Noyce Scholar Profile
Katherine (Kate) Slabosky
Undergraduate major or graduate field of study: Biology
Subject area(s) and grade level teaching focus: Biology, grades 6-12
Category of scholarship/fellowship:
Fifth year or post-baccalaureate Noyce scholar
Name of Noyce institution:
Indiana University “Teachers for a New Decade”
Current academic or teaching status:
Second semester Masters student in Secondary Education through Community of Teachers program
School and school district:
Columbus Signature Academy-New Tech, Bartholomew County School Corporation
Background:
I was raised in Indiana and graduated from Indiana University (IU)-Bloomington in 2010 with a BS in biology and minors in environmental management and African-American and African Diaspora studies. As an undergraduate I volunteered and interned at Bloomington’s science museum, Wonderlab; studied abroad in Perth, Australia; hitchhiked across Japan; did volunteer research at an animal behavior lab and a seed science lab; and wrote a science column in the Indiana Daily Student.
Why do you want to teach:
Throughout the past few years of my life, I have learned about the importance of building and belonging to a nurturing community. I hope to learn both teaching methods and methods for classroom community development as a Noyce Scholar while participating in the Community of Teachers program. I hope that these experiences will help me build a positive learning community that inspires students to explore science in a classroom of my own.
Describe a memorable teaching experience:
Last spring I was an evaluator for the Bio-Tech student presentations at Columbus Signature Academy. The students were presenting their project on genetic testing. The students had worked in groups, and it was great to see how all their different strengths had come together to create an amazing product!
What does the Noyce program mean to you:
The Noyce program has helped me take the next step towards achieving my career goals. I can’t wait to see what more the Noyce program has to offer at IU and across the country.
