Welcome to MS. Robinson's ClASs
I am excited to be teaching science and math at Oak View High School. I teach Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Marine Science, and Algebra 1. Additional electives include Film and Maker Space.
As a teacher, I believe each student has their own unique path to learning. My role is to help students find their way in order to fully engage in the wonders of life. I became a science teacher because I love sharing my fascination for how the world around us works. I also believe that by learning science and engineering, we can participate in our communities to solve problems and make life better for ourselves, our children, and our children’s children.
I grew up in Britain and first came to the United States when I was fourteen. I attended a number of middle and high schools, including a very small one where the teachers made all the difference to me as a student. So, I know from personal experience how valuable it is to teach at a school where I can give my students individual attention.
Family
I come from a family of teachers and artists. My extended family lives near me and I enjoy reading picture books and going for nature hikes with my little grand-nephews and grand-niece. I relax by gardening roses, tending to sprawling tomatoes, and eating ripe mangoes and figs from our trees. I have two glass kilns and create fused glass art, write, and sew in my spare time.
Trivia
As a kid in Scotland, I was an official Bumble Bee Inspector that assessed bee species diversity. Later, I captured live wild animals (including the occasional snake) in Australia for a rare mammal survey. In Costa Rica, I gathered spiders to see if a researcher could find a new species, but we didn't. Recently, I discovered a sponge fossil reef in the White Mountains of California. This lived around the time of the first multicellular animals on Earth, half a billion years ago.
Qualifications & Awards
I have a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Grand Canyon University, a degree in Biochemistry and Physiology from Reading University, England, and a teaching credential.
My STEM teaching awards include a College Board Diversity Award, a State of California Senate Certificate of Recognition from Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, a regional Teacher of the Year Award, and an Outstanding Educator Award from IEEE (the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers).
Some of my articles (scroll down to find my name and then read on)