intervering Kip Brady A biology teacher of mine I had in high School at new philadelphia High School

This is my biology teacher Mr. Brady and I was able to interview him. Biology was my favorite subject in school

Q 1. how long have you been a Biology teacher

A. This will be my 20th year.

Q 2.  is new Philadelphia high school the only school you taught at?

A. Yes.  The only school I've ever taught.

Q 3. what is your favorite part about teaching biology?

A. There are so many things that I like.  I like sharing the wonder of nature.  I like getting students to see the world in a new and more detailed way.  I like addressing novel questions where my students and I are engaging in science to learn something new.  And, of course, I love the opportunity to work with high school-aged students.

Q 4. did you attend college and what college did you attend?

A.A biology degree from Northern Michigan University, a teaching certificate from the University of Akron, Master's degree from Miami University.

Q 5. what do you like about nature and insects?

A. I think we are taught to see human society as something different from nature, so I like to help students overcome this misconception.  I want people to understand that we are part of nature.  Insects are the dominant animals on Earth.  If even a fraction of insect diversity we're to go extinct, our species and many others would soon follow; but, if humans were to go extinct, Earth's ecosystems would go on functioning even better than today.  I like insects for many reasons, but from an educational standpoint, I think an awareness of their diversity, abundance, and importance can help people achieve a degree of humility and an appreciation for why preserving Earth's biodiversity is essential to our survival.

Q 6. why did you choose to be a biology teacher?

A. There are a lot of reasons. It is a great career, with lots of rewards. I thought about my options after getting my biology degree. I knew enough about the challenges facing human society (overpopulation, dwindling resource base, mass extinction of biodiversity,...), and I thought about how these challenges could be best addressed. My conclusion was that, at their root, these challenges were problems of education. It seemed high school was an ideal age group. I somehow landed at New Philadelphia High School, and it has been a great career, with lots of support for developing innovative approaches to science and environmental education.

Question 7 what is one thing you would change about the world today what difference would you make?

A. I think we need to embrace the reality that we've pushed against Earth's limits, and along with that, adjust our societies accordingly. In Kenneth Boulding's words, we need to shift from a "cowboy" economy to a "spaceship" economy.