Allan Garvin Science Teacher                  Room B-204 875-2146 x214 agarvin@wswsu.org CLASSES: Physical Science                            Wilderness Adventures BACKGROUND INFORMATION: It has been a long and winding road that has lead me to GMUHS.  I graduated from University of Georgia with a BS in Geology.  A 6 month long thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail helped me figure out that I really wanted to teach.  After graduating from the University of Maryland at Baltimore County with a graduate degree in education, I took another hike.  Three months on the Pacific Crest Trail convinced me that Oregon was the place for me.  My wife and I called Astoria, Oregon home for 7 years before moving to Vermont.  Our two new sons convinced us that we need to be closer to family, so we headed back East and landed in Chester. PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION: I believe that every student can be a successful learner.  Learning is a process and should be active.  When designing my curriculum I have reflected on my educational experience and how I learn things now.  I have concluded that experience is the best teacher.  In other words, I think that students need to participate in activities such as labs, projects, and discussions to learn the content as well as assess what they have learned.  Certainly the students will be asked to understand new concepts, this process sometimes involves memorization, but it is the application of new skills through experience that is emphasised in my classes.