Noyce Scholar Profile
Stefan Birek
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Biology
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: M.A.T. Biology
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Noyce Scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
SUNY Cortland Noyce Project
Current academic or teaching status:
Graduate 1st year
School and school district:
Homer Intermediate and Junior High School
Background:
I grew up on Long Island. My parents moved to North Carolina, after retirement, during my first year at SUNY Cortland. My father was a teacher for 35 years at Sachem High School. My mother worked in a hospital. I grew up with a close-knit family that traveled all the time. We drove everywhere since I have three siblings, and we grew close in those long car rides.
Why do you want to teach:
I want to teach because I love educating. My friends tell me all the time that I am going to be a great teacher because I teach them new things during everyday conversation. I want to be that influence on children as well as my peers.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
My memorable teaching experience was working on the yearbook team in high school. My 9th grade biology teacher was the faculty adviser, and we spent many long days getting the yearbook done. I grew to really love what she was doing and being a mentor to me to be the best person I could be.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
The Noyce program has granted me a tremendous opportunity to focus on my classes and really develop into the best teacher that I can me. It provides me with funds to take extracurricular programs and seminars to enhance my teaching ability.
