Profile on Ms. Meyer

Mrs. Meyer is a new teacher here at Rowland Hall who teaches regular and honors chemistry. Here are some questions that she answered to help the Rowland Hall community get to know her a little better.

Where did you teach before this?

I have taught in a few different schools: I started out teaching a lab-based college course on paleontology and then decided I wanted to pursue teaching full-time. My first K-12 teaching job was in Connecticut at a small independent private school teaching math and science. Then, I taught science for four years at a charter middle school in Arizona before moving to Utah two years ago. Since being in Utah, I have worked at the U of U in outreach in the College of Mines and Earth Sciences and now Rowland!

What made you want to become a chemistry teacher?

I have always loved science, and I have actually taught biology, chemistry, and physics. While they are all fun, chemistry is (in my opinion) the coolest to teach. Chemistry explains so much about the world around us and the things that we interact with every day. The labs are also a nice bonus!

What has the transition into a new job during a pandemic been like?

It has definitely been a super weird year to start at a new school. The adjustment to new expectations, new students, new colleagues, and new curriculum given the pandemic has made this year a busy one for sure! I think the thing that is probably the most different is how little I know the other teachers, as I have not met many of them in person or even on Zoom really!

How have you adapted your teaching style to align with new procedures and guidelines from covid?

Well, I don't normally teach with a flipped classroom model. A flipped classroom is where students learn the information on their own and then the in-class time is spent on active problem solving, labs, or activities. This year, I am making video lectures for every unit instead of in-class direct instruction, and most of the time spent in the classroom is working through problem sets and labs.

What surprises you most about Rowland Hall students?

The students at Rowland are AWESOME! I have worked with hundreds of students of all different ages and backgrounds, and I have to say that Rowland students are exceptional in their work ethic. Rowland students are overall the most hard-working bunch of students I have ever taught, in addition to being fun, respectful, and responsible.

Why did you decide to come to Rowland Hall?

While working at the U of U, I realized how much I missed being in the classroom every day. The job at Rowland not only allowed me to teach the topics I love most, but also fit with my own teaching philosophy. Finding a school with great administrators, fun teachers, and exceptional students is no easy task. I am super excited to be a part of the Rowland team!

What element from the periodic table best represents you and why?

This is by far the toughest question. I have favorite elements, of course, like molybdenum, tungsten, and uranium, but the one that best represents me would have to be hydrogen. Not only is it literally true (our bodies are ~62% hydrogen if you look at the percentage of atoms), but it is also the most abundant element in most stars, including our sun. So, basically, I am a star.

So far, Rowland Hall students are loving the class. Maile Fukushima, a sophomore, said, “it might be the best and most fun class I have ever been in, and the labs she has us do are super interesting.” It’s great to see that despite our unfortunate circumstances with covid, students can still learn in a way that is productive and enjoyable. And when another sophomore, Ruchi Agarwal, was asked about what she was excited to learn more about this year, she said, “I’m looking forward to learning about how different elements interact, and what their roles on the periodic table are.” This love of learning that Rowland Hall students carry into the class plus the unique and fun way Mrs. Meyer teaches makes for a great environment in the classroom and on Zoom that keeps students engaged and ready to take on the challenges presented to them.

Mrs. Meyer is very excited about becoming a part of this community. Be sure to stop by her classroom, room B13, and say hello!