EXPERIENCE
Evolutionary Genetics- Upper year seminar/lecture course- Instructor of Record, '22, '23. Yale University
Adaptation & Speciation- Graduate seminar-Instructor of Record, '23. Yale University
Evolution & Genetics in Humans- non-majors course in evolutionary genetics with particular focus on humans- Instructor of Record, 2018. Duke University. Course evaluations Student comments
Genetics and Evolution- Introductory course in evolutionary genetics- TA 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018. Duke University. Quantitative Evaluations Student Comments
Adaptations and Biodiversity- Introductory course in ecology and evolution- TA 2010, 2011, 2012. University of Toronto.
Genomes to Ecosystems- Second year course in ecology and evolution- TA 2012. University of Toronto.
Evolution for non-majors- Introductory course for non-majors- TA 2011. University of Toronto.
Population Genetics- Upper year lab based course- TA 2010. Trent University
In addition to TAing college level classes, I have also completed a series of guest lectures on broad topics, including the evolution of domestication, data visualization, the genomics of adaptation, and life history evolution. I also perform teaching outreach to local middle schools on evolutionary and plant biology, and have been actively participating in Skype a Scientist (and other online programs) for several years.
Evolutionary Genetics- Upper year seminar/lecture course- Instructor of Record, '22, '23. Yale University
Adaptation & Speciation- Graduate seminar-Instructor of Record, '23. Yale University
Evolution & Genetics in Humans- non-majors course in evolutionary genetics with particular focus on humans- Instructor of Record, 2018. Duke University. Course evaluations Student comments
Genetics and Evolution- Introductory course in evolutionary genetics- TA 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018. Duke University. Quantitative Evaluations Student Comments
Adaptations and Biodiversity- Introductory course in ecology and evolution- TA 2010, 2011, 2012. University of Toronto.
Genomes to Ecosystems- Second year course in ecology and evolution- TA 2012. University of Toronto.
Evolution for non-majors- Introductory course for non-majors- TA 2011. University of Toronto.
Population Genetics- Upper year lab based course- TA 2010. Trent University
In addition to TAing college level classes, I have also completed a series of guest lectures on broad topics, including the evolution of domestication, data visualization, the genomics of adaptation, and life history evolution. I also perform teaching outreach to local middle schools on evolutionary and plant biology, and have been actively participating in Skype a Scientist (and other online programs) for several years.
PHILOSOPHY
Engaging students to become active and educated citizens is paramount in creating sustainable and progressive societies. Therefore, encouraging students to develop critical thinking skills and harness a basic understanding of evolutionary biology and genetics is my ultimate goal as a science educator. I believe that active learning is essential to nurture curiosity and encourage critical thinking, and is a fruitful teaching approach for students from all backgrounds to engage in the classroom.
Approach and Implementation
In my teaching, I use three strategies to engage students and help them to develop critical thought. (1) I promote an environment of classroom community, which allows students the ability to safely fail and to learn actively. (2) I engage students to think beyond the classroom material, challenge them on status quo thinking. (3) Students shape their own learning experience by frequent student feedback. These goals have allowed my students to engage more deeply with the material at hand and develop critical thinking skills. In turn, teaching has shaped my own understanding of the topic material, challenged me to critically think through standard logic used in the field, and allowed me to learn new perspectives on old problems from my students.
Creating Classroom Community
In my experience, creating a sense of classroom community has been important to creating a safe space for learning. To me, a strong classroom community means that students feel comfortable sharing opinions and questions openly. One way in which I foster classroom community among students is to use match-up games at the beginning of each lab for students to find a new lab partner each week. This allows students to get to know their classmates and subsequently feel more comfortable talking in discussion as the semester continues. Students report that they appreciate interacting with their lab mates, and I have noticed both increased and broader participation when I implement a rotating-partner scheme. To create rapport between myself and students, I have implemented opportunities for one-on-one, or smaller session discussions which serve as safe places for students to fail. These include having a general questions period at the beginning of each lab, setting up mentored, group study sessions before exams, and hosting office hours every week. During these smaller sessions, my goal is to act as a resource for a student-active learning process. In my experience, when the students are more engaged and guide their own learning, they also become more comfortable with the class, and thus create a sense of classroom community. I facilitate group learning by encouraging student questions to be answered by their peers, but can still achieve specific learning outcomes, by asking follow up questions. For example, many previous students have come to office hours simply to be re-taught lectures they might not feel comfortable with. I’ve implemented a reversed-roles attitude in these situations, where I ask students to teach me the lecture, and ask questions along the way. I’ve found that students feel much more confident with the material, and many do better on exams subsequent to these types of interactions than they had on exams previous. In one case, a student had failed the first two exams. We began meeting twice weekly, and in each meeting they would re-teach me the lectures of that week, and I would ask questions about how the topics related to each other, and to past course material. On the final exam, this student scored a near perfect.
Developing Critical Thinking
In order to engage students to thinking beyond the classroom material and to think critically, I take a two pronged approach. I strongly believe that the foundation of good teaching is to inspire students through excitement and enthusiasm. To this end, my first strategy has always been to engage students through my unbridled enthusiasm. This includes thinking of real-life analogies of course material or even something as goofy as acting out bird mating dances to show the extremes of sexual selection. In addition, the match up games that I start each lab with are often extreme and fascinating natural history curiosities which are related to lecture, but go beyond what students have learned in class- for example, when we discuss types of natural selection in class, in lab we might discuss how frequency-dependent selection shapes orchid flower color by the ability to deceive its pollinators. My enthusiasm, as well as these intrinsically weird natural history facts often excite and challenge students, which allows them to begin to ask questions. It is in the nature of asking questions that my second strategy is employed. Frequently, I will begin class or the discussion period by posing a broad question relating to what has been covered in lecture, but which applies lecture material to the greater theoretical context or to specific natural examples. I challenge the students to logically think through evolutionary phenomenon, and to question each other. Many of my students are interested in pursing a career in medical sciences, and their high school experience has taught them that biology is a field of memorizing terms. In my classroom, I challenge students to break that conception, make observations in the natural world around them, and begin to implement the scientific method by asking questions. I have also been fortunate enough to mentor a number of students throughout my graduate school experience. We always begin by discussing the skills they want to achieve by the end of the semester and the types of topics that excite them. I have weekly discussion meetings with my mentees, where we read current primary literature on the topic of interest and discuss as a group. This not only broadens their foundational knowledge, but allows them to see how the scientific process is carried out, to question the methods or data interpretation of other researchers, and to discuss their own research interests at a more critical level.
Allowing Students to Shape Their Learning Experience
The last strategy which I practice is to gather frequent feedback on my students’ grasp of either the course material at hand, or the independent project. In class, I use anonymous feedback cards at the end of each lab. These cards always start with the students’ responses to two questions which identify areas of interest and course content that was confusing. Each week, I address the ‘confusing’ areas that were raised on these exit cards, trying to incorporate new analogies or new ways of thinking about the same problem. For my mentees, I have weekly meetings to discuss their research progress. We often talk about problems the student is having; whether they are conceptual to the theory being tested or practical in implementation. These conversations allow for a two-way dialogue, wherein students shape their own research projects and interests. Both feedback cards, and individual conversations allow me to assess where knowledge gaps exist, potential misconceptions about the course material, and areas that students find genuinely exciting. Letting this feedback shape the direction of the class has been pivotal for student learning, and has also helped me to grow as a teacher in highlighting areas of general confusion or excitement.
Outside of the classroom, I have found it valuable to continue my own professional development in teaching. I am enrolled in the Duke Certificate in College Teaching program, and have participated in Teaching Triangles- a peer review based group in which teachers from different fields do classroom visits and provide feedback on teaching styles. I have taken a class on syllabus design, in which I designed a course in evolutionary genetics with a particular focus on human evolution (see mock syllabus here). I am currently enrolled in two classes; one which centers around preparing teaching portfolios, and one which focusses on teaching biology. Both of these classes have allowed me to thoughtfully create a teaching statement by critically assessing my own strengths and weaknesses as a teacher. I find teaching an incredibly important and rewarding experience, and continuing my own learning process in teaching is an exciting and important part of being a good teacher.
Engaging students to become active and educated citizens is paramount in creating sustainable and progressive societies. Therefore, encouraging students to develop critical thinking skills and harness a basic understanding of evolutionary biology and genetics is my ultimate goal as a science educator. I believe that active learning is essential to nurture curiosity and encourage critical thinking, and is a fruitful teaching approach for students from all backgrounds to engage in the classroom.
Approach and Implementation
In my teaching, I use three strategies to engage students and help them to develop critical thought. (1) I promote an environment of classroom community, which allows students the ability to safely fail and to learn actively. (2) I engage students to think beyond the classroom material, challenge them on status quo thinking. (3) Students shape their own learning experience by frequent student feedback. These goals have allowed my students to engage more deeply with the material at hand and develop critical thinking skills. In turn, teaching has shaped my own understanding of the topic material, challenged me to critically think through standard logic used in the field, and allowed me to learn new perspectives on old problems from my students.
Creating Classroom Community
In my experience, creating a sense of classroom community has been important to creating a safe space for learning. To me, a strong classroom community means that students feel comfortable sharing opinions and questions openly. One way in which I foster classroom community among students is to use match-up games at the beginning of each lab for students to find a new lab partner each week. This allows students to get to know their classmates and subsequently feel more comfortable talking in discussion as the semester continues. Students report that they appreciate interacting with their lab mates, and I have noticed both increased and broader participation when I implement a rotating-partner scheme. To create rapport between myself and students, I have implemented opportunities for one-on-one, or smaller session discussions which serve as safe places for students to fail. These include having a general questions period at the beginning of each lab, setting up mentored, group study sessions before exams, and hosting office hours every week. During these smaller sessions, my goal is to act as a resource for a student-active learning process. In my experience, when the students are more engaged and guide their own learning, they also become more comfortable with the class, and thus create a sense of classroom community. I facilitate group learning by encouraging student questions to be answered by their peers, but can still achieve specific learning outcomes, by asking follow up questions. For example, many previous students have come to office hours simply to be re-taught lectures they might not feel comfortable with. I’ve implemented a reversed-roles attitude in these situations, where I ask students to teach me the lecture, and ask questions along the way. I’ve found that students feel much more confident with the material, and many do better on exams subsequent to these types of interactions than they had on exams previous. In one case, a student had failed the first two exams. We began meeting twice weekly, and in each meeting they would re-teach me the lectures of that week, and I would ask questions about how the topics related to each other, and to past course material. On the final exam, this student scored a near perfect.
Developing Critical Thinking
In order to engage students to thinking beyond the classroom material and to think critically, I take a two pronged approach. I strongly believe that the foundation of good teaching is to inspire students through excitement and enthusiasm. To this end, my first strategy has always been to engage students through my unbridled enthusiasm. This includes thinking of real-life analogies of course material or even something as goofy as acting out bird mating dances to show the extremes of sexual selection. In addition, the match up games that I start each lab with are often extreme and fascinating natural history curiosities which are related to lecture, but go beyond what students have learned in class- for example, when we discuss types of natural selection in class, in lab we might discuss how frequency-dependent selection shapes orchid flower color by the ability to deceive its pollinators. My enthusiasm, as well as these intrinsically weird natural history facts often excite and challenge students, which allows them to begin to ask questions. It is in the nature of asking questions that my second strategy is employed. Frequently, I will begin class or the discussion period by posing a broad question relating to what has been covered in lecture, but which applies lecture material to the greater theoretical context or to specific natural examples. I challenge the students to logically think through evolutionary phenomenon, and to question each other. Many of my students are interested in pursing a career in medical sciences, and their high school experience has taught them that biology is a field of memorizing terms. In my classroom, I challenge students to break that conception, make observations in the natural world around them, and begin to implement the scientific method by asking questions. I have also been fortunate enough to mentor a number of students throughout my graduate school experience. We always begin by discussing the skills they want to achieve by the end of the semester and the types of topics that excite them. I have weekly discussion meetings with my mentees, where we read current primary literature on the topic of interest and discuss as a group. This not only broadens their foundational knowledge, but allows them to see how the scientific process is carried out, to question the methods or data interpretation of other researchers, and to discuss their own research interests at a more critical level.
Allowing Students to Shape Their Learning Experience
The last strategy which I practice is to gather frequent feedback on my students’ grasp of either the course material at hand, or the independent project. In class, I use anonymous feedback cards at the end of each lab. These cards always start with the students’ responses to two questions which identify areas of interest and course content that was confusing. Each week, I address the ‘confusing’ areas that were raised on these exit cards, trying to incorporate new analogies or new ways of thinking about the same problem. For my mentees, I have weekly meetings to discuss their research progress. We often talk about problems the student is having; whether they are conceptual to the theory being tested or practical in implementation. These conversations allow for a two-way dialogue, wherein students shape their own research projects and interests. Both feedback cards, and individual conversations allow me to assess where knowledge gaps exist, potential misconceptions about the course material, and areas that students find genuinely exciting. Letting this feedback shape the direction of the class has been pivotal for student learning, and has also helped me to grow as a teacher in highlighting areas of general confusion or excitement.
Outside of the classroom, I have found it valuable to continue my own professional development in teaching. I am enrolled in the Duke Certificate in College Teaching program, and have participated in Teaching Triangles- a peer review based group in which teachers from different fields do classroom visits and provide feedback on teaching styles. I have taken a class on syllabus design, in which I designed a course in evolutionary genetics with a particular focus on human evolution (see mock syllabus here). I am currently enrolled in two classes; one which centers around preparing teaching portfolios, and one which focusses on teaching biology. Both of these classes have allowed me to thoughtfully create a teaching statement by critically assessing my own strengths and weaknesses as a teacher. I find teaching an incredibly important and rewarding experience, and continuing my own learning process in teaching is an exciting and important part of being a good teacher.
MENTORING
I have had the pleasure to mentor multiple undergraduate students. My philosophy in undergraduate mentoring follows much of my general teaching philosophy. I encourage students to work on independent projects which will highlight skills they wish to achieve in the lab. I have started undergraduate-focussed journal clubs to increase foundational knowledge in the undergrads I work with, as well as encourage undergraduates to write an annotated bibliography of the relevant primary research and a research proposal for their independent project. I aim to create an environment where students can be curious, and enthusiastic, and try their hands at the scientific method!!!
I have had the pleasure to mentor multiple undergraduate students. My philosophy in undergraduate mentoring follows much of my general teaching philosophy. I encourage students to work on independent projects which will highlight skills they wish to achieve in the lab. I have started undergraduate-focussed journal clubs to increase foundational knowledge in the undergrads I work with, as well as encourage undergraduates to write an annotated bibliography of the relevant primary research and a research proposal for their independent project. I aim to create an environment where students can be curious, and enthusiastic, and try their hands at the scientific method!!!
Undergraduate Madison Zamora in the field collecting Mimulus
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Maya Wilson-Brown presenting a poster on her research about within-species crossing barriers in Mimulus as a part of Duke BioCore
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