It is my belief that an individual’s education directly impacts their future success and prosperity. I believe the critical thinking and problem-solving skills learned in the classroom will be continuously utilized in the classroom of life. It is for this reason that I feel it is my duty to provide an engaging learning environment where students feel safe to question, problem-solve, and work together to hone the skills they will use for a lifetime.

As a student, great teachers planted seeds in me that blossomed into joy for learning. I now have a desire to plant seeds in a new generation of learners who will go on to positively influence our society. My teaching style reflects my belief that there is not a “one size fits all” method of teaching, but rather students learn best from multiple teaching methodologies and techniques that cater to diverse learning styles.

I believe students should have several opportunities to practice the concepts and skills they acquire and should be challenged with opportunities to apply what they’ve learned via labs, cooperative group assignments, and assessments that require them to use advanced thinking.

It is important to me as a teacher that students are fully engaged and take ownership of their learning. I believe this is achieved by making lessons interesting and helping students make personal connections to what is being taught. As a chemist who has diverse work experience, it is also important to me to introduce students to the many career and scholarship opportunities available in the STEM disciplines.