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Teaching Philosphy

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Photo credit: Matt Yeoman

I strive to create an inclusive & learner-centered educational environment. Facts are used as gateways to greater understanding of guiding principles. Traditional lectures are punctuated by discussions and relevant examples to help students demystify difficult concepts. I want students to find and appreciate the interconnectedness of life and to see the world with open fascination.

 

I encourage development (or maintenance) of a growth mindset by providing low-risk opportunities for practice.

While modeling and promoting professionalism and personal accountability, I aim to include compassion and understanding in all of my interactions with students.

Teaching Resources

Image by Daniel Roberts

Attract or Defend?
Secondary Compounds
among tissues in two species
of Lupine (Fabaceae)

Data Analysis module designed for sophomore-level students. Appropriate for 50-min class with some outside work

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Fostering asynchronous class discussions using Padlet

Various resources that showcase Padlet as a user-friendly platform for asynchronous discussions and presentations (instruction sheets, rubrics, examples) 

"Flipped" lesson with guided reading of primary research and in-class discussions of ecological themes and experimental design.
Designed for upper-level students. 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/jayw/1393188974/

Using the Ribeiroia-amphibian System to Illustrate Key Ecological Themes

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Digital Herbarium Lab:
Comparing abundance over time using RStudio

Herbarium label

Computer lab using R to compare abundances of native/non-native plants over time.

No R experience needed. Designed for sophomore-level students. Appropriate for 2-3 hour lab period (or requiring some outside work).

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Lab slides and dissections for flowers and fruit lab

Guided video dissections and labeled images. Includes a pre-lab activity and access to lab worksheet.

Current Courses

BIO 170: Introduction to Organisms
Every Fall | Aquinas College
Watercolor Butterfly 19
BIO 220: Plant Biology
Odd-Year Springs | Aquinas College
BIO 305: Ecology
Odd-Year Falls | Aquinas College
BIO 305: Evolution
Every Spring | Aquinas College
BIO499: Senior Seminar
On rotation | Aquinas College
BY 160: Principles of Biology
Fall 2016 & Spring 2017 | Aquinas College
BY 161: Botany
Fall 2016 & 2017 | Aquinas College
ES 117: Intro. to Environmental
              Science
Fa 2015 & Sp 2016 | Hollins University
BY 162: Zoology
Spring 2017 | Aquinas College
BY 101: Concepts in Biology
Fall 2018-2020 | Aquinas College | SYLLABUS
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