Conference evaluation and to-do list

While May is an insane time of year to to be away and muster up lots of enthusiasm, this was a GREAT conference!  It was a lot smaller than the national NSTA conferences so I felt like I was able to really see everything on the exhibit floor and get to lots of workshops. It wasn’t as overwhelming as some of those larger conferences. Some excellent sessions I wanted to check out, I could not get to because there was only one of me – but the good thing is I can contact any of the presenters and connect!  The NSTA website also is my resource for materials from sessions I was not able to get to. I also ran into a teacher on my flight who taught one of my own girls – we talked a bout her experiences in science – and now I want to go visit some STEM schools in our metro area.  They have facilities and schedules I want to see!  A STEM lab – can you imagine?! For all the excellent books I browsed through in the NSTA store, I will have to compare notes with my colleagues and make sure we pick the best ones for our school to share and avoid buying duplicates.  I want to have my lessons on podcasts or on some of the video apps I learned about so I can possibly do a flipped classroom – I love the potential this holds! There are a whole long list of project-based-learning units I would LOVE to see implemented in our school!

1. Email teachers and others from sessions

2. Purchase NSTA books

3. Visit other STEM schools in Atlanta

4. Make a list of projects I want my students to do

5. Start making podcasts and videos for Flipped Classroom

6. Write a thank you note to the most supportive and wonderful PTA ever!

I can’t say it enough, thank you so much, PTA and Kittredge, for sending me to the New Orleans STEM Expo!

Partnering with museums to enhance science education

This morning, Jim Short of the American Museum of Natural History moderated a panel with the New York Hall of Science, the Chicago Museum of Science and  Industry , the Urban Advantage and the Franklin Institute discussing successes in partnering with schools to build upon what happens in the classroom. Informal education used to be “the fun stuff” kids learned about outside of their science class. Now it is all about  bridging the gap between the science classroom and what happens with informal education in the museums and science centers.

Teachers and museums have long term partnerships with these entities in informal science ed. The museums can no longer ignore the standards if they want to impact science education.  

Several questions were asked, such as,  How has this partnership changed how you work with teachers?One day workshops are obsolete – that is the old model   Week long and long term – new paradigm for science classroom support and partnering.

A long term relationship has changed their lens into the classroom and how they interact, for the better.I am interested in how some of our area resources, such as Tellus, will be able to partner with us!

Some other nuggets mentioned how teachers needed more time to reflect upon lessons and outreach, and have common science teacher planning time to make the best use of implementing and maximizing these resources.

These folks WANT to partner with schools – they do best with committed teachers and the backing of their principals on a school level. Many urban school districts have 4 or 5 superintendents in an 8 to 10 year time span. Gaining their approval is not the key link they need to go after to implement those partnerships.

Great hour on conversation and discussion!