Raise your left hand. About halfway between the base of your index and pinky finger is a place called Harrison, Michigan. (Ask any Michigander where they’re from and they will hold up their hand and point to a spot on their ‘Michigan Mitten’). This is where Trish teaches biology. MidMichigan College is a community college with two campuses. One in Harrison and the other in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.
Are there lakes and excellent hiking there? Yes! However, it is in center of the lower peninsula of Michigan. A long way from the ocean. And yet, Trish makes sure her students get great exposure to ocean life and marine science while teaching biology at a small community college.
It’s All Connected
“I love to teach about organisms with unique relationships to other organisms. This gets students thinking about a broader sense of connection and interaction with the natural world,” said Trish. “For example, the lettuce sea slug (the "solar powered sea slug") and its unique trait of incorporating chloroplasts from the algae it ingests into its tissues. It’s so cool and always gets students’ attention.”
In the summer Trish teaches a travel course that takes her students to the Florida Keys for an introduction to Marine Science. “Students see the impacts of climate change firsthand as they collect data on water quality, conduct coral bleaching surveys, and observe the reef and its inhabitants.”
Trish always interjects the impact of climate change in her courses. When teaching her AP Human Body and Disease course the topic of mosquito borne diseases comes up. “The change in climate is drastically impacting insect populations and the diseases they carry to humans and other animals too,” shares Trish.
Keeping it Manageable by Helping Students Achieve Goals
Trying to keep up with the changing ways we reach students is hard to do. Add the necessity of keeping up with new discoveries in science and its application to the natural world is a lot for teachers.
“To balance the demands of teaching science I focus on how I can best help my students grow and meet their goals. At the community college level this is felt when one of my students is accepted to a program at a 4-year college or completing their 2-year degree”, shares Trish.
Trish has been informally mentoring students at her college for the last few years. “Talking with students about what they plan after their time at MidMichigan is extremely rewarding. I keep a digital file of positive emails from students to read over when I am struggling with something negative. It always reminds me of what I love about teaching science,” says Trish.
We met Trish when she reached out to us about an easily remedied technical issue she was having on her end. (She has been using Shape of Life resources for years). It is through these spontaneous introductions and exchanges that we get to know teachers. We are always looking for science teachers who love to share their teaching experiences and we certainly appreciate Trish for doing so.
