The competent teacher is an ethical and reflective practitioner who exhibits professionalism; provides leadership in the learning community; and advocates for students, parents or guardians, and the profession.
Life's Compass Certificate of Completion
A Study of Wilson's Disease in C. elegans
On the Endangered Pygmy Cypress
Rationale:
The four artifacts above are meant to be physical demonstrations of professionalism, leadership, and advocacy. The first artifact is of a certificate that I earned from Online Christian Courses. I took an 8-week online class in the winter of 20-21 with apologist Dr. Frank Turek in which we really broke down Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. We met on Zoom once a week to discuss and ask questions. This was a wonderful opportunity that later led me to learn about the Discovery Institute where I later graduated as a Summer Seminar alumnus. The second artifact is of a research project that I did in a genetics class. This was the capstone of all of my biological studies throughout my whole career. It demonstrates how I have sought to be a contributing member of the scientific community. Along with this are the third and fourth artifacts. These were made at the end of the spring 22 semester. I was taking a plant conservation class at Morton Arboretum and wrote a paper and an IUCN Redlist Assessment on an endangered species called the pygmy cypress.
Altogether, I believe that these four artifacts can demonstrate this standard well. The Life's Compass class has taught me ethics and morality along with the foundations of faith. These artifacts show how I am always seeking to grow and learn and hopefully can indicate how I want to "[provide] leadership in the learning community". I believe that my students deserve a competent teacher who is not just a person who can deliver content. They deserve a well-rounded individual who is an expert in his field and a man of God who seeks their growth and good.
The Life's Compass class has led me to study Mere Christianity so much more. I read the book multiple times now, led a small group through the book, and then co-taught a Sunday school class on the book. The ideas therein have already been used to help some of my students who have come to me for advice as well. My studies on Wilson's Disease were instrumental for my students as I used the study to teach them about growth mindset and how the scientific endeavor requires one to have such a worldview as failures still contribute to the goal. My Redlist Assessment of the pygmy cypress was given to my students in my Survey of Plants and Animals class as they prepared to give presentations on a species of plant that they researched. Some students were worried that there would not be enough to say about a plant to make a whole presentation. This artifact was given to show them how much you can really dig up about a plant when you research it deeply. Altogether then, my growth and development as a Christian and a scientist has led to professional work that can be and has already been beneficial for students.