Effecting Change Beyond My Classroom

How did I affect change for STEM education beyond my classroom?  Two years ago, I had the opportunity to work over the summer at a local college campus with a group of meteorologist and botanists.  My duties were to craft inquiry based instruction based on the Georgia Performance Standards that focused on weather.  I designed several instructional activities that not only focused on weather, but also integrated mathematics and writing.  Also, I directed video demonstrations that starred local students that demonstrated various weather related experiments.  These were posted online, with easy access by Georgia teachers, as well as teachers across the country.

http://www.weatherschool.org/

I recently received an invitation to return to the program, which I have accepted.  Georgia is currently revamping their standards, emphasizing more integration of reading and writing skills in the standards.  I am looking forward to modifying the previous instruction, as well as creating new instructional activities.  Also, I am considering including activities that would be conducive to learners with special needs, such as Asperger's Syndrome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSRmMLR9nf8

What are my challenges?  The largest one that I can think of is time.  I will only be actively engaged with this program for four to eight weeks.  Because I attempt to craft comprehensive instructional activities, each activity takes large amounts of time and thought.

What's Our Sputnik?

For Week Two of the course Looking into the Future of Science and Education, I read an editorial by Thomas Friedman.  The editorial titled “What’s Our Sputnik?” investigates the current state of the country as it relates of our “national project” ().  The article alludes to the fact that there is no cohesive “national project”.    Why is that?  Personally, I believe it is because there is no national pride or cohesion between the millions of people that call America their home.  There are too many issues dividing us, creating divisions that are only hindering the nation, especially as it relates to STEM areas.  The newest STEM breakthroughs are swept under the carpet, replaced by reality stars getting married and politicians arguing about something minute.   People are impatient, wanting results instantaneously; there is no desire for hard work and effort.  There is a comfort level.  Society is not willing to rock the boat, something necessary for innovations to take place.

What will it take for us a country to get back to the excitement of discovery?  I am truly afraid that the country as a whole will have to suffer greatly.   Historically, true American innovation has occurred following great adversity.  For example, countless technological and scientific strides were made after the Great Depression.  The Depression drew Americans closer together as a country, allowing these developments to take place.

Also, we must demonstrate to our children that sports, rapping, and acting is not the only avenues for success.  I often tell my students that these may pay highly in the beginning, but rarely result in a long term career that can be expected to last.  Through study and hard work, students can earn a degree in a productive, practical career that will provide for them, and, in turn, provide for the country.

Where is our Sputnik?  What is it?  Who has it?  These are questions that I cannot answer.  However, something, this Sputnik, must occur before Americans awaken from the miasma that has fogged our minds.  Until then, I fear that education will continue to be game to politicians, and the losers will be the students.