David Walker teaches innovative courses in Earth Science and Organic Chemistry at LASA High School, a public magnet school in Austin, Texas. His favorite thing about teaching is having the opportunity to make the natural world more interesting for his students every day. This opportunity is his passion point, and it constantly motivates him to improve. An avid backpacker, fly fisherman, and birder, he loves to bring his experiences, personal knowledge, and insights to life in engaging, meaningful learning activities for his students.
David advocates a project- and place-based teaching model and encourages his students to investigate nature through unique field trips and research projects in Austin-area laboratories, parks, and preserves. He also coaches the LASA Science Olympiad team, through which he has helped inspire students to study science beyond classroom requirements and expose students to many scientific fields and disciplines not typically encountered in high school.
David plans to directly integrate his research experience in the Arctic into his classroom. In doing so, he hopes to enrich his curriculum with a wealth of relatable personal experiences, enhance the project-based field research components of his courses, expose his students to unique careers and fields in science, and inspire his students to seek out additional learning opportunities outside of the classroom.
Austin, TX
United States