2004 National Biotechnology Teacher-Leader Award Winner - Ellyn Daugherty

Ellyn Daugherty

2004 National Biotechnology Teacher-Leader Award Winner
San Mateo High School
San Mateo, Calif.
Winner Ellyn Daugherty addressees BIO 2005 convention attendees after
introduction by Genzyme's President
Henri Termeer

This is the first time in 26 years of teaching that I'm not my own classroom. Instead, I'm helping other teachers across the country start biotechnology programs, thanks in part to winning the National Biotechnology Teacher-Leader Award.

It's gratifying and fun to teach teachers how to teach biotechnology because it's difficult for teachers to start biotechnology programs. I can help teachers recognize what they want to accomplish and how the curriculum can meet their objectives. Today, I'm working with over 50 teachers from 10 states-many of these teachers I've met through the Institute's annual Conference on Biotechnology Education.

Receiving the National Biotechnology Teacher-Leader Award was one of the most significant events in my career because it opened several doors that weren't open to me before. For example, I developed a curriculum over 15 years of teaching biotechnology that evolved into a textbook and lab manual. Over the past few years, I've been trying to get a publisher interested and to understand there was demand in the biotechnology education market. I was ignored-until I won the award. It opened the doors to talks with several publishers and now my textbook is on track to get published next year.

The application process for the award was pretty straightforward and typical of other programs except for the videotaping of a classroom lesson. The video and subsequent reflections that are part of the process are important because you get the opportunity to reflect on teaching methods. Viewing myself on tape helped me see how I operate in the classroom.

Another positive part of the process was being selected as a finalist-that was great! Spending time with the other two finalists-Noel and Rosalind-was invaluable. Being around these high-powered people was one of the most awesome experiences of my life and a great learning experience in itself.

I used my $10,000 in prize money to hire one of my former students, a graduate of a four-year biotechnology program, to illustrate my textbook. Thanks to her, the textbook and manual have scientifically accurate and educational illustrations. Other non-science educators may use these scientific drawings and be accurate.

The way I teach biotechnology is different than how I teach other science courses. It's an opportunity to teach not only the concepts, but also the process, which is as important, if not more so. Students are learning to design and implement high-level experimentation, which are the skills that industry requires. For example, they are learning concepts like DNA sequencing but are also learning how to design and conduct protein purification studies.

Education seems to be headed in the direction of developing individuals smart in science content, but not in process. That's why studying biotechnology is so important-because the concepts support the process.

I believe it's critical to incorporate biotechnology into science curriculum at the K-12 level. There was the Stone Age, the Industrial Age and this is the Age of Biotechnology. A literate citizenry requires that students study these topics and get some experience with some of the techniques biotechnologists are using. Biotechnology education should start in biology and general science classes but not end there. The field is important enough that there should be stand-alone courses and programs. That's what I am doing and helping other teachers to implement.

I think it's really important to recruit teachers to apply to the Teacher-Leader Program and I hope that I can inspire more teachers to participate in Biotechnology Institute's Conference-including the three-day workshop and BIO annual convention. The Institute's Conference and the BIO convention are the most critical professional development courses available to biotechnology educators. That's why I've been attending every year since 2000.

December, 2004