Meeting the Needs of Teachers and Learners Through Meetings!

It is hard to believe that I last entered a blog entry on Wednesday as it seems like a week has passed since then!  The message I want to share with those who are "following" my blog is that I have learned over time that the best way to effect change and advocate for high quality science education for all learners is to meet teachers and administrators where they are in the change process.  In other words, sometimes a good face-to-face meeting can make all the difference in the world when it comes to advocacy of science literacy for all. 

Evidence of that can be found in the following 'fact':  Thursday after a 1/2 hour meeting with the two 6th grade teachers at Vernon Middle School (aka Deb Menken and Becky Knudson) I left with a clear understanding that those two teachers really understood the benefit of adopting high quality (aka FOSS MS Kits) curriculum to both enhance their ability to teach science AND ensure that all of their students had the opportunity to experience and learn science.  Deb shared with me that she was reluctant to consider 'kits' because she thought that gave the appearance that she didn't know her science ~ but after one year of teaching the Chemical Interactions unit; she is a self-confessed convert.  Both she and Becky are hungry for the FOSS Force and Motion unit.  PLUS they inquired about other FOSS MS units that would benefit their 7th and 8th grade curriculum.  Short conversation with huge benefits to the over 300 6th - 8th grade students that attend Vernon MS.

I also want to thank Nannette and Jeanne for deepening my understanding of the VAST Online Toolkits and publicly share that I think the addition of the Atlas Strand Maps for:

• The Designed World
• The Nature of Technology
• The Nature of Mathematics
• The Nature of Science
• Habits of Mind

to each of the units within the Toolkits, when appropriate will be a tremendous addition that will enhance the toolkits tremendously.  Thank you Nannette for offering the idea and thank you Jeanne for tailoring Nannette's idea to those specific areas of the Project 2061 (AAAS) Atlas Strand Maps.  Evidence of what a great team can add to benefit teachers!  To me this is evidence that the GWAEA Science Team still has a "soul".