Anna Toy-Palmer, PhD
Anna Toy-Palmer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry. Two of her favorite accomplishments are advising the Oxnard College Chemistry Club and witnessing students succeed in their educational objectives.
As previously mentioned, Dr. Toy-Palmer is passionate about her involvement in the Chemistry Club. The Chemistry Club’s mission is to show how chemistry is all around us and how it affects our lives. Field trips and guest speakers excite students about chemistry and introduce students to a variety of chemistry professions. The Chemistry Club also emphasizes community work including helping the Thomas fire victims and collaborating with “Be the Match”. The club provides tutoring, and acts as a place for study groups to meet. Strong friendships have been formed which helped students throughout their scholastic career.
Dr. Toy-Palmer truly enjoys connecting with students as they progress through their academic and professional paths as they pursue their dreams. Dr. Toy-Palmer’s goal in teaching is not just having students become experts in chemistry but to learn think critically, improve study habits and persist through challenging material. Development of internal motivation and working with peers are life-long skills, applicable to more than just chemistry.
Active learning is being able to utilize multiple modes of learning to understand new concepts. Chemistry requires active learning because we need to implement concepts we learn into successful experimentation! Dr. Toy-Palmer asserts that active learning is essential since students often dissociate what they learn in the classroom from what occurs to them in real life. The goal is not only to have them apply chemical concepts in lecture, but to apply them in lab and to notice the parallels between what they do on a daily basis with what they do in lab.
CAL-ACT Catalysts connect with current CAL-ACT cohort members on a regular basis to mentor, partner and coach.
Anna can be reached at atoypalmer@vcccd.edu