GET TO KNOW OUR TEACHER
What are you looking forward to? Middle schoolers are still developing their interests and personalities, and I can't wait to introduce students to things they've never tried before and watch them be surprised at what they discover they love! I am looking forward to getting to explore a wide variety of skills and media using the PBL model - from engineering to filmmaking to getting their art displayed and writing published. The limit will be as far as their imaginations can take them!
Why do you want to teach middle school? I've spent years watching high schoolers and thinking about what skills and knowledge I wish they had acquired earlier so they can take full advantage of new opportunities that are opening up to them. Now I get to actually be there for that and help them get fully prepared for their Pathways High experience!
Why are you excited? I am excited about getting to build our middle school program from the ground up and rethinking what school can look like for this age group. We are not limited to simply doing things because that’s the way they’ve always been done, but we can build the program around what works best for the students we have. I am excited to work with the amazing Pathways team and grow our school even further!
What is your vision for middle school? I envision a diverse cohort of students who are excited to learn, collaborate, and make really cool things together. I want to create a small, supportive environment where they have room to explore their interests, develop their strengths and discover new ones. There will be a big emphasis on community building and learning to work together to help ground students in the real world and out of their screens!
What is your previous teaching experience? I've been in the classroom for 11 years, including 3 years supporting middle school math, which I am excited to return to! For the past 7 years I've been teaching high school science, including the last 2 here at Pathways.
Anything else that would be fun to share. I think it is important for teachers to model the learning process and show it is cool to be a “nerd” about stuff. I love sharing my personal interests in nature, travel, film, and crafting. Expect there to be some class pet arthropods :)
Annelise Mankowski
Life Science Specialist