Pam Dooling
Congratulations to Oklahoma’s 2014 Outstanding Biology Teacher Award recipient, veteran Jones High School teacher, Pam Dooling, who has been a teacher and department chair at Jones High School since 1981, right after earning her BA in Education from the University of New Mexico. It has been Oklahoma’s good fortune to have such a prolific and talented teacher working tirelessly for so many years educating its youth and mentoring other teachers. Life, as we know, is constantly changing, and so does educational pedagogy.
Pam believes “the ability to evolve is key to being a successful teacher.” She has put this belief to the test, not only as the standards, technologies and testing requirements have changed over time, but as an educator, she has evolved into a master teacher. She became a Nationally Board Certified Teacher of AYA Science in 2001 and recertified in 2011. She has been a consultant for the AP Board from 2001 through 2012; presenting workshops for AP/Pre-AP Biology and Vertical Team Alignment along with High School/Middle School Science. She continues to work as an AP Reader since 2002; an activity she feels greatly enhances her effectiveness as an AP teacher.
Despite all the diverse pedagogy during her 31 years of teaching she reflects,” Throughout all of these changes my job as a teacher has not changed; my main goal has always been to guide my students to become life-long learners.” She has not only gracefully weathered changes in educational philosophy, but physical changes as well when a fire destroyed her school in 2007. A veteran teacher has a collection of great files, materials and resources at their fingertips; it is disconcerting to have it all go up in flames and start from scratch again. Unwilling to compromise the hands-on part of science, Pam found ways for her to students to experience science in a makeshift lab until the new school could be build. She is a living testament to her response to adverse conditions. “I believe that helping students learn to process information, analyze and interpret situations, and apply these strategies to new and a different circumstance is as important as students leaving my class with specific science content.” Something she certainly did when confronting the destruction of her classroom and lab.
Not only does Ms. Dooling respond to changes thrust upon her, she herself is also an active agent for change. She saw a national trend toward curriculum mapping several years ago and approached her administrators about spearheading an effort to start curriculum mapping in her district. She continually pursues change in her teaching methods such as using Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) in her classroom. Recently, riding the wave of change in science standards, she attended a workshop in unpacking the new Oklahoma science standards so she will be ready, not only for her classes but to help other teachers understand the changes in her district. What doesn’t change about Pam Dooling is her enthusiasm for science and her commitment to her students which is clearly discernible; in her words, “I don’t have a job, a career, or a profession. I have a calling. I am a teacher.” For these reasons and many more, Pam Dooling has been chosen to represent the state of Oklahoma as this year’s Outstanding Biology Teacher Awardee.
Outstanding Biology Teacher Award
Every year, the Outstanding Biology Teacher Award (OBTA) program attempts to recognize an outstanding biology educator (grades 7-12 only) in each of the 50 states; Washington, DC; Canada; Puerto Rico; and overseas territories. Candidates for this award do not have to be NABT members, but they must have at least three years of public, private, or parochial school teaching experience. A major portion of the nominee’s career must have been devoted to the teaching of biology/life science, and candidates are judged on their teaching ability and experience, cooperativeness in the school and community, inventiveness, initiative, and student-teacher relationships. OBTA recipients are special guests of Carolina Biology Supply Company at the Honors Luncheon held at the NABT Professional Development Conference, receive gift certificates from Carolina Biological Supply Company, resources from other sponsors, and award certificates and complimentary one-year membership from NABT.
To participate or nominate someone for the OBTA, fill out the forms found at this website: http://obtaoklahoma.wikispaces.com/Forms or request a form from the NABT office, 1313 Dolley Madison Blvd., Suite 402, McLean VA 22101. The deadline for completed applications is June 15, 2014. You can also send the name and contact information of your nominee in an e-mail to Kay Gamble, the Oklahoma OBTA Director at kaygamble@gmail.com, at obtaoklahoma.wikispaces.com or call NABT at (888) 501-6228 for information. A video or DVD must accompany an application in Oklahoma.