Hello,
I have been involved in education for most of my life. In high school, I was a member of the Future Teachers of America club as the reporter during my junior year and president during my senior year. During my last semester of my senior year of high school I was employed as a teacher assistant. After home-schooling my son, who began college at 16, I completed the requirements to teach in Mississippi. I am currently certified to teach the following grades and subjects in Mississippi...
Hello,
I have been involved in education for most of my life. In high school, I was a member of the Future Teachers of America club as the reporter during my junior year and president during my senior year. During my last semester of my senior year of high school I was employed as a teacher assistant. After home-schooling my son, who began college at 16, I completed the requirements to teach in Mississippi. I am currently certified to teach the following grades and subjects in Mississippi public schools: Elementary ed grades 4, 5, & 6 ; Biology, General Science, Social Studies, and Business Ed grades 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12; Library Media grades K - 12. For the past nine years, I have taught in one private school and four public schools. In my last position, I taught Introduction to Biology and Biology I.
The teaching methods that seem to produce the best results are those that include hands-on activities to supplement the lecture and reading components of lessons. For example, when teaching a lesson on DNA, I conclude with an activity in which students construct an origami DNA molecule.
One of my favorite methods to use is the inclusion of interesting stories to introduce topics or short biographies of the scientists who discovered the topic being studied. For example, it is possible to teach basic statistics by using a children's book about bugs. After reading the book aloud, students construct charts, stem plots, and perform statistical calculations based on the numbers and types of bugs on each page of the book.
Additionally, where it is possible, I make every effort to include items of specific interest to individual students. For example, my own son loved history so his reading lessons were based on history topics.
Finally, I just love to teach; to see the light bulb of comprehension appear on a child's face is one of the most gratifying things I have ever seen.