Sonya Gelfand, a senior majoring in Neuroscience, is currently a student in GWTeach’s Project-Based Learning course (GTCH 3103). Project-Based Learning (PBL) is based on the premise that schools should engage learners in exploring authentic, important, and meaningful questions of real concern to the learners.
With minors in both STEM Teaching and Biology, Sonya is also applying to medical school and is very passionate about healthcare, which she does not shy away from integrating into her lesson plans. When asked about her most memorable experience in PBL, she recalled when she assigned her students to begin researching lung cancer and the “cause, diagnostic techniques, or treatment regimens [for the disease]… and [her students] were challenged to connect these topics to nuclear medicine and nuclear chemistry.” Watching the students engaged with the material in such a critical way, Sonya looks back at her novice teacher self from the days of teaching virtual lessons in her first GWTeach course and she is proud of how far she has come.
In contrast to prior GWTeach courses, the PBL experience has provided a distinctive chance for Sonya to push herself in crafting a series of lesson plans for a full unit. The challenge of maintaining student engagement while ensuring lesson continuity has been both daunting and rewarding. Sonya appreciates PBL's emphasis on connecting students with their community, witnessing diverse project approaches, and observing the connections students make between the project and their lives. The extended duration of the PBL field experience has allowed for a deeper understanding of students as individuals, fostering meaningful relationships.
Sonya has advice for any student thinking about taking a GWTeach course: “DO IT.” GWTeach stands out as a highlight of Sonya’s time at GW, with supportive professors and a collaborative atmosphere in small classes. The unique opportunity to engage with the DC community and learn from students across the city has been integral to her undergraduate experience, fostering essential skills development. GWTeach classes have provided a platform for creative and collaborative thinking with fellow students. Offering advice to GWTeach students heading into their first field experience, she emphasizes the importance of adapting to unexpected situations in teaching and never forgetting an appreciation for the subject-matter first and foremost.
Next semester, Sonya will be the substitute teacher for her PBL mentor teacher, Mrs. Baskin at Jackson-Reed High School. She is excited to continue working with the group of Honors Chemistry students in the spring. At the end of the Apprentice Teaching semester, Sonya will be eligible for chemistry teacher licensure. Furthermore, whether it involves instructing medical students, other healthcare providers, or K-12 students, Sonya expresses a deep-seated appreciation for teaching and a determination to contribute to science education in various capacities.