|
|
Mr. Dunn |
|
 About the TeacherMr. Nate N. Dunn Position: Sixth Grade Pre-AP Science & Sixth Grade Co-Team Leader
Education: Bachelor of Arts (May 1998) Elon University, Elon, NC Masters of Education (December 2008) Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ Education Administration
Certification: Texas 4-8 Grade Composite (All Subjects) Certificate
Teacher Biography: Mr. Dunn is a graduate of Elon University in Elon, North Carolina, a premier private liberal arts institution located in the Piedmont-Triad area of the state. Mr. Dunn is a recipient of the North Carolina Teaching Fellows Scholarship, a highly competitive award for high school students interested in pursuing a career in education. One hundred percent of a Teaching Fellow's college tuition is financed in exchange for four years of teaching within the public school system in North Carolina.
As part of Elon University's Teaching Fellow program, Mr. Dunn was fortunate to be able to travel the entire eastern seaboard and visit various historical sites for an American History Study Tour. He also spent four months in London, England as part of another Elon University Teaching Fellows Program highlight. He attended classes at the University of London and student taught grade one at Brookland Primary in Blackheath, England. While in England Mr. Dunn traveled all over the British Isles, took weekend trips to Amsterdam, France, & Belgium and spent two weeks in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. In addition, Mr. Dunn was able to participate in two separate month long Washington Center internships and workshops in Washington, D.C. for leadership and diversity training. As part of the workshops Mr. Dunn spoke with and did mini-internships with many prominent members of the D.C. city and federal governments, including, then vice-president Al Gore. While in college Mr. Dunn joined the fraternity of Alpha Kappa Lambda, Beta Rho Chapter where he served as vice president for two years and was elected Brother of the Year in 1998. After he graduated Mr. Dunn served as his fraternity's Alumni Corporation Board president for 2 years and was elected fraternity Alumnus of the Year in 1999. While at Elon Mr. Dunn also was a member of 5 Honor societies, made Dean's List 4 times and President's List twice.
Mr. Dunn graduated cum laude with honors from Elon University, with a 3.64 GPA and student taught fifth grade at Alexander Wilson Elementary School in Graham, NC for one semester. From August 1998- May 2001 Mr. Dunn taught sixth grade regular and Pre-AP science and social studies at Allen Middle School in Greensboro, NC. He also was assistant baseball coach, announcer/scorekeeper/DJ for all home athletic contests and served on the school Planning & Management (Leadership) Team. Before moving to TX, Mr. Dunn was scheduled to be a team leader for eighth grade.
Seven years ago Mr. Dunn, relocated to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and was delighted to accept a position the night before school started at Dove Elementary. Frazzled and feeling a bit unprepared for his first job in a new state, new school system, new grade level and all with no preparation time, Mr. Dunn showed up ready for action the next day.
Mr. Dunn enjoyed spending his first year in Texas and GCISD teaching at Dove Elementary and despite the short notice, he caught up ably and adjusted quickly to his new environment. He was a fifth grade teacher of math, language arts, and social studies and relished the experience and challenge, seeing all of his students pass both Math & Reading TAAS with all scoring higher than they did previously, and most earning commended, but found that he missed the maturity of the students, schedule, and extracurricular activities afforded at a middle school. It was also hard to not be teaching science.
In May of 2001 with the blessing and understanding of his fifth grade teammates at Dove Elementary and the principal, Mr. Dunn interviewed, was offered, and accepted a job at Cross Timbers Middle School as a sixth grade science teacher. Mr. Dunn was thrilled to be back in his "element" and eagerly anticipated the return to the middle school science classroom after a one-year hiatus. Mr. Dunn was extremely excited to be back at a middle school and was awed by and eager to use all of the fantastic science equipment available at Cross Timbers. In his first year at CTMS, Mr. Dunn settled in and taught Accelerated and Regular sixth grade science. He also became a fixture at Wolf athletic events as the announcer at home football, volleyball, and basketball games, mixing play by play, starting lineups, and music to pump up the players, cheerleaders, and the Wolves' faithful. He also DJed the PTA School Dances. All in all Mr. Dunn*s first year at CTMS was very successful and tons of fun.
This year Mr. Dunn begins his sixth year at CTMS. This will be his fifth year as the sixth grade co-team leader with the outstanding Mrs. Kris Botterman (6th Grade Accelerated & Pre-AP Math). Along with one of CTMS's other 6th grade science teachers, Ms. Mary Potysman, Mr. Dunn has overseen, planned, and coordinated the annual GCISD Middle School Science Showcase held in March at the Colleyville Convention Center for the past four years. Mr. Dunn also helped to write the GCISD 6th Grade Science Benchmark tests to be given at the end of each semester each year for the district. Three years ago Mr. Dunn served on a committee which rewrote and realigned the new 6th Grade Accelerated curriculum for GCISD to streamline and help prepare students for the state of Texas's newest TAKS test: 8th grade Science. Mr. Dunn also co-wrote the new 6th grade Pre-AP curriculum which is being launched in GCISD this year. Two years ago Mr. Dunn was nominated for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching and finished in the top 3 in the state of Texas for 2007. Although not chosen as Texas State Science Teacher, for his top three finish, Mr. Dunn was awarded a new Dell Laptop computer and computer bag.
Mr. Dunn returned to London, England with his wife in Summer of 2006 where they saw all the sights, mastered the London Underground Tube and returned to Mr. Dunn's old stomping grounds from college. Most exciting was a Jack the Ripper walking tour and three thrilling musicals in the West End in the evenings. In summer 2005, Mr. Dunn was fortunate enough to be selected to participate in a summer program for teachers at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas called the STARS Program. As part of this program, Mr. Dunn spent eight weeks working alongside professional researchers and scientists doing investigations into cardiac research using mice. Mr. Dunn got to meet Nobel laureates, hear numerous guest lecturers, meet new exciting science professionals and learned loads about professional research and lab science. At the end of his internship Mr. Dunn had to design a lesson plan for his sixth graders which integrated his work and create and present a PowerPoint about his research project in front of the faculty at UT Southwestern .
This past summer was a busy time for Mr. Dunn & his family as they traveled all over the country and spent no more than a week in a row in their house. They drove to North Carolina & Minnesota to visit Mr. Dunn's family and to Houston, Galveston, and the family Lake House at Lake Palo Pinto several times throughout the summer to visit his wife's family. More importantly, Mr. Dunn and his wife Mrs. Laura Taylor-Dunn, whom he met when he worked at Dove Elementary, celebrated their fourth wedding. anniversary. She now works at a brand new school in Northwest ISD and is starting her 8th year as a second grade teacher and 5th year as team leader. The most exciting event of the summer was the 1st birthday of their daughter, Maren Elise Dunn the theme of which was "Pirate Princess" complete with a 25 foot pirate ship bounce house. Maren started walking over the summer and enjoyed her cross country trips strapped in her car seat in the Murano with the dog in back. The Dunns live in a house they built 5 years ago in Keller. They reside there with their dog, Josie and two cats, Joseph & Jolie ("Josie and the Pussycats").
When he is not involved in teaching or coaching girls athletic events (volleyball, basketball, & track) at CTMS, Mr. Dunn enjoys supporting any Minnesota professional sports team (Go Twins!, Go Vikings!, Go Timberwolves!), and the UNC Tarheel NCAA basketball team (NCAA Champs 1957, 1982, 1993, & 2005!!). Mr. Dunn would like it noted for the record that he was a fan of the Stars way back when they were the Northstars and playing in Minnesota. That was before Texas stole, er, bought, a championship hockey team. Additionally Mr. Dunn has an extensive CD and MP3 collection (over 1,200 CDs and 40,000 MP3's) and does freelance DJing at weddings, birthday parties, school dances, formals, and other events under his own company NorthStar Entertainment (in honor of, you guessed it, the old Minnesota hockey team), under the name DJ Nate Dogg. Mr. Dunn has DJed events at GHS, for GHS athletic teams, all CTMS home athletic contests from 2002-2008, at other schools throughout GCISD, and at numerous weddings, private and corporate functions throughout the Metroplex. This past summer, Mr. Dunn had the honor to DJ for CTMS's 8th grade social studies teacher Mr. Dickeson's wedding and for 8th grade IPC science teacher Mr. Bingenheimer's daughter's wedding as well! Currently he is scheduled to DJ all of the Grapevine High School Football home games Tailgate Parties for 2008 for the second year. In his remaining free time Mr. Dunn enjoys spending time entertaining his daughter Maren, chasing her around the house, reading to her, and just being silly. He also enjoys organizing (a chore for most, a hobby for a crazy few), reading (anything witty/funny, short story collections, uplifting fiction, historical), writing papers for his online graduate classes working on becoming a principal or vice principal someday, and watching the latest movie in the mail from Netflicks.
Mr. Dunn’s Mission For His Science Classes: * To enable students to learn and use the material required by the State of Mr. Dunn’s Class Motto: |
|
