I have taught middle school general science for 30+ years but I have also taught first through fourth grade science for many years at the same time. I was also responsible for teaching computer classes to first through eighth graders. For two years, I taught college freshman and graduate level education majors.
I am primarily a middle school (5-8th) teacher and I do believe that it is true that you either love them or fear them! They are at that crazy, confusing age where their bodies and minds are not necessarily in sync. They can be moody and testing but also very funny and “little” adults at times. My teaching philosophy involves keeping the bar high in my classroom because I have found that as high as I hold it they will jump! In my eighth grade classroom I am quite often teaching high school level topics and I’ve had many alumni come back and thank me for pushing them because they felt very comfortable in their high school science. That is, by far, my biggest reward! For many years now my school has been 1:1 with iPads that the students actually take home with them each evening. I completely turned my science classroom over to digital interactive notebooks so a large portion of my products can be used on devices or printed out. Using the iPads to document labs, to go outside and to do creative research has been a great experience.
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I have my BA in Biology/Scientific Illustration and my MA in Environmental Education.
I mentor other teachers plus I have my own blog, sciencebysinai.com, that is geared towards middle school science teachers with classroom management tips, how I use digital interactive notebooks and other labs and activities.
Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, Homeschool, Staff, Not Grade Specific
English Language Arts, Creative Writing, Specialty, Math, Graphing, Measurement, Science, Anatomy, Basic Principles, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Environment, Physics, Other (Science), Social Studies, Arts & Music, Graphic Arts, Life Skills, Critical Thinking, For All Subjects, Classroom Management, General Science, Physical Science, Problem Solving, Writing, Holidays/Seasonal, Back to School, Thanksgiving, Christmas-Chanukah-Kwanzaa, Autumn, Halloween, Winter, Valentine's Day, Earth Day, For All Subjects, Summer, Handwriting, Test Preparation, Engineering, African History, Classroom Community