教师重点:2018年7月

W这是你的教育背景?

DW: 我得了B.S. in Biology with a minor in Philosophy from Loyola University Chicago, and I'm currently working on my Master's in Biology from Clemson University. 

What did you do prior to becoming a teacher at Fenwick?

DW: I taught Chemistry and Biology at St. Patrick High School, w在这里 I also coached track, cross-country, soccer and volleyball. 

What are you currently reading for enjoyment?

DW: 戴帽子的猫 博士. 苏斯.  Both myself and my one-year-old daughter, Julia, enjoy it immensely. 

What interests do you pursue outside of the classroom?

DW: 课堂外, 我的主要兴趣是我的家庭, which includes three daughters under the age of six.  When I find extra time, I enjoy playing volleyball, ping pong, soccer and cooking. 

DW: I ran track and cross country, and was part of the NHS [National Honor Society]. 

Which clubs/sports/activities do you run at Fenwick?

DW: At Fenwick, I coach track and cross country.  I'm also part of the Robotics Club and 凯洛. 

What quality/characteristic marks a Fenwick student?

DW: 上进心强，有礼貌. 

DW: 我上大学的时候, I developed a reputation of someone who took good notes in class and understood the material. I often found myself helping my peers and realized that I had a knack for explaining concepts to those who did not fully understand and, 当然, 我很喜欢. 教学显然是下一个步骤. 

DW: 能够与学生建立联系, 主要是通过我的幽默感, and showing them that I care not only about their work but also about them and their lives outside the classroom. 

DW: My philosophy of education emphasizes an eclectic and interactive teaching model with a variety of both student-centered and teacher-centered methods that maximize student achievement. I believe that students are most inspired to learn science when they do science; t在这里fore, my students spend as much time doing related laboratory activities as they do in lecture. I work diligently to create an effective learning environment that will encourage all of my students to be active and engaged learners for life, t在这里by achieving success both in and out of the classroom.​

DW: The little things bring me the most joy: When a student's "light bulb" goes on, when it finally clicks for them; when I get emails from former students saying how much easier their college class is because they took my class.  Having met and gotten to know the dedicated and intelligent faculty and staff of esball世博 has also been an ongoing highlight of my years at Fenwick. 

DW: Students are under more and more pressure to do more to distinguish themselves on college applications. Sometimes I wonder if students take on so many activities because they want to or because they feel like they have been made to do so. With the addition of technology/phones, they have the whole world at their fingertips, which does not leave a lot of time for sleep.  

DW: Students are very observant and can very quickly gauge if teachers are having a good day or not; whether teachers love what they do or not. I don't feel like I need to do anything extraordinary to motivate students because I think they can be fueled by my passion of the subject and of teaching. Doing very cool and relevant labs doesn't hurt either.