[…]way to organize a “story” and have students check in at different parts to complete the story.” “Seriously, this was a fantastic session, and I walked away feeling like I could use pieces to make more really awesome class discussions this upcoming year.” We not only learned more about the process of 5P, but we also gained the confidence to take our presentation to the national level. NATIONAL-SCALE PRESENTATIONS AT NSTA AND NABT CONFERENCES Immediately following the KSTF presentation, our cohort met to debrief the presentation. Together we combined the presenter’s thoughts with the notes from the observers to strengthen […]
[…]again. We had over two feet of snow just outside the door of our classroom and the students kept jokingly asking to take class outside to build a snowman or have a snowball fight. This gave me inspiration for a snowshoe building project. I still had not covered pressure in physics class and my students could use some review on the differences between mass and weight. I also knew I could find some ways to build in some math skills as well. Furthermore, I could use this opportunity to provide my students with real experience with the engineering design process. […]
[…]Angeles. Our population is 85% Latino and 15% African American, with 77% of our students eligible for free and reduced lunch. I provided my senior students with a survey about their families’ and friends’ reactions to their plans for after high school. Almost every student reported that their family and friends were both excited and supportive with the exception of one student whose parents were disappointed that he had chosen community college over the California State Universities he had been accepted to. The most interesting responses were to the question: “What (if any) were some of the concerns that you considered […]
[…]“In this moment nothing is lacking; in this moment there is always something to be grateful for.” Similar to Carol Dweck’s growth mindset, which cultivates learners’ sense of intelligence as malleable and dynamic, a gratitude mindset cultivates optimism by emphasizing not what is lacking, but what is present. When we appreciate, we sidestep the contemporary conditioned response of shame for what we lack (in wealth, sex appeal, status, relationships, physique, material goods …). Well who cares? What if we let go of the American Dream? Let us take wisdom from Ma Joad, Steinbeck’s (1939) heroine during the Dust Bowl of […]
[…]I gain the skills and insights needed to be a science teacher leader in my school, district, and community.” Megan’s Story Megan developed a strong interest in outdoor education while studying marine biology and environmental science at the University of Oregon. Through participation in an environmental education initiative, she collaborated with other students to write and implement curriculum about the salt marshes, estuary, and tide pools located near the southern Oregon coast. While visiting Mexico and Costa Rica, Megan taught informal science lessons to elementary school students. These experiences helped to shape her perspective on working with English Language Learners […]
[…]ride her bike. She is excited to join “an inspiring and powerful group of people who are all working to come up with innovative solutions to a variety of problems in our educational […]
[…]University. Upon completion of the program, she taught chemistry full time in Atherton, California before relocating to Oregon. In Oregon, she accepted a full time chemistry teacher position at McKay High School in Salem. In addition to teaching, Melissa is working with other science teachers in her district to support them in using a modeling approach to teaching science. Hobbies When Melissa isn’t teaching, she spends her time running with her dog, backpacking with her husband, completing long distance bike rides in the beautiful Oregon rain, or teaching exercise classes at the local Barre3 studio. Academic Background Stanford University (Master […]
[…]wonderful way of looking at the natural world, and ought to be accessible to anyone capable of asking questions of ‘how’ and ‘why.’ As a teacher, it is my goal and challenge to uncover that capability within each student.” Kayla’s Story The curiosity of a scientist and the careful work of a teacher have been part of Kayla for as long as she can remember. As the daughter of a music teacher, Kayla grew up appreciating the dedication of great teachers firsthand; through father-daughter stargazing, hiking, and mountain biking adventures, she also grew up with an appreciation for nature and […]
[…]classmates, where they studied a combinatorial identity posed in “The Veronese Construction for Formal Power Series and Graded Algebras” using combinatorics. She has also taught math to high school students at summer programs sponsored by the Metro Achievement Center, to college students at DePaul as a teaching assistant, and to elementary students at Mathnasium – West DePaul. Her experiences supporting students in learning math helped solidify her interest in becoming a math teacher. Volunteer Experience Elizabeth volunteered at Metro Achievement Center, a nonprofit organization that serves urban youth, in their after school program. Hobbies In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys […]
[…]and difficult to provide, as many of us are discovering throughout this endeavor. We have been comforted by glimpses of honesty from the classrooms of colleagues and peers who struggle with similar classroom and pedagogical difficulties. Yet, we also are finding that opening up our practice through this format challenges us in ways that extend beyond the logistic difficulties of remembering our daily posts. We struggle some days to represent our work positively—after all, even for the most engaging of instructors, not all teaching and learning is gloriously successful, novel, or exciting. What if I’m not doing something “cool” today […]
