Rebecca Graving, Science Teacher

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                    Rebecca Graving, Science Teacher

       Many people, ideas, and experiences influenced my decision to make teaching my

career. I was first introduced to a love of science through my middle school and high

school teachers. Through my experiences teaching environmental education, I

discovered a love for teaching science. These experiences helped me to pick an age

group of students I wished to teach and taught me the value of teaching teamwork skills

and self-confidence building experiences. It also helped me to realize the importance of

other subjects besides science, and to set goals beyond the simple conveyance of

knowledge. My experiences and college classes have expanded my views of teaching

into what they are currently.

       I always loved nature, but my love of science and desire to enter into that field

were not concrete until I was in middle school. My favorite teachers taught science.

Eighth grade human anatomy and physiology fascinated me. In high school, I took every

science class offered and became a teacher’s aid for the biology teacher in my senior

year. I chose to attend Michigan State University because the school offered a program

in zoology, following my love of science and animals. I always pictured myself as

progressing through masters and doctorate programs until I was a university professor

conducting research and teaching college students. Midway through my bachelor’s

degree, I began to consider teaching in secondary schools as an alternative to research

and college level teaching. I started to have ideas about how I would teach various

classes and how I would present myself. I fluctuated between careers in scientific

research and teaching high school. Taking an environmental education class my final

semester as an undergraduate was the final catalyst for my decision to enter education.
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       I graduated with my bachelor’s of science in zoology and began to explore career

options. I worked a few field research positions, but I wanted to experience an

environmental education position. My curiosity for environmental and outdoor education

had been building since my environmental education class as an undergraduate. I applied

for several positions that started in the spring and accepted one working for the YMCA of

Greater Indianapolis. It was a good position for people starting in the field. The director

of the center was patient and adept at explaining what we should do and why. We taught

hands-on activities that included the subjects of science and history. We also led

activities focused on building teamwork and self-confidence. I was hard pressed to learn

enough practical science to teach the students new and practical applications to what they

had learned in more formal settings. These students, ranging from 3rd to 8th grades, were

sponges soaking up as much knowledge as I could share with them. One group sticks out

in my mind as my favorites. They were a group of gifted and talented 3rd graders. They

were so young and knew so much. Their curiosity was endless and they enthusiastically

loved everything. This group of “sponges” was the first to change my desire to teach

high school into a desire to teach elementary school.

       I consider the students in grades 3 through 6 to be “the sponge age”. I call them

“the sponges” because they are eager for knowledge and are just beginning to see and

understand the broader implications and applications of what is being taught and how to

apply it in their daily lives. Younger age groups are still learning the basics and have a

limited view beyond them. The older students are beginning to be overwhelmed by their

hormones and the importance of maintaining acceptance within their peer groups. This is
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why the 3rd through 6th graders are my favorites, although the older students entice me

through the additional challenges they present.

       After my first environmental education season ended, I pursued additional

positions in the field, increasing my experiences, knowledge, and interactions with formal

educators and students. I studied and learned from the good and the bad teachers I saw. I

witnessed good and bad group management, student-teacher rapport, and teacher

investment and involvement with their students. I had favorite groups of students and

teachers. I also became frustrated with environmental education. The high student

turnover, rare upward mobility, and the lack of seriousness and importance placed by the

public, especially formal educators, on the field of environmental education drove me

from the field. In environmental education, I learned an incredible amount about

teaching, science, cooperation, and social interactions.

       The most important thing I learned from working in environmental education was

the value of building self-confidence and teamwork skills. As a naturalist, I facilitated

various challenge activities which allowed the students to explore the importance of

teamwork and self-confidence. During these challenge activities, I witnessed the students

gain self-confidence when they overcame physical obstacles and when they were given

the chance to be a leader, especially for those students who were usually followers. I also

witnessed groups of individual students slowly turn into teams that trusted each other and

became less concerned with how their actions were perceived by other members of the

group. For students who may do poorly in a formal classroom, this could be a confidence

building experience. It also demonstrated that new experiences and innovative ways of

teaching could be very liberating for many students. This knowledge will influence my
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presentation of material to include a variety of forms so that all learning styles will have

the opportunity to excel. It also makes me more aware of different test taking needs.

But, primarily, I see the value of taking time out to explore different problems that make

the students develop their critical thinking and cooperative learning skills. It is important

also for the students to realize their personal potential, abilities and individual value

beyond classroom grades. This understanding has forced me to change my focus from

primarily sharing scientific knowledge and a joy of science to being concerned with the

self-confidence and cooperative learning of my students. This knowledge will be carried

over into my classroom and will effect my teaching style, goals, and activities as I enter

formal education.

        I have also gained greater understanding of other classroom issues from my

education and social science classes. Issues of race, class, gender, disabilities, and sexual

preference must be faced and dealt with in ways that do not limit any individual’s

abilities or experiences. This desire has prompted me to teach subjects other than science

and to find interesting ways of presenting this subject matter. I want to have a positive

influence on the lives of all students I encounter. I want to work with the students who

need me the most, especially those students in need of good teachers who will not limit

the creativity of their students due to race, class, gender, disabilities, or sexual preference.

I realize this will take a lot of work, but I look forward to the opportunity to help all

students achieve their greatest potential.

        Looking back at my experiences and decisions, I am proud of what I have done

and how I have done it. I can see many personal changes I have undergone as a result of

my experiences and I will be a better teacher for them. My personal views and beliefs are
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still changing, and I realize that they always will, as I learn from my classes and from my

students. I am already experiencing many differences between formal and informal

education. My route to teaching in a formal education setting may seem indirect, but I

acknowledge the importance of it. My experiences have cemented my goals and allowed

enough variety for me to determine what I want to do with my life. I will always have a

love for science, but now I have a broader sense of what I value and what my goals are. I

will share this love of science with my students, but I will also encourage other aspects of

learning and self-discovery.