Noyce Scholar Profile
Kiahna Artis
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Science Education
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Broad Field Science
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Master Teaching Fellow
Name of Noyce institution:
Georgia State University
Current academic or teaching status:
Curriculum Consultant
School and school district:
State of Georgia
Background:
My background is in Chemistry with a concentration in Biology. Initially it was not my plan to become a teacher. I wanted to be a forensic pathologist, however, some force in the universe kept pushing me into jobs that moved closer and closer to education. For my college career, I was a teaching assistant and tutor. During my last semester, I ended up being a substitute for the lab coordinator, which put me in a teaching role. I graduated and found a job assisting the Curriculum Director of the GA Department of Juvenile Justice in the writing of curriculum. All of these roles moved me towards the field of education, and I am loving it!!!
Why do you want to teach:
I want to teach because I want to make a difference. I want to work in high risk areas to help inspire those students past their current situations and help them move towards their dreams. The only way I know how to do that is to integrate my love of science with my love for people. The only career that would allow me to accomplish this personal goal is teaching.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
Ironically my most memorable teaching experience occurred this semester as a first semester graduate student. The particular class was designed to make us feel flustered and experience what most students feel on a day-to-day basis within the classroom. For me this was new, I have always been the student that just gets it, I have never had to work hard at being an A student. I believe this moment was key to my becoming a good teacher. Had I not experienced these feelings, I would not be able to identify with the majority of my students, making it extremely difficult to be successful in the classroom. Many students feel pressure to perform with no clue as to what they are supposed to be doing to achieve the desired end result. The course taught me how to relate and effectively combat common situations like this one.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
The Noyce Program means a great deal to my future as an educator. Thus far, it has allowed me to interact with very bright individuals who have very liberal ideas of what is good teaching. Through this program, I have been able to meet people who are capable of helping me bring to life the great ideas going through my head. Because of this opportunity, I feel I will be better prepared once I enter the classroom.
