Coming into TSS, my experience with teaching and mentoring children revolved around summer camps. Never before in my life had I taught in any formal academic setting and I knew I had a lot to learn. Over the many weeks of shadowing instructors and learning from their successes and failures, I began to find my own style of teaching and my own voice. More than just learning new scientific topics such as geology, glaciology and fire ecology, I learned how to create lesson plans that provided the right balance of concepts and experiential learning that would stick with and inspire students for the rest of their lives.

 

This experience at TSS facilitated immense growth in my teaching abilities and my commitment to promoting scientific pedagogy. I have engaged in and benefitted from mentorship, constant feedback, and the continuous growth, collaboration, and innovation among the staff here. I plan to use the skills and experiences gained this fall in many aspects of my life. I gained confidence in my teaching abilities, I became a better public speaker, and I continuously practiced self-care and self-advocacy, all of which I believe will be integral in my future as an educator and citizen of the united states of america.