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Be My Guest!

By Gabe Kraljevic

Posted on 2018-06-04

Treasurer Rios Guest Teaching Personal Finance

I’ve read about inviting guests into the classrooms for a day. Would you recommend that for a new teacher or would it be best for students to see me as the expert initially? Also, how can we get experts into the classroom?
—A., North Carolina

 

 

I loved bringing guests into my classrooms! I think it is perfectly fine for a teacher to act as facilitator and guide to help students learn rather than be seen as the expert in everything. This approach is very conducive to inquiry and questioning.

Professional organizations in many fields often have outreach programs and volunteers who visit classrooms. Agricultural groups may offer speakers and demonstrations. Zoos, animal hospitals, animal shelters, and conservation organizations might have an educational “roadshow.” Don’t be too shy to ask friends, acquaintances, and your former professors to share their expertise with your class! Videoconferencing can open up amazing opportunities to connect with scientists in the field.

Check with your administration on the protocol for inviting guests. Talk with your guests about what they will bring (literally and figuratively) into the classroom. Help them modify anything that might not fit with your curriculum and your students. Also, have students submit written questions to you the day before so you can vet them and don’t have the awkward silences when you ask, “Does anyone have any questions?”

I always had some kind of gift for guests. Ask the principal if there is some school-related bling you can hand out.

Hope this helps!

Photo Credit: U.S. Department of the Treasury via Wikimedia Commons

Treasurer Rios Guest Teaching Personal Finance

 

Ed News: Lab Coats Help Students See Themselves As Future Scientists

By Kate Falk

Posted on 2018-06-01

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This week in education news, boosting student interest in STEM is important if we want to win the STEM race; there is an increase in STEM-related toys; U.S. Dept. of Education launches comprehensive internal review of the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education grant program; American workers need to take advantage of artificial intelligence through new skills and learning programs; new survey highlights the national landscape of mathematics intervention (MI) classes in the middle grades; and the Hawaii Board of Education adopted K-12 Computer Science Standards.

Lab Coats Help Students See Themselves As Future Scientists

In order to encourage more of the nation’s young people to pursue careers in science, it pays to help them dress the part. That is the key finding of a study conducted recently to determine what kind of effect a simple article of clothing – in this case white lab coats – have on students’ confidence in their ability to do science. Read the article featured in The Conversation.

Winning The STEM Race Means Boosting Interest

America is woefully behind the rest of the world in preparing workers for the jobs of today and tomorrow. An estimated 3 million jobs are unfilled in America because not enough workers have the necessary STEM skills to do them. While economists, educators, and policymakers have attempted to increase teaching and training in STEM to meet this demand, one problem has gone largely unaddressed: boosting student interest in STEM. Teach math and science all you want, but if students don’t get excited about pursuing careers in STEM, it’s wasted effort. Read the article featured in Education Week.

The Rise Of The STEM Toy

While the subjects that comprise the acronym STEM aren’t new, grouping these subjects of study — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — into a pedagogical approach didn’t become a trend in educational circles until the early 2000s. Today, as the movement has gained momentum across the globe, more parents are taking action when faced with traditional curricula that don’t offer their children the kind of content and pedagogy that will best prepare them for a career of innovation and problem-solving. Some families are advocating for better courses or enrolling their children in extracurricular STEM programs, while others have turned to the marketplace to find the answer they seek. Read the article featured in Forbes.

Education Department Launches ‘Top-To-Bottom’ Review Of Teachers’ Grant Program

The Department of Education has launched a new “top-to-bottom” internal review of all aspects of the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education grant program. Officials say that the review is aimed at fixing the issues and that the department is “absolutely committed to improving” the program. Read the article featured on NPR.org.

America Needs Workforce With Technology Skills For The Future

While artificial intelligence has been successful in delivering benefits to people in health care, food delivery, energy and transportation, there exists widespread concern that artificial intelligence will make several types of jobs obsolete, including those sectors like finance. As such, it is more important than ever to teach American workers to take advantage of artificial intelligence through new skills and learning programs. But what should the actual programs look like? The answer is not obvious, given that the relative earnings power of a college degree has been flattening in recent years. If college is not enough, then what is? Read the opinion piece featured in The Hill.

We Should Teach Math Like It’s A Language

The United States has a math problem, and, like most middle school students sitting down with their homework, we are not finding any easy solutions. Young people in this country are struggling to attain the proficiency necessary to pursue the careers our economy desperately needs. Universities bemoan students’ inability to complete college-level math. Each year thousands of newly admitted college students are placed in non-credit-bearing remedial courses in math, a path that immediately puts them at higher risk of not completing a degree. Read the article featured in Education Week.

National Survey On Supporting Struggling Mathematics Learners In The Middle Grades

In the 2016–17 school year, more than half of the schools that served grades 6-8 provided math intervention classes all three years, finds a survey by the nonprofit Education Development Center. The survey, based on a nationally representative sample of urban and suburban public schools, also found that only 21 percent of those classes focused just on enhancing grade-level content; 35 percent focused on helping students master foundational concepts from earlier grades, and 44 percent covered both. Read the article featured in Education Week.

Computer Science Programs To Increase In Hawaii Schools

The Hawaii Board of Education has adopted the National Computer Science Teachers Association’s K-12 Computer Science Standards, joining a growing national movement. Legislators on May 1 passed a bill that provides $500,000 for teacher training in computer science and mandates every public high school to offer the subject by 2021. The bill awaits Gov. David Ige’s signature. Read the article by the Associated Press.

Teach Students To Plan In Reverse, Study Suggests

Common sense says making a plan is a good way to reach a goal. But how do you go about making a plan? Starting from the finish and working backward gets the best results, a new study suggests. Read the article featured in Education Week.

Stay tuned for next week’s top education news stories.

The Communication, Legislative & Public Affairs (CLPA) team strives to keep NSTA members, teachers, science education leaders, and the general public informed about NSTA programs, products, and services and key science education issues and legislation. In the association’s role as the national voice for science education, its CLPA team actively promotes NSTA’s positions on science education issues and communicates key NSTA messages to essential audiences.

The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.


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Find Out What Your Students Really Think and Have Inside Their Heads

By Carole Hayward

Posted on 2018-05-31

Uncovering Student Ideas in Science: 25 Formative Assessment Probes, Volume 1, Second Edition by Page Keeley offers a variety of formative assessment probes that will help teachers gain insight into students’ thinking on 60 core science concepts.  

Like the first edition of volume 1, this book helps pinpoint what your students know (or think they know) so you can monitor their learning and adjust your teaching accordingly. The probes are now aligned to A Framework for K-12 Science Education and the Next Generation Science Standards. All probes include detailed instructions about how to administer them and suggested questions to ask to engage students in the issues the results raise. Also, each probe in the book includes extensive resources that can help both teachers and students. The book includes lists of NSTA journal articles, books, and online resources that can be used to enrich classroom lessons. Spanish versions of all the formative assessment probes are included in this updated edition.

“Formative assessment probes tell you what students really think and have inside their heads, rather than what students think the teacher wants to hear. They provide information about students’ ideas that typical questions and assessments do not reveal,” said Keeley.

Classroom assessments serve multiple purposes, including diagnosing, monitoring, providing feedback, evaluating, and measuring student learning. Using formative assessment probes can help teachers to identify and address students’ misunderstandings, whether this is background information students bring to the lesson or confusion that sets in along the way.

Each formative assessment probe in the book is a two-tiered question. The first tier consists of a prompt and answer choices that include distracters and a “best answer” choice. “Since the answer choices are designed to mirror the research on commonly held ideas, it is highly likely that students will select one that is similar to their thinking,” said Keeley.

The second tier is the explanation. Students have to explain their thinking in support of their answer choice. Through these explanations, teachers can gain insight into student thinking.

“Formative assessment probes enable teachers to probe for and quickly and efficiently examine a multitude of ideas their students hold, including misconceptions and partially correct ideas. Many educators and researchers prefer to collectively call these ideas alternative conceptions—meaning that students’ ideas are not always completely wrong, even though they may differ from those of a scientist,” said Keeley. “The probes also uncover critical-thinking and reasoning strategies students use to support their ideas. These strategies can be based on intuition, logic, everyday experiences, or application of scientific knowledge.”

The book features formative assessment probes addressing scientific areas such as light, sound, matter, gravity, heat, temperature, Earth, space, and life. Check out the free sample chapter.

This book is also available as an e-book.

The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.

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Uncovering Student Ideas in Science: 25 Formative Assessment Probes, Volume 1, Second Edition by Page Keeley offers a variety of formative assessment probes that will help teachers gain insight into students’ thinking on 60 core science concepts.  

Beavers Building Ecosystems

Submitted by webmaster on
Studies have shown that wetlands created by beaver dams are more biodiverse than human-made wetlands. Beavers’ first impact on the environment begins with dam building. Using their powerful teeth and engineering instincts, they significantly alter the ecology of a place. This book will discuss both positive and negative effects beavers have on their landscape and prompt students to think about how to effectively use beavers to create positive ecosystem changes.

Did You Get My Message?

Submitted by webmaster on
There are many methods for communicating. Some methods are easy to understand, while other methods require learning or decoding. As students explore communication systems, they will discover that each has benefits and drawbacks. This book focuses on how sights and sounds help us send and receive messages. Students will also discover that usage is determined by the method that works best for the situation. After reading the book, students will be able to design their own communication devices.
 

“Is it summer yet?”

By Peggy Ashbrook

Posted on 2018-05-29

Child hangs upside down on playground bars and her shadow is on the ground.

Shadows can be explored outdoors all year long.

Your children may have declared, “It’s summer!” if they have noticed the rising air temperatures as measured with a thermometer or as sensed in a relative way (freezing-cold-chilly-cool-warm-warmer-hot-really really hot). Planting in an outside garden or pot is another marker of summer, as is the opening of outdoor public swimming pools the weekend before Memorial Day. In the northern hemisphere, meteorological summer includes June, July, and August; meteorological fall includes September, October, and November;  meteorological winter includes December, January, and February; and meteorological spring includes March, April, and May.

The season of summer may have arrived, as defined by hot weather, but the astronomical season of summer won’t begin until about 6 AM Eastern time (10 AM in  UTC—Coordinated Universal Time) on June 21, known as the summer solstice, or the longest day of the year. Occasionally children (and even adults) will get into a dispute about when summer truly begins. You can ask, “What information or data will help us decide when summer begins?”

Positions of the Earth relative to the Sun at 4 different times of the year, as seen from space (outside the system).

Graphic model of Earth-Sun system to explain the seasons.

For information on the astronomical seasons, see the National Centers for Environmental Information, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The astronomical seasons are based on the position of Earth in relation to the sun, whereas the meteorological seasons are based on the annual temperature cycle. Refresh your understanding of the cause of seasonal changes by reading the explanation on the NASA Space Place. Then use the activities in these two columns published in the NSTA journal, Science and Children, to model the cause of seasons for yourself:

Science 101: What causes the seasons? by William C. Richardson. January 2007. Science and Children. 44(5): 54-57

Science Shorts: The Reasons for the Seasons by Julie Lee Lambert and Suzanne Smith Sundburg. April/May 2010. Science and Children. 47(8): 67-70

If a child says, “It’s hot because the Earth is closer to the Sun in summer,” you can answer, “Summer temperatures are hotter than winter because the Sun’s rays hit this part of Earth more directly in summer than in winter.” Children (and adults) experience natural phenomena and may wonder about those experiences even if we can’t understand them. Fully understanding the Sun-Earth (and Moon) system, including seasons, is a middle school expectation in the Next Generation Science Standards (MS-ESS1-1). While first graders may be expected to “Make observations at different times of year to relate the amount of daylight to the time of year” (NGSS 1-ESS1-2),  fifth graders “Represent data in graphical displays to reveal patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky” (NGSS 5-ESS1-2) but they are not expected to understand the causes of seasons.

Baseball casting a shadow--and with a shadow on the side of the ball away from the light source.

A ball part in shadow and casting a shadow.

Early experiences and investigations that support later understanding of the Sun-Earth-moon system include: 

  • manipulating objects and light sources to create shadows (NGSS 1-PS4-3);  
  • looking at the Moon using binoculars when it is visible in the day or night; 
  • making observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth’s surface (NGSS K-PS3-1);
  • noticing that when a light is shone on an object, the object casts a shadow and the side of the object away from the light source is in shadow; 
  • drawing shadows to notice its relationship to a light source; and 
  • observing to notice any pattern in the apparent paths of the Sun across the sky. Over a period of months, does sunlight always shine in the same place every day when observed at a particular time? The Science in PreK site  from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum recommends: “Use language that is accurate but not complicated, such as “The Sun appears to move across the sky,” not to be confused with “The Sun moves across the sky.”” 

These experiences will prepare children to make sense of the apparent shape of the Moon, the phenomena of solar and lunar eclipses, and begin to understand the crosscutting concept of patterns—patterns can be used to identify cause-and-effect relationships—as it relates to the Earth-Sun-Moon system and seasons on Earth.

Resources for these kinds of early explorations

Science in PreK from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum: The Science of Light and Shadows

Peep and the Big Wide World, Explore Shadows teaching strategies and curriculum resources. 

The Moon in Children’s Literature by Kathy Cabe Trundle and Thomas H.Troland. 2005. Science and Children.  43(2): 40-43

The Early Years columns:

December 2017 The Early Years: Using the 5Es to Teach Seasonal Changes. Using a thermometer to investigate and document seasonal changes in the local environment. Science and Children. 55(4): 18-19.

December 2015 The Early Years: The Sun-Earth System. Measuring children’s shadows at two different times of the day. Science and Children.  53(4): 22-23

January 2012. The Early Years: Seeing the Moon. Looking at the Moon, and modeling impact craters. Science and Children  49(5): 26-27.

December 2009 The Early Years: Paths of Light. Using a mirror in an open-ended exploration of light and predicting where light will be reflected. Science and Children. 47(4): 17-18.

March 2009. The Early Years: Does Light Go Through It?. Using light to explore transparent, translucent, and opaque materials. Science and Children. 46(7): 16-18.

March 2007. The Early Years: The Sun’s Energy. Growing plants in sunlight and without light, playing with light and shadow, and making “sun prints.” Science and Children. 44(7): 18-20.

January 2007. The Early Years: Light Foundations. Exploring the path of light. Science and Children. 44(5): 16-18

Child hangs upside down on playground bars and her shadow is on the ground.

Shadows can be explored outdoors all year long.

 

Vision and Leadership

By Gabe Kraljevic

Posted on 2018-05-28

I have applied to multiple teaching programs for my time after college, but I’m worried that I look too young to be taken seriously as a teacher. How do you gain the respect of students who may not be much younger than you? —D., California

If you are thinking of teaching at the elementary or middle levels, don’t worry—you will look old to them!

I have seen young-looking, diminutive teachers manage classes with no problems. I say it comes down to leadership ability and presence in the classroom. How do you become the leader? Envision what your “perfect” class would look like: What are the students doing? How are they interacting? What are you doing? With that vision firmly in mind, you now have a basis to make all your decisions. You will know what big things to worry about and what little things to let slide and don’t let students try to make those decisions for you! In no time at all, students will see you as their educational leader.

I strongly discourage teachers from trying to get all students to like you or to become friends with them. That is counter-productive in my opinion and a big mistake. NSTA Learning Center online advisor, Pamela Dupree, adds: Don’t text or connect on social media with students…or parents!

Maintain your classroom with consistency and develop a caring attitude toward the students and you will not have any problems. Well.., maybe a few, but we all do!

Hope this helps!

 

Photo credit: Michelle Collins via Wikimedia

I have applied to multiple teaching programs for my time after college, but I’m worried that I look too young to be taken seriously as a teacher. How do you gain the respect of students who may not be much younger than you? —D., California

 

Learning through online presentations: STEM in 11 parts

By Peggy Ashbrook

Posted on 2018-05-27

How does online learning through watching a webinar work for you? I am most engaged when I am able to participate in a live session where presenters might respond directly to my typed questions. But that means I have to be online at a set time so I often view the archived versions. Recorded sessions are more fun for me when I view with a colleague as we exclaim over insights, and I learn more when we discuss how the strategies might work in our programs. Program administrators support fun and effective use of webinars when they plan time for a group to view and work together. 

Slide introducing Modules 1 through 3.The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in Early Learning Series by the Preschool Development Grants of the US. Department of Education offers “research, practical application for classroom and home and provides examples of experiences that build scientific, technology, engineering, and mathematical learning for older toddlers and preschool children.” This 11-part series has two key objectives:

  1. Provide early childhood professionals with background information and research on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning for young children.
  2. Provide evidence-based strategies to support STEM learning in varied environments, including early learning settings, homes, and community settings such as museums and libraries.

Each of the 11 part sessions of the series has hands-on work and discussion questions for participants, with supporting documents to print and use during each session.

MODULE

PRESENTER

TITLE

Module One

Debbie Leslie

Senior Curriculum Developer, Director of Early Childhood Initiatives, UChicago STEM Education at the University of Chicago

 Introduction to STEM for Young Learners 

This introductory session will define STEM and the way in which young children learn the concepts and practices of science, technology, engineering and mathematics through an integrated approach. The presentation will describe academic vs intellectual learning and how STEM both builds and uses higher order thinking for concept development. The module will highlight research on early STEM learning’s impact on all children’s attitudes and readiness for school and lifelong success.  

Module Two

Cindy Hoisington

Early childhood science educator and curriculum developer, Education Development Center, Inc., Waltham, MA

Creating Environments that Promote STEM Learning

STEM teaching in early childhood settings begins with the environment. This module will focus on creating a learning environment that supports exploration, investigation, and problem-solving throughout the day and during long-term STEM investigations.  It will address how the physical environment (spaces, materials, and displays) as well as the “three-dimensional environment” (the schedule and daily routines) can be arranged to promote children’s STEM thinking and learning. The important role of the teacher in creating and maintaining “a culture of inquiry” will be emphasized.

Module Three

STEM

Peggy Ashbrook

Early childhood science teacher, author, NSTA Early Years columnist and blogger

Science in Early Learning Environments  

Module Three will focus on supporting science learning in early learning environments. The key principles that guide science learning, detailed in the National Science Teacher Association’s Position Statement on Early Childhood Science Education, will be described. Teachers’ understanding of how science occurs naturally within the learning environment and is enhanced by teachers’ intentional interactions, will be addressed. Specific examples of science experiences will be shared that demonstrate how science is integrated within other domains of learning and throughout the other S-T-E-M content areas. 

Module Four

STEM

Roberta Schomburg, Ph.D.

Professor Emerita, Carlow University; Child Development Consultant, The Fred Rogers Company

Technology in Early Learning Environments 

Technology is a way of doing. This module will begin with a review of simple technological learning such as the use of tools for exploring, collecting, and recording data and for solving problems and then delve into the use of technology and interactive media in formal learning settings to extend human senses and time limitations, support data collection and collaboration, and facilitate communicating evidence, claims, and design solutions. The NAEYC Position Statement: Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8 and the US Department of Education’s Early Learning and Educational Technology Policy Brief will be addressed.

Module Five

STEM

Beth Dykstra VanMeeteren

Associate Professor, Director of the Iowa Regents’ Center for Early Developmental Education

Engineering in Early Learning Environments

This module will define engineering [concepts, practices, and habits of mind] and how it links to other domains of learning. It will focus on helping professionals identify where opportunities for engineering instruction exist in early childhood settings and how they join with other S-T-E-M content to support children’s learning. 

Module Six

STEM

Lisa Ginet, Ed.D.

Director, Early Math Collaborative, Erikson Institute

Mathematics in Early Learning Environments 

Module Six will introduce big ideas of early mathematics, explore children’s mathematical development, and discuss strategies for designing routines, activities, and environments that foster children’s math thinking and problem-solving. . It will also focus on strategies to support early learning professionals’ understanding of how early math relates to other disciplines.

Module Seven

Tamara Kaldor, M.S.

Associate Director, Technology in Early Childhood Center at the Erikson Institute

 Putting it All Together: Logical Thinking and Early Coding

Coding and higher order, or abstract, thinking skills evolve in the context of children’s play and interactions with peers and adults and go hand-in-hand with problem solving and reasoning. This module will help teachers examine strategies for extending children’s learning experiences by planting the seeds of computational or logical thinking in indoor and outdoor settings. 

Module Eight

Monica Wiedel-Lubinski

Director, Eastern Regional Association of Forest and Nature Schools

Exploring STEM Outdoors

Playgrounds and outdoor play areas offer rich opportunities for STEM learning. Module Eight expands teachers’ thinking about the benefits of nature-based learning and outdoor play. The module will examine the connections between nature and basic STEM skills including inquiry, observation, and experimentation. Participants will consider outdoor learning strategies and the teacher’s role as a facilitator of STEM-rich outdoor experiences.

Module Nine

Claudia Haines

Youth Services Librarian

Homer Library, Alaska

Connecting Families Around STEM 

As their children’s first teachers, parents and caregivers play a vital and positive role in the STEM (and STEAM) education of young children. This module will introduce strategies for engaging families in the development of children’s STEM skills. It will offer suggestions for parenting education activities as well as a variety of inclusive techniques to partner with families to recognize the informal ways in which they can support children’s STEM learning at school, at home, and in their community.

Module Ten

Meredith Osborne & Brooke Shoemaker

 Museum and Early Learning Specialists

Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center

Building Community Partnerships Around STEM

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning occurs beyond the formal early learning setting. Early childhood professionals can partner with museums, libraries, community gardens, and more to connect children and their families to these informal learning opportunities. Module Ten will discuss ways intellectual learning can be facilitated in different settings and provide techniques for bringing STEM learning outside of the classroom.

Module Eleven

Paige Gordon, Jennifer Piccone, and  Becky Peters

Principals, 

St. Vrain Valley Schools

Colorado,

STEM and Design Thinking in the Preschool Classroom

Module Eleven will demonstrate design thinking in a preschool setting. Principals from St. Vrain Valley Schools (Colorado) will describe the opportunities and benefits of developing design thinking and STEM challenges in preschool classrooms and provide authentic examples of design thinking in action. 

From the first to the eleventh module you will see children using technologies (see examples on slide 1.15 in Module 4) in STEM (science, engineering, and math) learning situations. You will gather information about integrated S-T-E-M learning strategies and curriculum that other educators are developing based on research and find useful strategies for your teaching environment. Indoors, outdoors, in a library and at a museum, STEM is more than an acronym! Here are just a few of my favorite snippets from the eleven modules:

See slides 1.36-1.38 in Module 2: Creating Environments That Promote STEM Learning presented by Cindy Hoisington and do the exercise of examining photos of “Science Centers” to see if they are accessible, inviting, and engaging so children will want to do sustained work with the materials.

Slide introducing Modules 4 through 6.Check out the Activities and Handouts for the modules. Questions such as, “What are intentional strategies you use to promote habits of mind in the block, housekeeping and art areas?” and “How do you support children’s systems thinking, creativity, optimism, collaboration, communication and attention to ethical considerations?” from Module 5: Engineering in Early Learning Environments presented by Beth Van Meeteren, help us engage with the ideas and consider our own practice. 

The importance of family engagement is addressed in Module 9, presented by Claudia Haines: “Parents and caregivers, their children’s first teachers, are a vital part of children’s lives, regardless of their race, background, socio-economic status. Children are more confident and successful learners when parents and caregivers are involved.” Family fort night at the library is one example of a family engagement event. Growing relationships with families develop through learning about and integrating families’ and caregivers’ interests, strengths, and knowledge into their children’s learning.  Another key strategy is to educate adults. “Adult programs…are designed to give adults time to learn and play in low pressure situations without the expectation of teaching and guiding their kids at the same time.” See slide 1.20 to learn about communication tools that will help you meet families where they are.

This set of modules is not a brief overview STEM but a thorough walk into STEM learning with activities for adult learners. There are explanations that help us understand the practices of science and engineering, like this description of a graphic design image used by a program to describe a design process: “Even though it looks like a linear process, it’s really important to note that design is really a very messy, organic, cyclical process that really must ebb and flow in order to be successful.” Paige Gordon, Module 11: STEM and Design Thinking in the Preschool Classroom.

Find your webinar buddy to watch and do the activities together, or use the Facilitator Toolkit to present these sessions for your program. Already a “STEM” expert? Download the resources to expand your own. Then visit the NSTA Learning Center and search for “STEM” in the elementary resources, and check “Type/Format” to find additional online learning presentations such as, STEM Starts Early: Guidance and support from the NSTA Early Childhood Science Education Position Statement,” a 90-minute webinar archived from April 15, 2015. And add resources you find helpful in a comment below!

How does online learning through watching a webinar work for you? I am most engaged when I am able to participate in a live session where presenters might respond directly to my typed questions. But that means I have to be online at a set time so I often view the archived versions. Recorded sessions are more fun for me when I view with a colleague as we exclaim over insights, and I learn more when we discuss how the strategies might work in our programs.

 

Ed News: Unlocking STEM Pathways for All Students

By Kate Falk

Posted on 2018-05-25

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This week in education news, teacher-student relationships are important in boosting student learning; high schools across the nation are adding competitive video-gaming to its list of extracurricular activities for students; despite its reputation as a field flush with opportunity, even STEM can pose dead ends for students; former Arizona Department of Education employee resigns after she was told to make changes to parts of the draft Arizona Science Standards; current research results are in favor of early childhood experiences for students, especially those who are disadvantaged; diversifying the field of interesting and rigorous math courses could broaden students’ path to STEM and other careers; and former Kentucky Education Commissioner selected as the next president of the Southern Regional Education Board.

Introducing A Digital Science Program For Incarcerated Kids

One thing Michael Krezmien noticed about working with incarcerated teens, is that they’re not a population that typically catches the attention of education researchers—or educational funding organizations. And this is a problem, he realized, as research suggests that the consequences of failing to address the educational needs of incarcerated juveniles are dire. Because incarcerated teens are usually left out of the educational system—having either no access to good education or having been kicked out of school—they often fail to pass state mandated tests in science and cannot obtain a high school diploma. Read the article featured in Forbes magazine.

Two Studies Point To The Power Of Teacher-Student Relationships To Boost Learning

Two studies on how best to teach elementary schools students — one on the popular trend of “platooning” and one on the far less common practice of “looping” — at first would seem totally unrelated other than the fact that they both use silly words with double-o’s. “Platooning” refers to having teachers specialize in a particular subject, such as math or English, and young students switch teachers for each class. “Looping” is a term used when kids keep the same teacher for two years in a row. They don’t switch teachers for each subject and don’t switch each year. Read the article featured in the Hechinger Report.

E-sports In Schools Primed To Grow ‘Bigger Than The NFL’

More than 100 students tried out for just 30 spots when the innovation class at Noblesville High School in the Indianapolis suburbs launched an e-sports team in December 2016. And Noblesville is not alone—dozens of high schools across the nation are adding competitive video-gaming as it becomes one of the fastest-growing activities in both K12 and higher ed. Read the article featured in District Administration.

Unlocking STEM Pathways For All Students

Gateways can swing open, giving students opportunities to master the ability to think logically, reason, model solutions to problems, and troubleshoot, all of which are in demand among employers both in STEM fields and, increasingly in non-STEM ones. Or gateways can shut and lock, cutting off the ability to acquire those skills and putting students at a disadvantage, perhaps for the rest of their lives. Despite its reputation as a field flush with opportunity, even STEM can pose dead ends for students, such as the traps of remedial math education or course sequences that don’t lead to high-paying, satisfying careers. Read the article featured in Education Week.

Former Education Staffer Quits After Being Told To Change Evolution In Science Standards Draft

A former Arizona Department of Education employee says she resigned after she was told to make changes to parts of the draft Arizona Science Standards involving evolution. Lacey Wieser is a former high school biology teacher who began her career with the Arizona Department of Education 14 years ago. Wieser says her most recent title was director of science and STEM. In 2016, she began the process of reviewing and updating the science standards. Read the article featured on AZfamily.com.

E-Cubed Academy Students Win Civics Competition For Science-Lab Legislation

The E-Cubed Academy students who drafted a bill requiring up-to-date science labs at every high school in Rhode Island took top honors at Rhode Island Civics Day. The students, taught by E-Cubed history teacher John Healy, developed the idea for the bill, drafted its language and began advocating for it as part of their involvement in Generation Citizen, which inspires civic participation through civics class that give students the opportunity to experience democracy in action. Read the article featured in the Providence Journal.

How Early Should Kids Begin STEM Education?

Current research results are in favor of early childhood experiences for students, especially those who are disadvantaged. This education is the great equalizer because it provides a rich, common foundation for children who may have diverse backgrounds and experiences. Read the article featured in The Edvocate.

Is STEM Oversold As A Path To Better Jobs?

In report after report, government panels, business groups, and educators have sounded the alarm about the state of training in science, technology, engineering, and math. STEM, they conclude, serves as a gateway to higher-paying jobs and is an important linchpin to a growing economy, and therefore, K-12 education in those fields must be improved. In this vast echo chamber, it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. So Education Week reviewed dozens of research studies and interviewed experts on the challenge. The staff found that the conventional wisdom is generally correct—jobs in STEM are in demand and tend to be more highly paid—but the picture of the STEM pipeline is more nuanced than many of these predictions suggest. Read the article featured in Education Week.

Calculus Is The Peak Of High School Math. Maybe It’s Time to Change That

For more than 30 years, calculus has been seen as the pinnacle of high school math—essential for careers in the hard sciences, and an explicit or unspoken prerequisite for top-tier colleges. But now, math and science professionals are beginning to question how helpful current high school calculus courses really are for advanced science fields. The ubiquitous use of data in everything from physics and finance to politics and education is helping to build momentum for a new path in high school math—one emphasizing statistics and data literacy over calculus. Read the article featured in Education Week.

Former Kentucky Education Commissioner Stephen Pruitt Lands New Job

Barely a month after he was ousted as Kentucky’s top public education official, Stephen Pruitt has landed a new job as president of the Southern Regional Education Board, an organization of southern states formed to improve public education throughout the region. Read the article featured in the Louisville Courier-Journal.

To Hook Students On STEM, Start With Their Parents

There’s a fair amount of hand-wringing about how to get students interested and engaged in STEM subjects. We do know that the pipeline leading to STEM careers begins to leak in high school, when students are faced with decisions about taking advanced mathematics and science classes. Decades of research show that a key factor motivating adolescents to pursue these advanced courses is the perception of utility value. More recently, my research colleagues and I examined the role of parents in communicating utility value to their children. It turns out, it’s critical. Teachers, parents, and peers can all contribute to students’ perception of value. But parents, who are often an untapped resource, can play a crucial role in their children’s learning and motivation because they know what interests them. Read the commentary featured in Education Week.

A Case For Flipping Learning—Without Videos

When professor Lorena Barba talks to other educators about flipping their classrooms, the approach she hears is often similar. Faculty assign homework to expose students to a new concept before they arrive to class, and use class time to ask questions and do more-active learning. In most cases, what professors ask students to do outside the classroom is watch video lectures. Barba thinks that part of the flipped approach needs to go, and that professors are relying too much on videos as a crutch. Read the article featured in EdSource.

Stay tuned for next week’s top education news stories.

The Communication, Legislative & Public Affairs (CLPA) team strives to keep NSTA members, teachers, science education leaders, and the general public informed about NSTA programs, products, and services and key science education issues and legislation. In the association’s role as the national voice for science education, its CLPA team actively promotes NSTA’s positions on science education issues and communicates key NSTA messages to essential audiences.

The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.


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Out with the old, in with the new?

By Gabe Kraljevic

Posted on 2018-05-25

I am about to graduate and become a new teacher. Is it a good idea to use lesson plans that are handed to me and maybe need to be tweaked or is it better to write brand new lesson plans each year?
—G., Florida

Since I never had an entire class comprehend 100% of what I taught, I always made changes to my courses.
The most important thing, in my opinion, is to reflect on everything you do! You need to have a real willingness to learn and change in order to make things work in your classroom.

You do not need to create everything from scratch! There are a lot of bright and intelligent people out there producing great resources. You should make decisions about resources in this order:

  1. If you find or are given a resource that, after thorough review, fits perfectly to what you want to accomplish in your classroom, then use it unmodified.
  2. If you find a great-looking resource that doesn’t quite fit, then modify it.
  3. If you can’t find a great resource— make your own.

Most of your lessons, obviously, will revolve around modifying something out there.

After your lesson reflect and re-evaluate everything you used and the impact it had on your students. Make modifications as necessary. Don’t beat yourself up if a lesson bombs…just figure out why it did and do something about it.

Hope this helps!

 

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I am about to graduate and become a new teacher. Is it a good idea to use lesson plans that are handed to me and maybe need to be tweaked or is it better to write brand new lesson plans each year?
—G., Florida

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