Interview with CU Teach Engineering student, Andi

Anonymous — Mon, 09 May 2016 19:45:16 +0000

Interview with CU Teach Engineering student, Andi Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/09/2016 - 13:45

When asked why the e+ CU Teach Engineering concentration at CU ��«��Ƶ was a good fit for her future career goals, e+ student Andi Vicksman was eager to share her story.

Andi was part of the team that won the "People's Choice Award" at the Spring 2015 Design Expo, a biannual event hosted by the Integrated Teaching and Learning Laboratory (ITLL). Her winning design, "Flour Power," used an automated mixing machine run off a mobile website.

Andi says she always knew she wanted to teach. "I have always just loved teaching and working with kids. I think it’s really cool to watch a kid learn something and knowing that you’ve been a part of that. Seeing when they finally get it is one of my favorite things," she said. She also knew her passion was to teach future Colorado innovators and game changers. The CU Teach Engineering concentration, in Engineering Plus, allows Andi to graduate with an engineering degree while simultaneously earning teacher licensure.

Because Andi wanted to follow her passions in engineering and teaching, she expected to spend more time in school obtaining teaching licensure. With the innovative e+ CU Teach Engineering concentration, she could achieve both of these goals because the teaching aspect is built into the engineering degree.

Andi was excited when she found out about the new and innovative Engineering Plus degree with the option to choose CU Teach Engineering as her concentration. "I was always waiting for (this degree) it to happen and hoping that it would. When I found out it was, I switched into Engineering Plus and decided so I could do teaching as well."

The CU Teach Engineering concentration, in Engineering Plus, provides secondary math and science teachers with a concrete foundation in engineering design and integrates educational pedagogy strategies for teaching in grades 7-12 classrooms in Colorado schools.

For Andi, this means teaching high school math. Andi loves math but is concerned that many young students do not enjoy math or understand the pervasive applications of math in the world around them. She wants to take concepts from her applied mathematics and engineering classes and bring those to younger students through project-based learning, something she is learning more about in her education classes. "I want to teach them the applications and get them more involved." she says.

CU Teach Engineering is funded in part by the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation in partnership with the 100Kin10 network whose goal is to develop, support and retain 100,000 high-quality STEM teachers over the next 10 years. Engineering by design promotes problem-solving for complex, real-world issues. This growing program at CU ��«��Ƶ is a vital component for future educators to inspire the next generation, and expose students to the limitless applications of the STEM fields.

Learn more about CU Teach Engineering, if this seems like the right engineering pathway for you!

When asked why the CU Teach Engineering concentration at CU ��«��Ƶ was a good fit for her future career goals, Andi was eager to share her story...

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Interview with DSST teacher Eric Benzel

Anonymous — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 19:49:53 +0000

Interview with DSST teacher Eric Benzel Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 03/11/2016 - 12:49

Former CU Engineering student, Eric Benzel, chatted with us recently about his pathway to becoming a high school math teacher and department chair at DSST Cole High School, and why STEM careers are becoming increasingly important.

Tell me about your background. What attracted you to service and teaching?

I started college as a Civil Engineering major at CU ��«��Ƶ, wanting to make a global impact in development. After a summer working as a camp counselor, I realized that working with youth was incredibly energizing to me, and I wondered if I could make a greater impact working with youth here in the states than working in development abroad. It was soon after this summer that I began to learn more about the achievement gaps between low-income and affluent students, especially in mathematics and science, and how great teaching could make a difference. I switched my major to Applied Mathematics, as at that time, there was no route from engineering into education. I began to take a few classes in the School of Education and working in schools to see if teaching could be a career path that I would enjoy and find fulfilling...it was!

After graduating from CU ��«��Ƶ's College of Engineering & Applied Science with a BS in Applied Mathematics, I was accepted into the Math for America program and moved to New York City. There, I completed my MA in Math Education from Teachers College at Columbia University. After grad school, I helped to found a high-performing charter school in the Bronx, where I taught 9th grade Algebra and a Math and Origami elective course. Most recently, I worked at Brooklyn Prospect Charter School teaching IB Calculus and working as the schools Ed-Tech coordinator.

Was there a ‘lightbulb moment’ when you knew teaching STEM was your chosen career?

Definitely! I was hesitant at first to switch from a civil engineering path to one that would prepare me for teaching mathematics, as I was unsure of the long-term prospects of teaching. I was sitting in a seminar with Dr. Anne Dougherty, an amazing CU professor, when I realized how much I loved breaking down math concepts and could see myself teaching long term. She was incredibly encouraging and helped me map out a path at CU that would prepare me to enter the classroom out of college.

What was your favorite experience as a TEAMS Fellow at CU ��«��Ƶ?

Everything! The TEAMS Program was such an amazing experience. My favorite week was probably a summer workshop we ran at Loma Linda Elementary School in Longmont. Each day we got to try on different engineering hats with the kiddos. My all-time favorite day was the last day when we engineered a water distribution system for a cardboard box village that the group had created together. It was so fun getting kids engaged in thinking about sustainable development in the 4th and 5th grades!

What great things are you doing at DSST Cole High School?

I'm super excited to be joining up with DSST Cole High School this fall. The DSST organization has such an incredible mission of building great schools that serve ALL of Denver's students and eliminating the education inequity that has been so persistent in the city. I will be teaching 10th grade Algebra 2 and Pre-Calculus. My goal is to help prepare students in my courses so that they come to love and appreciate math while having the preparation to enter a rigorous program, such as CU ��«��Ƶ's College of Engineering.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about a career in teaching STEM?

My advice would be to get into the classroom as soon as possible to start learning about the field. CU ��«��Ƶ has an amazing set of courses, called Step 1 and Step 2, that allow teaching-interested students to get their feet wet planning inquiry-based lessons and, ultimately, trying them out with students in local classrooms.

Why are STEM teachers vital to Colorado’s (and our nation’s) future?

Too few students are choosing STEM majors in college, especially students who are underrepresented in the professions. Almost every engineering or science graduate that I talk to had a teacher at some point who was central to their decision to major in STEM. STEM teachers are critical in ensuring that all groups of students discover how amazing the field can be and are prepared to pursue a STEM career in college.

Former CU Engineering student, Eric Benzel, chatted with us about his pathway to becoming a high school math teacher and department chair at DSST Cole High School, and why STEM careers are becoming increasingly important.

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