INTRODUCTION
My name is
Jeffrey T. Kushner and I currently teach High School Biology and
Science and
Technology in the Upper Merion Area School District. I currently
hold a B.S. in Biology/Secondary
Education with a minor in Chemistry from East Stroudsburg
University.
I am certified to teach Biology in the state
of Pennsylvania. The Upper Merion
School District is a suburban district
located in King of Prussia, PA near the King of Prussia
Mall. We are very economically diverse
with two distinct geographic areas. The
King of Prussia and Wayne
townships are home to families of middle and upper middle class
demographics. While the Bridgeport
and West Conshohocken townships are home to
families who are living at or below the lower economic class. The
classes I teach
are primarily the lower level, lower functioning students in our
current science
curriculum. Three of my classes are
special education Science and Technology classes (level 4), which are
inclusion
based, co-taught classes. The remaining
two Biology classes are Academic Biology (level 3) classes. Both
sections consist of students who will
primarily move on to a 2-year institution or trade school. These
classes are concept driven using inquiry
models and many hands-on activities to authenticate
instruction.
I have found some satisfaction teaching
these students because I recognize that many of the basic concepts
learned,
will be utilized and applied outside of the classroom. Most every
teacher can drive content in the
Honors or Advanced Placement classes, because those students are
intrinsically
motivated to learn. One skill I am still
developing is teaching and motivating students who are not
intrinsically
motivated to learn.
My main
objectives
in my participation in the MCE program are:
- To acquire a greater understanding of Chemistry
and Chemical Concepts
- To learn new teaching tools and techniques that
can be used in any Science class
- To become certified to teach High School
Chemistry.
I recognize that
I have only a moderate background with my minor in Chemistry from East
Stroudsburg University, when compared
to others in Cohort 6. I also recognize
that I currently do not teach many Chemistry concepts or themes in my
current
schedule. This has only challenged me to
work harder to achieve and reach my personal expectations for this
program.
On
to Purpose
Back to home
