I lived in Southern California from August of 2001 through June of 2013, moving to Ridgefield, CT the summer of 2013 to begin teaching at Ridgefield High School (CIHS). I taught grades 10-12 at Channel Islands High School, part of the Oxnard Union High School District (OUHSD), from 2001-2013. I taught AP biology for 3 years, marine biology for 10 years, and was the marine biology teacher for CIHS’s Marine Science Academy (MSA) for 3 years. My current teaching assignment at Ridgefield High School for the 2015-2016 school year includes AP Biology, Honors Biology, and Oceanography.
CIHS’s close proximity to the Pacific Ocean and the Channel Islands National Park and Marine Sanctuary allowed me to develop a diverse, student-centered marine biology curriculum. I would engage my students in activities including hands-on class activities and labs. My students took many field trip that included a floating marine biology lab, nature hikes at the Channel Islands National Park and Marine Sanctuary, trips to the Aquarium of the Pacific, and field studies at state beaches that allowed students ample opportunities to apply the marine biology curriculum outside of the classroom.
I started teaching AP biology at CIHS in 2010. This college-level class emphasizes laboratory experience, with 25% of the entire course dedicated to hands-on, inquiry based labs that meet the expectations of the AP College Board. In addition to the recommended AP labs, I also partnered with the Amgen Bruce-Wallace Biotechnology program, which is an educational outreach program that provides equipment, curriculum assistance and supplies to high schools and colleges. The program integrates a hands-on, inquiry-based molecular biology curriculum designed to introduce, with extensive teacher support, the excitement of scientific discovery to students.
In addition to traditional teaching techniques, my teaching philosophy focuses on student-centered learning and engagement by emphasizing technology integration and utilization. I tailor my instructional techniques to the diverse academic needs of individual students. I utilize multiple teaching tools, including in-class voting systems, Promethean & Smart boards, learning management systems such as Schoology and Edmodo, hands-on labs, and activities to further student engagement. I also designed and maintain my own class website with a wealth of resources available to students, parents, and teachers alike.
Please consider me for assistance with difficult subject material, needing to catch up, or preparation for the AP Biology or SAT II Biology subject exams.
