Building a Community for STEM Educators
For four years my full-time job was teaching teachers how to teach (say that ten times fast!). During that time, I worked with thousands of teachers during STEM educator [...]
The Authenticity of Math
Truth be told, I am not a huge fan of math. The STEM course that I have developed is a science credit and the thing that makes it remarkable [...]
Time Management in the STEM Classroom
Anyone who has ever taught in a classroom knows that proper classroom management and preparedness leads to better student success. With a STEM classroom, these aspects are amplified due [...]
Finding Partners to Help Build STEM Programs
As a public-school teacher, I find that I am always in need of help. Creating a STEM program that is as robust and engaging as the one I pilot [...]
Breaking Down the Buzzwords: 21st Century Skills and Design Thinking
Previously, I’ve differentiated between inquiry and project-based learning. I’ve also dug into the difference between modeling and phenomenon-based learning. In this part of Breaking Down the Buzzwords, we’ll investigate [...]
Differentiation in the STEM Classroom
As any teacher will tell you, every student is different. Each individual comes with a unique culture, appearance, preference, social skills, ability level, and more. Every year we are [...]
Looking for Leaks in the STEM Pipeline
If you teach STEM, you’ve heard about the STEM pipeline. It’s a term that’s been used since the 1970's in the United States. It is still commonly used to [...]
Inclusion in the STEM Classroom
Recently, my two sons had their first swim meet. One won first in backstroke and the other got second in freestyle. Although they both did well, it was something [...]
Breaking Down the Buzzwords: Modeling and Phenomenon-Based Learning
In education, especially STEM education, teachers often find themselves face-to-face with jargon. In the first part of my “Breaking Down the Buzzwords” series, I explored inquiry and project-based learning. [...]
The Need for a Focus on Process Skills
As an educator, I want my students to leave my classroom at the end of the year being prepared for an unknown future. There are many skills that will [...]