Ethan Buffalo
Multimedia Editor
Where are you from?
Born in Joplin but I was raised mainly in Phoenix, AZ and Dallas, TX.
What lead you towards teaching?
As a student, I found I a knack explaining scientific principles for helping peers in college and that combined with a passion for science. Teaching as a career also gets you a lot of time off.
Have you always had a passion for science and where does that stem from?
I think so. I’m not sure where it stems from but from the time I was a child I was always interested in how things worked. It wasn’t always necessarily in education but from an early age I was determined to have some sort of career in science.
Did you have any odd jobs before you started teaching?
I’ve worked in retail, grocery stores, drug stores in high school. As I got older, I ran the shipping department at a manufacturing company before graduating. A lot of those odd jobs you have while you’re in school, its helpful to remember that this is only temporary until I get my degree.
What are some hobbies you have outside of work?
Reading, playing video games, and spending time with my family. I’ve got a son who will be 17 next month, and daughter who will be 21 next month. Standard dad stuff.
What is a challenge you face as an instructor that most people wouldn’t be aware of?
There’s a certain difficulty in connecting with students. One method that worked for one group doesn’t work on a younger set of students.
Where did you go to college?
I did my first 60 hours at a couple of community colleges and did my last portion of my degree and Missouri Southern and that’s where I graduated from.
What area of scientific study do you find most interesting?
I’m primarily a biologist, so anything to do with the life sciences. Anything to do with the earth sciences like astronomy or astrology is less relevant to me as opposed to understanding how my body works.
Why do you believe a basic scientific education is necessary for students?
I think the world we live in is becoming increasingly complex with scientific factors. Understanding topics like climate change and genetic engineering make you less easily manipulated. We’ve talked in class about the flat earth society, what I think that is, is a failure in the education system. There are so many scientific studies that prove there is no link between vaccinations and autism. Yet people are putting more of an emphasis on feeling than facts. Putting others at risk because of it.
How would you improve upon or adjust how Crowder students are educated in chemistry?
It would be helpful if students had a stronger math background going in. It goes back to your last question in education. The ability to read is called literacy, well in math its referred to as numeracy. Some students can really struggle in the quantitative aspect of chemistry because they’re behind the curve for a college student.
Do you have any pets?
I have two cats and two dogs. Six years ago, we adopted two puppies that were apart of Crowder’s vet tech program.
What’s the best part of your day?
It’s hard to say best because I enjoy my job. To put it this way, the worst part of my day is probably grading. My role in the Webb City campus is to prepare the lab for other classes so I essentially get paid to play with chemicals.
Who would you credit as a role model in your life?
Dr. Mike Lawson at Missouri Southern was really sort of my mentor and someone I tried to model my own teaching style from. Direct and straightforward, he had high expectations but was fair. If you set low expectations, then students will follow the path of least resistance.
If you could only listen to one band for the rest of your life, who would it be?
Man, that’s tough. I have probably three or four but my top two I can’t separate it. My top two are probably Rush and Tool.
What would you describe as your greatest achievement?
I think the thing I’m the proudest of is how my kids have turned out. They’re smart, well-rounded, and grounded.
How long have you been teaching at Crowder?
I’ve been a full-time instructor at Crowder for 14 years now. I’ve been teaching in some capacity for 20 years as an adjunct and a part of the upward bound program.
Did you teach anywhere before that?
I taught high school at Carl Junction and middle school at Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School beforehand.
Leave a Reply