Standard 2-Subject Matter"Demonstrates competence in content knowledge appropriate to the teaching position."
It is clear teachers need to know the content they are teaching to be successful. However, teaching requires an understanding of content that is far beyond basic. As a science teacher, I must also know how science is learned and the best ways to teach it. Different types of information are taught with different approaches. For example, procedural knowledge (writing an abstract) is taught differently than declarative knowledge (cell parts and functions). Continuing education is particularly important in the ever-evolving disciplines of science. My curiosity and love of learning continue to fuel further education. It is my responsibility to instill this love of learning in my students. This can be done by creating engaging and effective learning experiences. For this, it is critical to be able to see subject matter from a student’s perspective. It is also important to encourage students to look at subject matter from different viewpoints in order to detect bias. In order to develop student knowledge, I need to understand how students learn. Because the changes that occur during adolescences are cognitive, as well as physical, social, emotional, and moral, I must have a thorough understanding of adolescent development. That being said, it is also important to remember the individuality of students. They do not develop at the same rate, and certainly not into the same person. For this reason, the relationships I build with each of my students are critical. They allow me to determine students’ strengths and weaknesses and to discover what motivates them. |
"Jigsaw" Lab
Understanding my subject matter helps me design instruction that is appropriate to the content area. Here is one examples of a strategy I used to teach diffusion and osmosis. Many teachers are familiar with using a “jigsaw” as a reading strategy. To do this, students read different sections of a piece and then teach each other about what they read, so that a single student does not have to read the entire thing. I applied this concept to laboratory activities. I had four ideas for laboratory activities that would support the concepts of diffusion and osmosis. I knew there would not be time for everyone to do them all, so I divided the experiments among 4 groups. The groups were then in charge of explaining their experiment and the related concept to their classmates. This was a successful activity, as evidenced by the observation (see below) of the student presentations by my program coordinator and by student assessment scores.
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Transcripts
My undergraduate studies are the foundation of my content knowledge. My transcripts show that I took 16 science classes during my time at Eckerd College all of which had a laboratory component. These courses covered all the major disciplines of science including biology, physics, chemistry, and geology. This transcripts show that I graduated from the honors program and a GPA 3.61.
Published Research PaperThis research paper (pages 5-14) was written post-graduation to summarize the research that I did at Eckerd College. It was published in an online journal for undergraduate research. This paper shows that I am able to apply many disciplines of science to design an experiment. It also demonstrates my ability to read and write scientific literature, something that I hope to introduce to my students.
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Test Scores
My Praxis General Science Content Knowledge test is included below. There are also four MTLE (Minnesota Teacher Licensure Examinations) score reports included below: Pedagogy: Secondary (5-12), Middle Level Science (grades 5-8), Life Science (9-12) and Basic Skills. My Pedagogy results show that I have an understanding of teaching development and learning, learning environments, instruction and assessment, and professional roles and responsibilities. The Middle Level Science and General Science Content Knowledge results demonstrate my understanding of all aspects of science. This test evaluated concepts and applications in technology, earth and space systems, life sciences, and physical sciences. The Basic Skills test evaluated math, reading, and writing skills.
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Synthesis
In order to teach science, it is important to have an in-depth understanding of it. The background knowledge I obtained through my Marine Science (biology track) degree and research is a solid foundation. The combination of science content knowledge and knowledge gained through my education courses and experience teaching makes me well prepared for a career as a science teacher. Developing content knowledge is something I will continue throughout my career, as science is a continually changing discipline.