Make Science Simple
About
I taught high school science for 14 years, and my students often told me that I have a way of explaining things that they understand and makes it interesting and memorable. As a teacher I used a variety of innovative learning techniques, because few people learn from just having a teacher talk at them. Years of learning about how our brains work has given me a lot of insight into what kinds of activities make for memorable learning experiences.
Highlights
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
First thing is to introduce myself and find out a little bit about the student and what interests them. Then I go into finding out exactly what they are having trouble with. If I know I will be workign with a student for some time, I like to give them some simple personality and learning styles tests to find what strategies will help them the most, and acquaint them with some learning strategies and a little about how our brains work.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
My educational background is in anthropology, which I finished a Master's Degree in 1999. When the bottom fell out of that career after 9/11 I got a teaching license and taught anatomy, biology and earth science in the public schools for 14 years.
How did you get started teaching?
My original career choice was to do field archaeology for a few years so I would have some real work experience, then get a PhD and teach anthropology at the university level. Unfortunately we all got laid off after 9/11. My wife is a math teacher and suggested I get a teaching license, since it was my intention to teach anyway. I took a few refresser classes while pursuing the teaching license. There is a big enough biological part of anthropology that it was not hard for me to pick up, and the archaeology work used enough earth science skills it was the same there.
What types of students have you worked with?
The schools I taught at were largely Hispanic, though there were a variety of students from different parts of the world. Most were mainstream, though every year I had a few students with I.O.P.s, most of those were on the Autistic Specrum.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
My best memories of teaching have always been when my students discover that the world is a much more interesting place than they thought it is. A few years ago, after getting tired of listening to kids make blatant racist remarks at each other, I created a presentation where I showed them pictures of people from around the world who don't fit our stereotypes, then went into both the biology and the history that shows that race is not real to begin with. Some students wanted to stubbornly cling to their old ways, but I saw a whole lot of light bulbs go on as they grasped the reality of human life and our natural diversity.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
What advice I would give would depend on where the student is in terms of understanding the material. If a student is taking AP classes and having a hard time, they probably need a teacher who is very well-experienced in applying the math. For most students, however, what, matters is how well the teacher communicates. Often a person who has a lot of expertise in one area knows a lot but cannot explain what they know well. A person who has a more broad experience and wide set of interests will probably make him or herself understood better.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
In my experience, a great many students who need help mostly do not understand how to study, and often avoid studying because they have not had much success. Students should first of all think about the times they have been successful and figure out what helped them succeed. The more people know about how they learn, the better a teacher will be able to help them.