Experience Summary
I have degrees in a wide variety of scientific fields including a BS in zoology, a BA in chemistry, an MS in ethnobotany, and a PhD in physiology and developmental biology. I have also studied pharmacology and horticulture. I have years of experience as a teaching assistant for both introductory and advanced college biology courses. I also taught AP biology at a private school. I have performed a wide variety of research so I have a good understanding of experimental techniques and data analysis as well. I love to teach basic biological principles to people who previously thought they were not interested in science and watching them become enthusiastic. I am well qualified to help you understand, appreciate and enjoy the sciences.
Teaching Style
I like to use an interactive teaching style in which there is lots of discussion between teacher and student. This provides immediate feedback on the student's understanding, enabling me to adapt the teaching session to provide the most benefit. I love biology and teach with enthusiasm. I believe all students can learn and perform well if they are given the opportunity to become interested, to ask questions without fear, and get clear explanations in multiple formats until they understand. I also feel poor grades are often due to poor testing skills rather than lack of knowledge. This is easily fixed with practice and opportunity to develop confidence in your abilities, at which point testing becomes fun rather than frightening.