Anna Switzer
Ph.D.
Anna Switzer, Ph.D., is a long-time educator and started her career in the classroom as a high-school Physics and Math teacher. Later, she taught Earth Science (courses and labs) and Oceanography (labs) at the college level. She has also taught pre-service teachers (science) and in-service teachers (K-12, all subjects). Anna earned a BA in Physics (Kenyon College), an MS in Oceanography (North Carolina State University), and a Ph.D. in Education (University of Michigan). She has a strong background in Experiential Education, Project-Based Learning, and Environmental Education. She is a watercolor artist, lives in Oregon, and has written one book (so far) called License to Learn: Elevating Discomfort in Service of Lifelong Learning (2020).
Offered Courses
TEACHERS & STUDENTS CONNECTING WITH NATURE
Course No. ED477z, ED577z
This course is designed for K-12 teachers, both for a personal connection with nature and for helping students connect with nature. Teachers will explore the impact of the natural world on our bodies, minds, spirits, and overall sense of well-being. In addition, teachers will learn how being in nature benefits students, calms their nervous systems and enhances cognitive, observational, and creative problem-solving skills.
VOICE, PRESENCE, & POWER IN THE CLASSROOM
Course No. ED477k, ED577k
This course will help teachers develop their voice, presence, and power in the school context. It is designed especially for newer, younger, or less-confident-for-whatever-reason teachers. In addition, teachers will explore tools to help develop their students' voice and sense of power. Note that "power" in the course refers to everyone in a classroom-- or school-- being empowered to do what they are there to do, and to do it effectively. Everything in the course is also applicable to administrators who are leading staff meetings, professional development sessions, or the like. School counselors may also find this material relevant to their work in building students' personal tool-kit for confidence.
TEACHING DECISION-MAKING AS A SPECIFIC SKILL
Course No. ED477f, ED577f
This course is designed to support teachers in developing language and techniques for teaching decision-making skills to students. Teaching this skill is important because our decisions shape the quality of our lives, communities, and environment. Many decision-making models are available; this course is designed around the Stakeholders-Consequences Decision Making (SCDM) model. It is a flexible model and can be used in many different ways, with multiple grade levels, and in many subject areas including academic and social-emotional learning. You can confidently use and teach this model which is powerful for both individual and team-based decisions.
UNLOCKING THE NUANCES OF DISCOMFORT IN LEARNING
Course No. ED476t, ED576t
The notion of the “comfort zone” has been in the cultural lexicon for quite a long time. However, not many people talk about what lies outside the comfort zone. While we might recognize that, by definition, discomfort is outside of it, we don’t necessarily understand all the nuances that can be present with discomfort. In this course, you will dive deeply into a metaphorical “map” that helps to define and develop discomfort so that it is useful, nuanced, and not just an unknown sea.
