Although Ms. Gartner has been at Berkeley High School for two years, this will be her first time working under the auspices of CPA. She will be teaching Chemistry and Advanced Biology. She has a BA from Carleton College, a MA from the University of Colorado and a teaching credential from Mills College. Ms. Gartner is an accomplished runner and climber, having climbed El Capitane in Yosemite this pass summer. She has also spent the summer traveling with students to Costa Rica, monitoring endangered Leatherback sea turtles. She’s hoping to take a group of students to the Galapagos Islands next summer
What does she say about her philosophy of teaching?
I want to encourage student interest in science. I want to give students a license to see themselves as scientists, and I want to teach them the tools to access any scientific question or exploration that interests them. Science is often viewed as complex, mysterious, and elitist, but I believe that science can be accessible to everyone when we learn to question, think, and examine our world scientifically. I believe in the importance of personal connections and in valuing every student for what they bring to the class and what they achieve in their work.
