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413-774-2903
413-522-5882 (cell) 413-522-5882 (cell)
elijah@bio.umass.edu 413-545-3243 (Fax)
Professional Preparation
Present Position
Ph.D. Candidate (ABD), Graduate
Program in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology,
Teaching Experience
Teaching Assistant
Fall 2006,
Supervisor:
I served as a teaching mentor for new and returning TAs teaching the fall semester of Introductory Biology and also taught one laboratory section (28 students). Specific responsibilities included: running TA meetings, creating new grading rubrics for new course assignments, training TAs in using rubrics, implementing new "uncooked" labs, and helping TAs address teaching issues in the laboratory.
Teaching Assistant
Spring 2005,
Supervisor:
I served as a teaching mentor for new and returning TAs
teaching the spring semester of Introductory Biology. Specific responsibilities included:
running/assisting with TA meetings, updating and creating grading rubrics for
course assignments, training TAs in using rubrics, creating PowerPoint
presentations to provide TAs with background information relevant to each lab,
implementing new labs involving a medical diagnosis computer simulation and a new field ecology based lab, and helping TAs address
teaching issues in the laboratory.
Teaching Assistant, Animal Behavior (Biology 550)
Fall 2004,
Instructor:
Primary responsibilities included grading all assignments
and exams, providing help outside class to students, and running exam review
sessions. I was responsible for
facilitating several field-based assignments.
I also taught several classes in consultation with the instructor (58
students). I was nominated for a
University Distinguished Teaching Award by the students.
Teaching Assistant
Fall 2003,
Supervisor:
I served as a teaching mentor for new and returning TAs
teaching the fall semester of Introductory Biology and also taught one
laboratory section (16 students).
Specific responsibilities included: running the TA meetings, updating
and creating grading rubrics for course assignments, training TAs in using rubrics,
and helping TAs address teaching issues in the laboratory.
Biology Instructor, AP, Honors, and Regular Biology (High School)
Winter/Spring 2003,
Supervisor:
I planned and taught sections of AP, Honors, and Regular
High School Biology (grades 9-12) as a long-term substitute for a teacher on
maternity leave. I also performed the
other duties of a full faculty member at this college preparatory school for
girls.
Head Teaching Assistant, Introductory Biology Laboratory I (Biology
100)
Fall 2002,
Supervisor:
I served as the head teaching assistant for the fall
semester of Introductory Biology and also taught one laboratory section (23
students). My primary responsibilities
were to design and run TA meetings for each week’s laboratory. While in this position I initiated and
designed a series of grading rubrics for course assignments with the goals of
standardizing grading between different TAs and improving communication with
students about expectations.
Teaching Assistant, Introductory Biology Laboratory II (Biology 101)
Spring 2002,
Supervisor:
I taught two sections of the spring semester of Introductory
Biology (52 students). My
responsibilities included preparing the lab, providing students with necessary
background material and instructions, facilitating the laboratories, and
grading student work. This semester of
Introductory Biology focuses on organismal biology
including several labs on plant biology, animal diversity, animal anatomy,
ecology, and evolution.
Teaching Assistant, Ecology (Biology 537)
Fall 2001,
Instructor:
I taught the laboratory section for this upper level Ecology
course (23 students). My
responsibilities included planning and preparing laboratories and fieldtrips
and grading student work in the laboratory.
I helped students design and complete independent ecological projects.
Teaching Assistant, Introductory Biology Laboratory II (Biology 101)
Spring 2001,
Supervisor:
See above for description (46 students).
Teaching Assistant, Introductory Biology Laboratory (Biology 100)
Fall 2000,
Supervisor: Dr. Judy
Goodenough
I taught two sections of the fall semester of
Introductory Biology (49 students). My
responsibilities included preparing the lab, providing students with necessary
background material and instructions, facilitating the laboratories, and
grading student work. This semester of
Introductory Biology focuses on biological processes including several labs on
enzymes, genetics, and bioinformatics.
Teaching Assistant, Survey of Biology (Biology 100-102)
Spring/Fall 1999,
I assisted with a large (200+ students) biology lecture
course for non-majors. I also presented
several lectures in consultation with the instructors.
Lab Instructor, General Biology Laboratory I (Biology 210)
Fall 1998,
I team taught this sophomore level intensive biology
laboratory for majors (25 students) with two other instructors. Primary responsibilities included lecturing
for the initial portion of lab on relevant background information, facilitating
student-directed laboratory experiments, and grading student work.
Teaching Related Publications
Goodwin,
E.
2006. Rashi. In: Laboratory
exercises for introductory biology (Ed. by Goodenough, J.E.), pp. 43-52.
Goodenough, J.E., S. Ludlam,
M. Tillson Ludlam, R.S. Cairl,
E. Goodwin, E. Bone, E. McMahon, and
C. Skow.
2006. Field walk. In: Laboratory
exercises for introductory biology (Ed. by Goodenough, J.E.), pp. 83-88.
Teaching Related Activities
Invited Workshop Presenter,
“Strategies for Effective Grading”, Campus-wide TA Orientation,
Caving Coordinator and Staff
Member, North American Youth Science Leadership Institute,
Directed Study Presenter,
“Avian Bioacoustics”, National Youth Science Camp,
Assistant Director for
Programming, National Youth Science Camp,
Natural Sciences Coordinator
and Special Events Coordinator, National Youth Science Camp,