College of Western Idaho (CWI) Adjunct Faculty, James Rosenberg, has enjoyed a unique spring semester. In addition to teaching classes, like he has done for five years at CWI, he is also taking a journey from the other side of the desk. This January Rosenberg enrolled as a student in CWI’s IDoTeach program; which offers courses that encourage Math and Science majors to consider teaching. The decision is giving Rosenberg valuable experience for his own classroom, while setting a tremendous example of what it means to be a lifelong learner.
“I enrolled in the IDoTeach program this term for several reasons,” says Rosenberg. “While I am quite comfortable with the subject matter of the classes I instruct, I am always interested in becoming a better and more effective educator.”
Rosenberg has enjoyed a positive experience in his first IDoTeach class. Not only has he found the curriculum to be helpful, but he is also benefiting from an additional learning opportunity as an intern with the Boise Watershed Environmental Education Center.
“When the internship was presented during class I was quite excited. I fancy myself a conservationist and jumped at the opportunity to combine that interest with the experience of providing lessons to excited field-tripping second graders, a population I have had little exposure to.”
Rosenberg believes the work done in the IDoTeach class, particularly regarding inquiry based learning and education plans, has paid off.
“I still have a lot I can improve upon, but my IDoTeach experience has helped me bring a more inquiry-based approach to the already hands-on Boise River Watershed presentation and exhibit hall experiment stations.”
