"My name is Patrick, and I am a graduate of Belmont Abbey College. I have a Bachelor's of Science degree in Biology. I loved my science classes at the Abbey, because my professors made the living world sound fascinating. This is how I like to approach my lessons for my students: Make the world sound exciting!

My favorite subject is Genetics, because I love learning (and explaining) how a small molecule (DNA) can create the diverse forms of life we see, and continue to discover, on Earth, even though we only use 4 bases to create said life. But I also enjoy teaching Anatomy, Forensics, and Microbiology. Each has their own fascinating topics.

I have been teaching for over 8 years in North Carolina, and have worked to help students understand the living world around them. Many students have expressed gratitude for the way I break down information and find ways to make the material relevant to their culture through analogies and shared interests. I provide lesson plans, through Canvas and Google Classroom, that help guide students through the material. My lessons always start with a hook, what I like to call an Engager, that tests/checks the level of knowledge of the student. Then, I give students 15 minutes to complete a set of notes, which will act as a guide for the activities I have planned. My activities typically cover a range of modalities that students can use to learn (oral, audio, visual, or kinesthetic learning). Students always receive a timeframe for when the activities should be completed. Afterwards we debrief through Checks for Understanding or Exit Tickets. I take that data to build a reloop into the next lesson, to help close any gaps or break any misconceptions students may still have about the subject.

My ultimate goal is for students to walk away confident that, whether they're preparing for a test (EOC/AP Exam/Final Exam), or just trying to prepare for a project at school, they're armed with everything they need to get the best grade they can achieve." less...