Welcome to gotscience.com! Following is a brief introduction of myself and my goals for the class.
I developed this website as an additional resource for students in their quest to learn more about biology and the environment. My goal as a teacher is to give students a solid foundation in the principles of biology and inspire them to understand their connection to the environment. By emphasizing the practical aspects of biology, students see the “big picture” of how their choices affect both their health and prosperity. These issues cross all cultural and economic barriers; therefore, my goal has been to effectively communicate with a diverse student body.

I have taught biology at both the high school and college level. Most recently I taught at Troy High School, a magnet school that is nationally recognized for its science and technology programs. I instructed classes with students that are highly accelerated in their studies as well as a sheltered class that contains students that face a variety of learning challenges including limited English proficiency.

At the college level, I have taught general biology, human biology and environmental biology courses taught to both majors and non-majors. My strategy in the lecture and laboratory settings is to make the learning process an active and personal experience for each student. I like to employ the dynamics of the small group to bring out the controversial and complex nature of current biological and environmental issues. Students often feel frustrated with the perceived futility of the current environmental situation. Therefore, I stress the power they each possess as voting citizens and as consumers. Students have responded positively to this type of varied and optimistic teaching style.

I have found that using a variety of tools to reach my students in the classroom has worked most effectively to promote student learning. I am currently using my website, www.gotscience.com, for students to access course-related materials, websites, and events. For students needing extra assistance, I encourage them to attend my office hours or e-mail me with questions.

I look forward to meeting with each of my students and assisting them with their academic needs. Please feel free to contact me by e-mail with questions regarding course-related materials. Have a great semester!

Sincerely,

Kristen Chavez