With its constant cycle of projects and a buzzing atmosphere, New Tech differs from the traditional school model with project-based learning. Under PBL, facilitators may feel the stress of constructing a project for students, juggling logistics, benchmarks, rubrics, and in-depth instructions to ensure projects run smoothly. New Tech’s first-year biology teacher, Alan Vuong, is overcoming these daunting tasks while creating projects for his rookie class. Fortunately, Vuong seems up to the task, taking the initiative to create new and innovative projects. His “astrobiology” project encourages learners to delve into the mysteries of the “search for life beyond Earth.”
“I’m integrating a lot of different concepts that are usually taught separately,” mentions Vuong, referring to the culmination of different fields of science necessary for the project, such as the intersection between biology and astronomy. “We’ll be able to see how biology relates within itself, and how things always interconnect.”
Vuong further mentions that the knowledge gained from this project will be useful, as it relates to “…components found down the line as we continue to add on and explain more complex processes in biology.” He’s really excited to teach his learners and surprised by their eagerness to grow. “Students here are more outspoken…they have a genuine interest that they can come and pursue. The staff is more tight-knit, and there’s more of a sense of community, which is reflected in the school as a whole.”
In addition to his biology classes, Vuong teaches med term, a class introduced this year. In his own words, “The class is designed to explore medical careers and understand the vocabulary people use in the medical field. Students study vocab, learn about anatomy, and look at different techniques used in the medical world.” This new class excites many of New Tech’s aspiring doctors and medical practitioners, teaching them information and skills that will be useful in more advanced medicine classes.
When asked if he knew he was going to teach the class, he exclaimed, “No, actually when I got the job, Porter was like ‘Surprise’ you’re teaching a new class. But it was a pleasant surprise.”
A new class means a clean slate meant to be filled full of projects and assignments, all of which Vuong constantly works on in his first year as a teacher at New Tech.
