Andrew Croteau: I am currently a high school math teacher at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Dover, NH. I have been teaching for 11 years and have taught several different math courses, including but not limited to Algebra 1, Calculus, and Statistics. My focus as a teacher is to help my students become critical thinkers and help them to develop good problem solving skills. My research interests include how to motivate students to perform to their best abilities and also to determine if there is a relationship between students' completion of homework and what grades they earn.
Kaela Croteau: I have been teaching middle school science for eight years now. I started my career at Noble Middle School in Berwick, ME where I taught sixth and seventh grade science for five years. I then began teaching seventh grade science at Kingswood Regional Middle School in Wolfeboro, NH. This past year I began teaching seventh and eighth grade science on our fully remote team. This past summer was my fourth summer working in the RETE program at UNH. I spent my first summer studying life cycle assessments, my second summer was spent studying and working with heavy metal capture using bacteria, and my last summer on campus was spent studying aspects of the Living Bridge project in Portsmouth, with a specific emphasis on the effectiveness of gusset-less bridges. In the summer of 2020,I had the opportunity to work from home developing lesson plans and activities to go along with my prior work on campus. I spent the summer developing a complete middle school unit, with easy adaptations for virtual learning, for students to learn about the life cycle assessment as it relates to engineering a new product. I also started the beginning stages of work on a bridge unit related to the work I did on the Living Bridge Project. When I am not busy teaching, I enjoy spending time with my husband, dog, and infant daughter hiking, driving, and exploring all that the beautiful state of New Hampshire has to offer! My research interests include the use of technology in the science classroom to help improve student achievement. I have had a great opportunity to explore this even more this year.
Elizabeth England:
"The best educators are committed to learning new ideas and ways of presenting information that is innovative and engaging." M. Elizabeth England
After working as an environmental change agent for over 15 years, Elizabeth changed careers, but not her passion for educating other about this planet. Education at all levels is important to Elizabeth. She holds a bachelors and masters degree in natural science and sustainability from Harvard University and a MS in education from the University of New England. In 2015, she began teaching science at the Middle School level. She is currently teaching high school physics, integrated science, and STEM at Winnisquam Regional High School in Tilton, NH. She loves teaching at both levels and would teach both if possible. If you enter Elizabeth's classroom you will see that students are actively engaged in what they are doing. Elizabeth looks at other opportunities to see the world other cultures and embrace what makes each individual unique. In her spare time, Elizabeth sings in two community choirs, is active in social justice issues, is an art quilter, avid reader, and hiker. "There is nothing better than spending a day in nature with friends!"
Michael Lee: I work as a 7th& 8th grade technology engineering teacher. I have a Master’s in Education and a Bachelors in Technology Studies and Education K-12. Topics that are currently taught in my class are:
•Robotics-construction-programing-sensors-course navigation and competitions
•Aerodynamics-fundamentals-construction of wind turbine blades-testing-electricity-torque-water pump production-data analysis
•Arduino Electronics-coding-wiring-small circuit & real world application
•Hydroponics-Smart system introduction-plant growth-nutrients/PH-water level sensor-temp/humidity using Arduino
•CAD & 3D printing-CAD Design using Sketchup-Phone holder-bedroom design-game piece-house floor plans
I have had the great privilege and opportunity to work at UNH and be a part of the RETE. It has impacted my classroom environment by providing me with different technology avenues to be able to reach my 7th& 8thgrade learners. I am determined as a teacher to continue to evaluate my teaching methods, technology and comprehension levels of my students. Using knowledge and resources from the RETE program I have been able to apply some what I have learned into my classroom environment.
Kyle Plante: I am currently going into my 13th year in education. I graduated from UNH with my Bachelor of Science in general biology in 2009, and then in 2013 I graduated from St. Joseph’s College of Maine with my Masters of Science in Education. I started out at Pittsfield Middle High School in Pittsfield NH as a per diem substitute and science specialist, then went on to Henry Wilson Memorial School for a year as a 1:1 paraprofessional, before landing my dream job as a science teacher at Pinkerton Academy in Derry, NH. I’m currently going into my 10thyear there the first 7 of which I taught freshman physical science and the last 3 junior chemistry. This coming school year I’m looking forward to taking what I have learned from RETE a truly putting it forward as I teach a brand new course in biotechnology that was completely designed based off my experience. I’m looking forward to the change and all of the challenges ahead. This is my 3rdyear participating in the RETE program. I have gained valuable experiences to help me intertwine the engineering processes into a high school chemistry course as well. I feel like we are all lifelong learners and I am constantly looking for way to improve my craft, and incorporate those “real world” experiences into my curriculum.
