Teaching
My love for science includes teaching about science and the environment!
Teaching
Boreal Ecology - University of Manitoba
From teaching assistant to instructor.
First Year Biology Lab - Dalhousie University
As a teaching assistant for the first year biology lab, I was responsible for conducting a lab of ~30 students and grading their lab reports. It was important that I was prepared and organized for each week’s lab to effectively help my students. Within each lab, I would communicate effectively to the students a pre-lab talk, as well as any other important information.
Being a teaching assistant required me to be flexible and adaptable, as every lab was different, and each student is unique. I ensured to answer everyone’s questions in a way that they would understand. If a student did not understand I would re-explain the concept in a different way so that it made more sense to them.
It was also important that I was approachable so that my students never hesitated to ask me for help. If a student struggled, I would offer them guidance then encourage them to try completing the task with the new information. I would then walk around the room answering other students’ questions and I would circle back to see how the student progressed and offer any additional help if needed.
I found the experience incredibly rewarding and thoroughly enjoyed connecting with my students and helping them learn in their first year at university.
Stock photos from UnsplashStudent Testimonials
(From anonymous student feedback reports)“Amanda is an amazing TA! She is very helpful and patient in [lab]. She is upbeat and her attitude makes [biology] labs a rewarding learning experience.”
— First Year Biology Student
“She’s amazing and always there to help me!”
— First Year Biology Student
“Amanda was a great TA who put a great deal of effort into ensuring we understood the labs. She corrected all [of] my labs fairly and offered good feedback on how to improve!”
— First Year Biology Student
Fostering a Love of Nature in Children
I love being outdoors. In summer 2019, I had the opportunity to work and live at the Knowlesville Art and Nature (KAN) Center , running outdoor camp programs for kids. One of the KAN Center’s goals is to “instill respect in the natural environment”. An important step in getting the next generation to work for a better and greener future is by having them care.
Within the New Brunswick community, I was able to play a role in showing the beauty and importance of nature to children, some of which live in cities and were not familiar with the ‘outdoors’. The type of camps we developed and ran were focused on being connected to nature. The children spent a lot of time playing outside, in open fields, in the forest, and even swimming in a river. This outside play time included games, crafts (e.g. whistles made from sticks and painting), hikes, outdoor skills (e.g. appropriate behaviour in animal encounters presented as a story), orienteering skills (presented as a scavenger hunt with a map), and environmental education.
Play is an excellent way to promote learning in children and foster their involvement and excitement of learning. Using basic natural items for crafts and activities (as pictured) helps foster the child’s imagination, allowing them to create something new and also enforces their connection to nature.
Head Environmental Representative - Shirreff Hall Residence Council
As the Head Environmental Rep I oversaw all duties regarding the natural environment such as increasing awareness of environmental issues. I also played a vital role during the cross-residence ‘Ecolympics’ competition by promoting and running booths where students could earn points for their residence. I personally ran a ‘Phantom Power Workshop’ where students could connect their devices to a wattmeter to see how much energy they take up. The idea behind this event was to demonstrate how even electronics (such as a phone charger) that are not being used but are plugged in still draw power. A simple way to help reduce one’s energy use / ecological footprint is by turning off and/or unplugging unused electronics.
Another event was a waste sorting activity, where students would have to sort items into the proper bins (garbage, compost, recycle). We ran this challenge because it is a common misconception as to which items belong where. This often leads to compostable materials ending up in the garbage, or non-recyclable materials being placed in the recycle bins. Another event was the Eco / Environmental themed trivia night. I created questions based on this theme to educate participants on topics such as recycling and pollution.
I also played a vital role in organizing and running larger council events. We organized movie nights, a Harry Potter themed dinner with trivia, and our annual Carnival Night filled with fun activities and food. Our largest event was the annual Gala. I was responsible for designing tickets and photo booth props, among other tasks.
During the holiday season, I spearheaded a gift donation box for Adsum House, a local shelter for women and children. Students and staff donated two boxes of toys and another two boxes of toiletries. I am incredibly proud that we were able to help put smiles on members of our community’s faces.
Photo by: James Caldwell