• Personal summary
  
• Resume
• Credentials
• Publications
• Family photo

• Philosophy of education
• Methods of teaching

• Rules and procedures
• Letter to parents

• Unit plan
• Lesson plans

• Assessment
• Self-assessment

On the other hand, I also encouraged students to work independently to give them the experience of organizing their own thoughts. For example, students were allowed to pick one point of their thought and analyze its application in their lives and to the life of the society as a whole.

While teaching evolution, I emphasized that evolution is a dynamic process that has been occuring in living systems. I provided a clue that some evolutionary phenomena are taking place now as we are sitting here. What examples could they think? Changes that has occured,  changes that are occuring now (examples were: HIV starin variability, Mosquitio resistance to DDT, growth and development in organisms and plants etc.). Students were encouraged to share their thoughts on this facts. They gained some insght on evolution from real examples like these.

Both cooperative and independent learning should go hand in hand to develop confidence in what they are doing. That is where self-assessment becomes very important to help them check on their progress.

I have learned that students can learn anything if I help them become more aware of themselves as learners. Through my attention on this, I wish to motivate my students to set goals for themselves and develop their talents to achieve them. Not only this, I also want to help them to become responsible citizens, who, with well rounded personalities serve the society in many ways. In our classes we will become more aware of the environment and contribute in some way toward solving the problems of our planet: change in climate, political unrest, poverty, and poor health.

In terms of classroom management, my approach will be to form a community where students will feel that they are responsible for keeping the classroom hours running smoothly. At the beginning of the academic year, we will agree upon a set of rules and procedures that we need to follow. This is a very important part of the school year as it paves the way for progress on many levels of teaching.

Although the students and the teacher are primarily responsible for the learning process and the discipline, I will also closely work with parents, the school administration, and my working colleagues. As a teacher, it is my responsibility to uphold classroom rules and handle consequences fairly, clearly and consistently in a transparent way. I want to be an authoritative teacher.  I want respect to be a two way street, having my authority respected because I respond appropriately to the needs and thoughts of others.

In both my teaching strategy and classroom management, I have a role model to follow. His name is Dr Fassil Assefa. He is one of the lecturers in Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. He was autonomous in the class while smoothly promoting the autonomy of his students as well. He encouraged us to speak out and share our ideas on the lessons he taught. He approached us individually and made us feel comfortable by enquiring our understanding of the topic of the day. He was gifted in the ability to make connections between lessons. He updated his subject with new concepts from his readings. He was friendly with each of us. Unlike other lecturers, he did not ignore us when we met him outside the class. This experience strengthened my belief that the subject (the student) should be recognized as a person as well as some one who seeks information.

This was also reinforced in my M.A. study, where I learned about Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s principles of education. Maharishi advocates for both subjective and objective means of gaining knowledge, as the foundation for appropriate education in any school system. In light of this, I will inform my students (subjects) that the human brain potential is so immense and can do any thing if effectively utilized. If students are clear on this, learning any material (topics or objects) becomes easier and more comfortable. It means, they will realize that they can learn anything without difficulty, if they tame their mind in the right direction. I am there to help them polish their mind and motivate them towards the increased desire to learn.

Generally, my previous teaching, research and mentoring experience will also help me engage my students, based on their needs, in various activities such as designing an experiment, using laboratory equipment and glassware, data analysis and writing scientific reports. I am confident that, at the end of each academic year, some of my students will develop interest to pursue their study in the different fields of biology. By the time they complete high school they will acquire ample information to either join a college or decide to serve the community and gain fulfillment in their life.