Chessa Eckels Anderson

My Story

 

I grew up in a small town in Northern Wisconsin on the southern shore of Lake Superior.  I attented a small k-12 school where learning and the natural environment were invariably mixed.  I moved to Portland, Oregon in 2006 to attend Lewis and Clark College.  There, I earned a Bachelors of Arts in Biology.  As part of my liberal arts education I also studied Spanish, music, and humanities.  During college I  had a work study position at OMSI. All of these experiences have inspired me to have a passion for sharing science and the natural world with others.

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After graduating from Lewis and Clark College in 2011, I traveled to Knoxville Tennessee to work for Americorps.  I was part of a water quality team that taught students about water quality, and stream restoration.  I worked in a middle school with eighth grade students.

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In 2012 I moved back to Portland Oregon and found a job as an environmental educator at the Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation district.  My experiences included: teaching preschool, leading field trips and group programs, and designing and directing a middle school nature summer camp.

 

 

 

 

In 2013, I began my Master's program at Portland State University.  The Master's of Science in Teaching focused on STEM education, education research, and strategies for teaching science. I even had the opportunity to take graduate level science courses at PSU. I finished my education at Marylhurst where I earned my teaching certification in middle school integrated science and high school Biology.

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I worked for two years at the Jane Goodall Environmental Middle School. As I start my third  year as a teacher, I look forward to refining my curriculum and continuing to build relationships with my students.

 

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My hobbies include: hiking, cooking, gardening, painting, playing rugby, watching Green Bay Packer Football, and playing board games.  

 

My favorite science subjects are: molecular biology, plant ecology, and Pacific Northwest ecology.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chessa Eckels Anderson

 

B.A. Biology

M.S.T. Portland State University

 

Teaching Certification in Integrated Science and Biology from

Marylhurst University

 

Contact Me

eckelsanderson_chessa@salkeiz.k12.or.us