Noyce Scholar Profile
Katherine Dougherty
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Master's of Arts in Teaching
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Secondary Biology
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Noyce Teaching Fellow
Name of Noyce institution:
American University
Current academic or teaching status:
First Year Master's Student
School and school district:
District of Columbia Public Schools
Background:
I am originally from the Philadelphia suburbs and recently graduated from the University of Maryland College Park with a B.S. in Biological Sciences. I have always wanted to go into teaching and am now pursuing that dream through the Lab2Class MAT program at American University.
Why do you want to teach:
Teaching is unique to me in that every day is completely different and, if done correctly, it is rewarding for both my students and me. I like that the job changes with every class and that I can make a direct impact on the lives and education of children.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
A memorable teaching experience for me was when I had the opportunity to teach Punnett squares to a class in which I had been interning. It was the first time I was truly in control of the entire class period and had no preparation or notice beforehand so I was extremely nervous. However, the lesson went really well. I felt in control and confident, I felt that I had most of the students’ attention, and most of the class was participating and showed that they were learning. It was a great day!
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
Without the Noyce program, I would probably not be teaching in Washington, DC. I had never really thought of teaching in the city but through the generous support, preparation, and the grant provided to me by the Noyce-sponsored Lab2Class program, I feel confident and excited to be given the chance to become a teacher in our nation’s capitol.
