Designing Engineering Curriculum for Pre-Service Teachers in preparation for NGSS: Medical Mission Drop (Curriculum Exchange)

Anne Marie Bergen’s teaching philosophy ”Active Learning, Meaningful Experiences, and Compassionate Teaching,” sets her foundation for inspiring students and teachers to drive their own learning and gain a greater understanding for the world around them. Anne Marie discovered the natural connection students had to experiential learning when she was an intern at Sonora’s Foothill Horizons Outdoor School, leading hiking classes for sixth-grade students and their teachers. She went on to become head naturalist at Foothill Horizons and later performed a variety of roles in Oakdale schools, including GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) teacher/coordinator, district science mentor teacher, elementary science specialist, and district science fair coordinator. During her final ten years in the Oakdale Joint Unified School District, Anne Marie was the District Science teacher /coordinator creating a science program that was laboratory and field based reaching over 2500 students and 120 teachers annually. Currently she is the Science Teaching Specialist for the Liberal Studies Department, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. She has a B.S. in Biology from Cal Poly, multiple subject credential from Chapman, and M.A. in Educational Leadership from St. Mary’s. Honors include: 2010 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, Cal Poly Commencement Speaker 2009, Cal Poly Honored Alumni 2008, Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence 2006, California Teacher of the Year in 2003, Stanislaus County Teacher of the Year 2002. She has created many grant funded programs including From the River to the Tap, the Salmon Project, and Passport to Science. Anne Marie has been a presenter at conferences including the Association of Environmental and Outdoor Educators, the California Science Teachers Association, and the National Science Teachers Association. Her leadership in science education includes Chair of the California Teacher Advisory Council (CalTAC) and Advisory Council member for CSL Net.