Mollie Deuel's Teaching Portfolio
As I reflect upon what I value as a teacher in myself and the community of my classroom, I have come to believe that it is a teacher's duty to facilitate students in the learning process and the students should also be given the opportunity to drive their own learning. Lev Vygotsky's interpretation of constructivism is that learning is developed through social constructs and interactions. This means that knowledge is constructed by students based on their interactions and I believe that the interactions with the content, the teacher, their peers, and real life application is essentially what enables the process of learning.
Not only am I passionate about Biology, Environmental Science, and Ecology content being taught in the classroom, I also love fostering relationships with students and facilitating their growth throughout adolescence. It is the interpersonal connections that are made in the classroom that were the deciding factor in my wanting to become a teacher instead of a field scientist. I am also very passionate about educating students to be good samaritans of the earth and help them not only learn science, but to also be outstanding and compassionate citizens of the world.
​
I realized I wanted to teach science while I was working in the Experiential and Outdoor Education Field. I spent a year as an instructor and a year as an administrator at an outdoor education facility in Southern California. Seeing students learn through hands on experiences, many being in true nature for the first time, made me fall in love with facilitating that learning experience for children. I saw how engaged they were with learning science, outdoor and leadership education and it inspired me to want to bring similar experiences to the traditional classroom.
​
My Teaching Philosophy
It is important for students to have some autonomy over what they're learning and to have that hands on experimental learning in the classroom. I also want to take students on lots of field trips outdoors, because I have seen first hand how being able to observe scientific processes in nature really captures students attention and becomes a driving force to their learning.
​
Another component that should be implemented in the science classroom is the use of technology. Virtual labs and simulations can provide a hands on experience that may not otherwise be feasible to implement in the classroom. A lot of times materials and other resources may not be available to teachers and students, but with the use of technology, students will be able to explore a broad range of environments, objects and phenomena.
​
I want my classroom to be a safe space for all students. In order for learning to take place, students need to feel comfortable in their environment. I believe fostering positive relationships with students should be a top priority of any teacher. Getting to know students will not only create a good teacher-student dynamic that will help immensely with behavior management, but it will also inform the teacher as to what supports their students need to learn.
​
Differentiating instruction is also a very important component of support in the classroom for all students. Not every student in the classroom is going to be at the same readiness level and some students may require extra supports in order to reach all of the learning objectives for the course.
Z