My name is Heike Carrel and I am currently working on my initial teaching certificate (Life Science 8-12.) After receiving my B.S. in Biology in 2000 from the University of Texas at Arlington, I participated in a work abroad program in the UK for six months. Upon returning to the United States, I began working as a microbiologist in a food laboratory. Currently, I am working for Pepsi as a Sensory Evaluation Technician in Arlington.
I love animals and I have two finches, a frog, and a couple of fish. In my spare time, I enjoy running, mountain biking, backpacking, and camping. I completed my first marathon (26.2 miles) and first 50K (31 miles) last year. I love trail running and would like to run some more 50K's by next year.
I am looking forward to finishing this semester and starting my teaching practicum in the spring. For me, teaching will be a career change and one that I think I will enjoy very much! I want a career that makes use of my degree and continues to provide me with new challenges. Teaching will meet both of these needs. Additionally, I like knowing that I can make teaching as challenging as I want it to be--not just for my students, but for me as well. In some of my previous jobs, some of the tasks I performed were very routine. With teaching, each day will be a little different because, while I will teach the same subject every year, each individual day will consist of teaching a different topic in my subject. Additionally, my students will bring variety to the classroom via their cultural backgrounds and personal interests.