About Me & Pedagogy

Bio:

Tori, a recognized leader in education and Massachusetts's 2020 STEM Teacher of the Year, is an innovative educator, STEAM educator, and author. She is dedicated to integrating STEAM into elementary classrooms and designing curriculum that empowers all students to succeed. A technology and teaching fellow, Tori supports fellow educators through her work and by presenting on innovative teaching practices at conferences such as ISTE and MassCUE. She also teaches college courses focused on STEAM and technology integration, supporting diverse learners, and effective science and engineering instruction.

Teaching Philosophy Statement

My philosophy is rooted in the belief that classrooms should be dynamic and energetic, not silent. For too long, students were told to be quiet, to suppress their voices, and to remain stationary. I believe that if students aren’t moving and actively engaged, they aren’t learning. My classroom is a "noisy" one, where discourse is encouraged. I create a space where students work collaboratively in small groups and partnerships, empowered to use their voices to ask questions and seek support from their peers. This approach fosters the development of critical 21st-century skills and soft skills, preparing them for a collaborative world.

At the core of my practice, my classrooms are student-led and Universally Designed for Learning (UDL). I serve as a facilitator of learning, rather than a "sage on the stage." By providing students with multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression, I give them the opportunity to discover, be creative, guide their own learning pathways, make decisions, and advocate for themselves. This active learning approach ensures students are deeply engaged in the content, leaving them empowered and fulfilled at the end of the day. Embracing the "noise" and empowering student voices leads to deeper learning and more meaningful content mastery.

Research Statement

My research interests are centered on teaching self-efficacy, with a specific focus on its relationship to STEM and STEAM education and school-university partnerships. My doctoral dissertation, which investigated preservice and novice educators’ self-efficacy toward teaching engineering design, provided a strong foundation for this work. I am also currently researching the benefits of community-based learning partnerships for preservice teacher candidates and school districts, seeking to understand how these collaborations can better support and prepare teachers to combat burnout, a critical issue in the field today. Ultimately, I aim to contribute to the field by addressing teacher burnout, particularly by researching how higher education can more effectively support and prepare future educators.

My work in both research and practice is dedicated to promoting inclusive excellence within a culturally and socioeconomically diverse university setting. My research on preservice teachers' self-efficacy and my work with community-based learning partnerships are inherently connected to ensuring all future educators, regardless of background, are equipped with the skills and confidence to teach diverse populations. By focusing on teacher preparation, we can create more equitable and supportive classrooms from the start.

Equity & Inclusion Statement

My commitment to equity and inclusion is personal and professional, shaped by my experiences as a student and educator. Growing up in a homogenous community, I yearned for opportunities to learn from diverse authors and about different cultures. This commitment deepened when I became a teacher, where I made it a goal to ensure all students could see themselves in STEM. I actively included diverse voices in my curriculum, created a "Girls in STEAM" club to build confidence, and used bulletin boards to highlight diverse STEM professionals. My ongoing goal is for every student to see themselves in STEM.

My commitment to antiracism and social justice extends to my role in higher education. I designed and taught a graduate course, Supporting Diverse Students Through Equity and Social Justice, where I created a safe space for teachers to discuss mistakes and ask questions, guided by the principle that "when you know better, do better." Furthermore, my recent trip to Italy provided me with a small but invaluable experience of what it's like to be in a place where you don't speak the language, deepening my empathy and understanding for English language learners. I am committed to continuous personal education in DEI and to proactively addressing injustices. My approach to promoting inclusive excellence is to lead by example, foster open dialogue, and create a curriculum where every student's voice and background are valued and celebrated.

This I Believe

Below are some examples of professional development presentation slides that I have presented in recent years.

Below are some funded grants that I have written in recent years.

Below are some newspaper articles that I and/or my classroom/students have been featured in recent years.

Below are some podcasts that I have been interviewed on in recent years.