Noyce Scholar Profile

Cody Elzey
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Science Education (Physics)
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Physics, science, grade 7
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Noyce Scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
University of Arizona
Current academic or teaching status:
5th year Senior
School and school district:
Rincon Vista Middle School, Vail School District
Background:
I don’t have much of a background yet as I have just begun my student teaching practicum.
Why do you want to teach:
I love hanging out with students, and I love science. I have a lot of fun when I’m teaching students and like being involved in their lives and development. I see an opportunity for making a positive influence in young peoples’ lives.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
When visiting a teacher’s class, I began talking with a student. He is a descendant of Kepler. So, I asked him what he knew of his ancestor’s laws. He didn’t know or understand much. I tried to explain at a simple level. Then he started asking questions about Relativity. I told him a little and let him know that to understand it, he’d have to take some advanced physics classes to be able to start looking at how the phenomena work. He got excited, and it appeared as though he already changed what his future major would be from pre-med to physics/engineering.
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
It has meant an opportunity to be more stress free when it comes to paying for college as well as a future opportunity to teach students who really need a good teacher.