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Shore of the Chesapeake Bay
Shore of the Chesapeake Bay
Aerial image of North Bay--site of one of two access opportunities described herein.
Overview of Access Objective
Overview of Access Objective
In this section I shall demonstrate that I have researched and presented outside opportunities to my students and that I have encouraged my students to take advantage of those opportunities. These opportunities have not been regionally obvious and readily available. Additionally, I have developed partnerships with families to support the learning environment; this shall be demonstrated herein.
An integral element of science is the origination and elucidation of knowledge that can ultimately be applied to the improvement of some aspect(s) of human existence. This translational tenet of science has always undergirded my personal epistemological and pedagogical ethos and it is one that I have ardently labored to inculcate throughout the course of my instruction. The activities highlighted in this section show how affording my students access to opportunities that they would not normally encounter served to reinforce fundamental facets of science and illustrate how these principles could be applied in such ways as to effect change individually, environmentally, and in the lives of their families. The familial influence component is one that I consider crucial, especially in the demographic population from which my pupils derive: one wherein the fragmentation of nuclear and extended family units is a feature. Catalyzing and sustaining engagement with my students caregivers’ has the salutary effect of strengthening bonds between pupils and parental figures, empowering students to inform their guardians concerning information about which they may be unaware and showing the transformative effect of applied knowledge, especially in families and communities of color, which have historically had less access to and engagement with science and Nature.
In the two experiential opportunities described in this section, I have make clear the manner in which my students have been exposed to people, programs, resources, and connections that can open doors for them and show how I have enabled them to navigate and access these opportunities independently in the future.
Access Section Conclusion & Reflection
Access Section Conclusion & Reflection
This section illustrated the extent to which I was able to expose my students to experiences rarely accessible to them. It further documented the foresight, preparation, and planning that went into the activities and their relevance to the wider learning goals I envision for my students.
The trip to the Bioengineering lab at Johns Hopkins was an important access opportunity in many respects. It gave my students a window into the operations of a world-renowned institution of higher learning, research, and innovation. Though it visually illustrated the paucity of African Americans (especially Black males) present in such distinguished institutions, it can conceivably serve as a stimulus for furthering interest in attending such schools and pursuing the study of fields centered upon science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)—fields that hold particular promise for the solution of humanity’s most pressing problems and yet ones in which African Americans remain underrepresented. Lastly, the trip underscored the breadth of knowledge that must be brought to bear in order to effectively address such daunting problems as starvation, from an understanding of the basic biology of nutrition and metabolism to designing practical means of transporting life-sustaining nutriment to people in need.
It is fitting that the North Bay trip transpired at the end of the academic year, for it enabled me to bring together critical components of my teaching, including close consultation and communication with caregivers, and advocating for the appropriateness of expending financial and temporal resources on an enriching access opportunity on my students’ behalf. It further enabled me to meaningfully link the lessons taught to my students over the course of the semester and year to an enjoyable and memorable activity that promoted bonding between students, staff, and caregivers alike.
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