Alexandra Lambert is currently a biology teacher at Eastern Senior High School in Northeast, DC where she teaches two Ninth Grade Academy Honors Biology courses and one Specific Learning Support (SLS) course. She graduated from George Washington University in 2022 where she participated in the GWTeach STEM Teaching program and pursued teacher certification. Participation in GWTeach has allowed Alex to enter her first year of teaching with confidence in her ability to create lesson plans, manage classroom behavior, and grade student work. Alex believes that “GWTeach educators are better prepared and better at making connections with students” because participants in the program have the opportunity to start interacting with K-12 students in their first GWTeach course. Students taking introductory GWTeach courses learn how to create lesson plans, then enter the classroom and teach students in DC Public Schools.
From her experience with GWTeach, Alex knew that she wanted to continue teaching in DC Public Schools after graduation. Alex’s favorite part of teaching from her first year so far has been taking her students on a field trip. At the end of the unit on invasive species, Alex and her students took a field trip to Kingman Island, where students were able to fish for invasive species and record information about them. She shared how cool of an experience it was for her students, most of whom had never been fishing before, to catch a Blue Catfish!
Of course, rewarding experiences in teaching also come with challenges. This past year the biology curriculum was redesigned and the school year begins with units on macromolecules and carbon interactions, which Alex states are “rough subjects to master, and to start 9th grade off with these concepts was very hard for my students.” This challenge was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, where it was difficult for students to learn and retain information taught to them virtually. Students entered Alex’s classroom without all of the prior knowledge necessary to excel in 9th Grade Biology. Rather than jumping into difficult topics, which could make students feel lost, Alex took the time to teach the prior knowledge necessary for her students to be successful in the class. By facing this challenge, Alex demonstrates the importance of flexibility while teaching.
In addition to flexibility, developing relationships with students has made Alex a successful teacher in her first year. Her advice to current and future GWTeach students is to not undervalue making these connections with students. By taking the time to review topics when students feel lost and by giving students hands-on experiences with the material, Alex demonstrates to her students that she believes in their ability to succeed and strives to make their learning experiences positive. Alex suggests that prospective teachers read “Teaching with Love and Logic” by Jim Fay and David Fink, which discusses the importance of having a relationship-focused mindset as a teacher.
GWTeach is proud of Alex as she continues to demonstrate her commitment to providing all students with a high-quality STEM education!