The National Science Foundation – Teaching Experiences for Undergraduates kicked off last Monday, June 6, 2016 at Trinity College. The program brings together 12 undergraduate students (middle) from across the country in order to develop their knowledge and skill in teaching high school science.
A major goal of the program is support undergraduate science majors at small liberal arts college towards a career in teaching science. In order to accomplish this goal, the NSF-TEU interns, who are all majoring in one science discipline, take a science pedagogy course with Dr. Kurt Love and will participate in a summer teaching practicum under the supervision of experienced local teachers from the Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy (HMTCA) in Hartford, Connecticut.
Here are some of the NSF-TEU interns.
Jacob Abaraoha
Jacob is a rising senior at Columbia University majoring in Earth science, with a concentration in urban teaching. Jacob is passionate about issues of equity and access in education, and about science education as a context for examining morality and social responsibility. He hopes to be a middle school science teacher, working on citizen science initiatives with students and using the classroom as a space for boundless scientific exploration. As a prospective educator, Jacob’s goals revolve largely around promoting critical inquiry, developing meaningful and lasting networks of support for students, encouraging students to recognize their efficacy in their communities, and helping students see science as a tool for social change.
Mariel Becker
I am Mariel Becker and I am a Junior at Wesleyan University. My major is Biology and I am also earning a Certificate in Jewish and Israel Studies. At Wesleyan I am part of the Ski Team, teach a fitness class, and TA for Introductory Biology and Elementary Statistics. This next semester I will be studying abroad at the University of Glasgow in Scotland (I am most looking forward to hiking the Highlands)! Although I am not sure if teaching is what I want to pursue, participating in the TEU program has been a valuable experience.
Carol Bowe
I am a senior physic major at Bryn Mawr College, a women’s college outside of Philly but I was born and raised in Boston. I have always had a passion for teaching. In fact, when I was little that’s what I wanted to be when I grew up and although that has changed slightly over the years, I am happy to once again be pursuing that career. Outside of teaching I am passionate about sustainability and environmental work. I also write spoken word poetry and recently competed in a national poetry slam as part of a team from my college.
Charlotte Gbomina
Hello, my name is Charlotte Gbomina (the G is silent). I am a rising senior at Grinnell College with a declared Biology, Spanish and Education major. I’ve been interested in education since the day my family moved to the U.S in 2003 when I noticed how fun learning could be. I was that one student that was always interested in concepts that almost everyone disliked and as I went further in my schooling, I encountered teachers who were passionate about teaching which inspired me to aspire to become a teacher. After graduation from college, I plan on going into the teaching profession to implement the philosophies I’ve learned.
Jess Voight
Hi! My name is Jess Voight and I am a senior Biomedical Engineering major and Models and Data minor at Trinity College. On campus at Trinity I am involved with the Outdoors Club, Engineers Without Borders, and the Society of Women Engineers. I enjoy getting outdoors, gardening, and puzzles. Unlike most others in this program, I am not set on becoming a teacher in the future. Rather, I see this program as a way to expand my abilities as a leader and make a meaningful difference in the local community. Additionally, I see the need for students to develop a passion and interest in the sciences and hope I can help with that.
Hi, my name is Emma Micinski and I will be graduating from Lawrence University in Appleton, WI this upcoming winter following student teaching. I will be earning a physics degree as well as a secondary physics teaching degree, a secondary broad-field science teaching degree, and a k-12 TESOL degree. I am really motivated to teach in a large part because I want to show young women that science is an achievable goal and I hope to encourage and inspire an appreciation for science in those otherwise inclined. I am very interested in pedagogy and want to be a science teacher who breaks from the typical high school physics classroom setup and operations. I find that a lot of high school physics classrooms are designed against the students, and I want to see education make the switch to a more fun, ACCESSIBLE, and interesting classroom environment in science classrooms.
Hello, my name is Stanley Walker and I’m a senior Astronomy Physics combined major at Whitman College. I am the sixth of seven children and I grew up Olympia Washington. I love getting outdoors, going on runs, and climbing on things. I am also a nerd in every sense of the word, I love comic books, video games, D&D, Harry Potter, etc. I chose an Astronomy Physics combined major because space is awesome and studying the origins and evolution of the universe is incredibly satisfying. I was homeschooled for the majority of my formal eduction. This has instilled in me a love for learning and a unique viewpoint on education that I would like to bring with me into a career as a teacher.