Inspiring Science Teachers

For this episode, my colleague Becky Feekes and I, interviewed the Idaho Science Coaches that work for the State Department of Education. Their job is to go out and help teachers improve science instruction, teacher by teacher and school by school. I loved the tips they shared, but if I'm being honest, I loved their stories of why and how they got into education the most. These coaches have fa...

This episode is a series of short interviews with teachers at the 2023 Idaho STEM conference. They were asked one question: what do you do at the beginning of the year to develop a positive classroom culture?  Their answers were interesting. Although those interviewed taught various grades from elementary to high school, certain themes emerged: connecting with others, feeling safe, and learning to...

For this episode, I got to sit down with Dr. Melyssa Ferro, a middle school science teacher. Melyssa shares a great learning experience involving water testing at a local lake. She also discusses the teachers that inspired her along the way and how she hopes to provide both windows and mirrors for her own students. I loved her two pieces of advice for teachers: 1)Connect with other educators and b...

Micah shares a great learning experience involving students doing field work with scientists, the importance of being a role model in schools, and the need to find balance in our lives as educators.  He also shares his thoughts on assessing students in ways that align with the real practices of scientists.

Chris is an elementary principal and former science supervisor.  He is currently a district director for NSTA.  He shares a lesson involving a rock from Antartica, a reading a passage about properties, and calling the most important person in the world (his mom!). He discusses the importance of teachers being willing to try new things and helping students learn to have civil conversation...

For this episode, we get to hear from Betty Prall, a 4th grade teacher and the elementary science coordinator for her district. Betty shares a great activity that invloves M&M's and candy corn, a strategy called thinking maps, and she discusses the importance of teaching vocabulary. I also loved her story of a teacher that made a big difference for her and made her think about a career in...

Ben shares a fun activity called the periodic table spelling bee, advice about making your classroom more energetic, and the importance of inspiring kids to keep learning.  He also discusses his very cool PEZ dispenser collection.

Sally shares the power of changing students' mindset about learning, advice she would give her first-year self about collaboration, and how teaching is about so much more than lessons and grading papers. 

Todd shares a cool lesson about adaptation, the value of hands-on science, what he's learned from being Idaho Teacher of the Year.