Press Release - Darlington High students were never so excited to enter a Biology classroom as when John Cipollina recently did a presentation on genetics using dogs and puppies.
Though a Spanish teacher by trade, Cipollina and his wife breed Chihuahuas and Chinese Crested Dogs for show.
Several times a year, Cipollina visits biology classes and uses the animals to demonstrate genetic concepts to the students. "Knowing genetics is essential to a good breeder," said Cipollina.
By demonstrating genetics to students in a non-conventional way, Cipollina hopes to reach out to students who may not even know they have an interest in the field.
At Darlington High School, students heard a PowerPoint presentation on genetics in breeding and then were able to play with the dogs brought in by Cipollina.
"Education sometimes has a one size fits all mentality. However, something you say different may be the thing that makes an uninterested student interested," Cipollina comments.
He has found the presentation successful in giving students a practical, hands-on approach to High School Biology.
Throughout his career, Cipollina has been asked to bring his presentation to neighboring schools.
Cipollina began his teaching career as a band instructor in Virginia. Due to budget cuts in the area, he was forced to become a Spanish teacher, a role he came to enjoy.
As with biology, Cipollina incorporates other forms of learning into his Spanish classes, such as word processing skills and technology-based exercises.
Cipollina began his practices in breeding on a significantly larger dog-the Great Dane. Cipollina downsized to the Chihuahua and Chinese Crested because of the relative ease in controlling the animals.
Cipollina remarks, "As educators, we have the power to make an impact in students' lives, whether through traditional ways or not." Judging from the smiling faces of students in a classroom, it is hard to argue with his results.
