classroom is something that I will fight for in every classroom of mine. I will
utilize the important concepts taught through my education, to put social and emotional learning
practices at the forefront of my teaching.
School is a place to learn material, but my classroom will also serve as a welcoming
place for all students to learn about themselves. Respect will be demanded from students, but it
will also be given to all students. Understanding the various backgrounds that students come
from will ensure that I keep a level head and understand why certain situations arise with some
students, but I will also ensure that expectations are not lowered because of these circumstances.
Teaching is a meticulous process in which I guide students in the discovery of
knowledge. While this role can be difficult, I am beyond thrilled at the opportunity to lead the
next generation of learners in their educational journey.