STAFF & FACULTY DIRECTORY PROFILE
Andrew Toney
Job Title:
Science Teacher
Department:
Science
Email:
Phone: (510) 577-9100
ext.
Started at O'Dowd:
2022
Degrees:
Cal Poly SLO BS- Industrial Engineering; MA - Education Alliant University
Originally from:
Mountain View CA
Why I Teach:
It's the best fit to my passions of helping kids, solving problems, and having a career that has a meaningful impact on the lives of others.
Most powerful teaching technique:
Listening and reflecting on student input. I try very hard to create a Learner's community. That means listening to student voices about what kind of tools, exercises, and experiences help them learn best and feel successful in class and then actively adding and adapting those things into the classroom for student success.
Why are the subjects you teach important?:
Learning to Think critically with clear outcomes is crucial to success in any career or pursuit in life. Learning physics is one of the best ways to see just that. To see how learning fundamental truths of the physical universe, and then applying mathematics to predict and understand the outcomes is an excellent framework for learning to assess 'These are truths I know and skills I have, and when I apply them to get this outcome this happens." Learning Robotics is about understanding how to teach and manipulate technology to do what you want it to do to make your life easier. Learning logical progression of steps and application allows students to practice applying their knowledge to learn how to organize processes and steps in a way that would help and teach them how they can meet an objective is a common skill that can be easily transferred to many many parts of real life.
Favorite quotes:
"Accept the things to which fate binds you. Love the people with whom fate brings you together, and do so with all your heart. " -Marcucs Aurelius "If you are feeling disheartened, if you feel that you are somehow not enough. Set your heart ablaze." -Kyojuro Rengoku "Constructive anger," the demon said, her voice dripping sarcasm. "...Also known as passion," I said quietly. "Passion has overthrown tyrants and freed prisoners and slaves. Passion has brought justice where there was savagery. Passion has created freedom where there was nothing but fear. Passion has helped souls rise from the ashes of their horrible lives and build something better, stronger, more beautiful.��_ -Jim Butcher, White Night "The greatest victories are won with swords sheathed." - Sun Tzu "Good men want only the power to make things right. Great men seek to make things right and gather the power to do so. Great leaders find those capable of wielding power and set them to the task of making things r
Favorite trivia:
In 2019, according to Forbes, 90% of the world's data was generated in the last two years with 2.5 quintillion bytes data being created each day.
Recommended visual media:
A Silent Voice and The Princess Bride
Recommended reads:
Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson, The Dresden Files - Jim Butcher, and The King Killer Chronicles - Patrick Rothfuss
Hobbies or outside interests:
Reading, Anime/Manga, Video games, Board Games, 3D printing and design, Amatuer Woodworking, and Comic Books