Noyce Scholar Profile
Matthew Cain
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Physics
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Project Lead the Way JH/SH
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Fifth year or post-baccalaureate Noyce scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
University of Iowa
Current academic or teaching status:
Project Lead the Way Instructor 1st Year
School and school district:
West Branch Community School
Background:
I am a native born Midwesterner, staying in the Midwest to bring the highest quality STEM education to students and communities. I spend 6 wonderful years at the University of Iowa earning my undergraduate in physics and my Masters with licensure in secondary science education. I recently took my first position with West Branch Community School District starting fall 2013, heading their brand new Project Lead the Way Program. In my spare time I like amateur astronomy and spending time with my beautiful girlfriend and her awesome son.
Why do you want to teach:
I have three major reasons that come to mind when I consider my interest in teaching science.
1. Commitment to Students’ Futures
One of the most powerful forces in any child’s life outside their family and peers is their teachers. For this reason I feel a call to serve students in my highest capacity to better their future.
2. Passion for Science
I have had a long time passion for the human endeavor of science and wish to share that passion with my students. Science can be a source of enrichment and enlightenment for students. I wish to be a torch bearer for the light of science, passing it on to my students.
3. Being a Member of a Community
I value the trust parents give to teachers and I want to serve that trust with my dedication and skills in educating their children.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
During my student teaching, students in my physics course watched a video of something called a pendulum wave. This was suppose to be only a quick and supplementary example of a standing wave. While watching it though, they became so excited that when one student exclaimed “Can we make one of those?”, I felt I couldn’t saying anything other than “Yes”. It was one of those rare moments where students could genuinely guide the direction of inquiry and bring real relevance to their studies. They did not disappoint, as they created wonderful devices and engineering journals requiring serious rigor, effort , and creativity. I will remember this experience as the environment I would like to create and even exceed in my own classroom.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
Having the Noyce Scholarship has been much more than a financial support, it has given me opportunities to participate in the community of STEM educators and challenge myself to become a better educator while still in pre-service. It allowed me to given professional talks, attend professional conferences like NSTA, and engage with other Noyce Scholars whom challenge me to grow. In short the Noyce program has allowed me to become a better educator and professional.
