Commencement 2017 profile: Samantha Grieco

A series of surprising text messages inspired Samantha Grieco to return to Binghamton University to pursue a teaching career.

“I was at home working and traveling when I got a text message from a group of students I had in organic chemistry,” said Grieco, who received her undergraduate degree in cell and molecular biology in 2012. “They said they were in the Lecture Hall grading papers: ‘Remember us? We’re now (teaching assistants), too.’

“It warmed my heart,” she added. “Every one of them then sent me a personal message about how much I had helped them (as a TA). I thought: ‘OK, I now know what I want to do.’”

Grieco returned to Binghamton in the fall of 2014 to seek a master’s degree (MS) in chemistry. In the fall of 2015, she began work on a master of arts in teaching (MAT) chemistry through the Graduate School of Education (GSE). She received that degree in December 2016 and plans to complete her MS by the end of the summer.

The 27-year-old from Pine Bush, N.Y., said she had considered a teaching career as an undergraduate, having served as a teaching assistant in organic chemistry. Grieco believes that good science teachers are essential in today’s schools.

“They can make students appreciate science and find it enjoyable,” she said. “That’s one of the things I’m passionate about with the MAT degree and the teaching. A lot of people don’t have a good experience in school with science. I think it deters a lot of kids from not majoring in science when they get to college.”

Grieco, who hopes to teach high school chemistry, spent 16 weeks student-teaching at West Middle School in Binghamton and Owego Free Academy as part of her GSE training.

“I loved it,” she said. “I like having interactions with the students and building a rapport with them. Not everybody is going to be a research scientist – and that’s OK. I’m trying to get them to appreciate science and think of it as something that’s fun and interesting. That’s the coolest part for me.”

Grieco said her teaching style has been described as a “Sherlock Holmes method.”

“I’ll lead a class by firing off questions,” she said. “When a student answers, I’ll repeat their answer and fire off another question. It can be fast-paced as I walk around the room. That’s where the ‘Sherlock Holmes method’ comes in.

“I don’t want students to think: ‘This is what the teacher said, so that’s the way it is.’ I want them to get there on their own – with me facilitating.”

Grieco praised the GSE faculty members, particularly Professor Tom O’Brien (her MAT advisor) and Assistant Professor Pamela Sandoval.

“All of the faculty are knowledgeable and I felt prepared going into my student training,” she said. “A lot of students going into teaching are uneasy being in front (of a class). For me, that wasn’t a problem. I know we had done everything we needed to be prepared.”

O’Brien said that Grieco exemplifies the combination of “good will” (such as compassionate concern for students) and “good skill” (pedagogical content knowledge and expertise) that define great teachers.

“Her three degrees from Binghamton University will enable her, somewhat uniquely, to be certified to teach middle school life and physical sciences and high school biology and chemistry,” he said. “Given her intelligence and drive to learn and make a difference, I’m certain she will become a master teacher who will contribute to her school and the broader profession of science education in a very short time.”

Susan Bane, a professor of organic and biological chemistry, and Rebecca Kissling, a lecturer in organic chemistry, have also proven beneficial to Grieco. While Kissling stirred Grieco’s interest in chemistry, Bane serves as her MS advisor.

“She has been supportive and trusting of me,” Grieco said of Bane. “I came in having two years off and never having done research as an undergraduate. She set me up and guided me. When I started the MAT, she was fine with me being absent for the better part of a year and a half.”

Grieco, who received her yoga-instruction certification while in graduate school, said she plans to look for teaching positions at schools in smaller or rural areas.

“I’m not a city person,” she said. “I’m from a small town. I like space.”

Grieco said she’s grateful to a University she describes as “a welcoming school that challenges its students.”

“Binghamton has granted me a lot of opportunities for experience in the way of teaching,” she said. “Through TA’ing and tutoring as an undergrad to running two Intro to Chemistry labs to TA’ing for biochemistry now and the GSE observations, I have an all-around experience.”