Teacher Training By Dr. Diana Wehrell-Grabowski

Just back from Texas where I conducted STEM training for elementary teachers at Town Center Elementary. We began the workshop with discussing methods to develop and strengthen critical thinking skills in students. During the full-day science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) teacher training workshop teachers were introduced to a wide-array of STEM content and concepts via hands-on-minds-on inquiry-based investigations. Teachers explored: Super absorbing polymers, biomimicry, structure and function, engineering design process, and using toys to explore force, motion, energy concepts. Additionally, teachers were introduced to a wide-array of children’s literature that make connections to STEM concepts. Teachers recorded their notes, drawings, and designs in their professional learning journals. I was really impressed with Town Center Elementary administrators and teachers. It was apparent from the moment I entered the school that the administrators and teachers strive to provide the very best educational experience for every Town Center Elementary student. The school is actively engaged in integrating STEM throughout all grade levels and subject areas including physical education and the arts. Lastly, I was really impressed with the use of professional learning journals by the teachers. Each teacher has a professional learning journal (composition notebook) that they bring to each professional staff development training they attend. Teachers record their notes, etc.. in the journals. This is kept throughout the school year for teachers to use a reference, review etc…During all my teacher training workshops I encourage teachers to record their notes in journals versus bringing loose sheets of paper to record their notes etc… only to be lost or misplaced over time. Kudos to Town Center Elementary and Coppell Independent School District Science Resource specialist for promoting the use of professional learning journals by their teachers.

Back from conducting teacher training in the state of Colorado. Forty K-8 teachers from two Colorado magnet schools attended the training entitled “Integrating Science and Children’s Literature”. Teachers were introduced to over 60 children’s K-8 books that can be used to introduce and reinforce K-8 science concepts. Teachers were actively engaged in conducting hands-on-minds-on inquiry-based explorations to investigate K-8 science concepts. The Colorado Department of Education has revised the science standards from 5 to 3 to include Physical, Life and Earth Systems Science. The largest change to the science standards is acknowledging that scientific inquiry, science process skills, and content can’t be taught separately. These important aspects of science were integrated into the three science content standards. This change makes total sense. Teachers must integrate the nature of science, science process skills within all science explorations students undertake, as opposed to covering the nature of science in isolation in the first nine weeks of the school year. The following sample photos were taken from the Integrating Science and Children’s Literature K-8 teacher training workshop held in Colorado. Once again it was a great group of teachers.