As the school year begins, we welcome many new teachers to the PDS community. This year, we are excited to welcome Mr. Daniel McDevitt to the Science Department, where he teaches ninth grade Biology and AP Biology.
Previously, he taught at another school, teaching ninth grade Biology, Advanced Studies Biology, coached track, and served as a dorm parent. When asked why he chose PDS, he stated, “I knew faculty at my prior school who knew faculty who worked here at some time, and they had a lot of nice things to say about PDS.”
While students work to adjust to the PDS culture, new teachers can also face similar difficulties. Even in these first few weeks of school, Mr. McDevitt has encountered some challenges as he assimilates into the PDS community. For one, he is building an entirely new curriculum catered to a new group of students. Another adjustment has been getting accustomed to our rotating seven-day cycle schedule. Upon first glance, this schedule style may appear confusing, especially after using a previous method. At his previous school, he also used Canva rather than Schoology, so he is still adapting to this change as well.
In May, Mr. McDevitt’s students in AP Biology will take the AP exam, and he hopes every student scores a five. To help achieve this, Mr. McDevitt makes it a point to teach effective studying habits to his students. For example, his students practice the Feynman technique, where they explain a concept as if teaching a ten-year old. Through this method, students are able to deepen their understanding of challenging biology concepts, and can eventually apply them to problem-solving. At the end of class, he also has his students do “blank page reviews”, where they spend a few minutes writing down everything they had just learned in that class period. This way, students can identify areas needing more practice and recognize concepts they have already mastered. Mr. McDevitt is adamant towards providing support to all of his students.
When asked if he had any fun facts, he noted, “I give motivational speeches, specifically in the Science Department.” His famous words are: “We got this.” PDS is fortunate to have found a teacher dedicated to leading and guiding his students every step of the way!
