Brittany Stephens was on the lookout for an old-fashioned rotary phone over the summer. No stranger to kindergarteners or the classroom, Stephens is confident that having the clunky relic on hand will help kindergarten students in her classroom grasp the concepts of then and now. “Being encouraged to think creatively and find the tools I […]
In a new policy piece, biology faculty advocate for new classroom approaches to fix the national exodus of students from STEM fields. All across the United States, half of the college students who plan to major in STEM switch fields. And Black and Latinx students leave STEM at a higher rate than their white peers. […]
In the education sector, we’re asked to accept a post-pandemic narrative that places blame for any and all challenges that schools face squarely on the shoulders of the pandemic. Those of us who have been closer to the work for a longer time–teachers, administrators, anyone with boots on the ground in schools–will confirm that as […]
Science teacher Jaime Schneider has earned a reputation for herself. Students come to her class expecting something phenomenal, and she’s happy to deliver. Where else in the building can a seventh grader get a chance to set methane bubbles on fire or generate mystic-looking fog with dry ice and a bucket? “I always start with […]
Heavy rains and flooding impacting so many in the St. Louis region in late July have also been felt by the Institute for School Partnership at Washington University in St. Louis (ISP). Efforts are underway to recover flood damage to the mySci Resource Center located at 6601 Vernon Avenue in University City. The building, which […]
Roughly 22 years into his career, Brendan Kearney knows one thing for certain: teaching science is his jam. “I’ve always loved science, and teaching the subject ignited my passion,” says Kearney, who teaches science – and only science – to third, fourth and fifth graders at Glenridge Elementary in Clayton. For the next school year, […]
SLPS Principal Redesign Fellows leverage existing strengths to improve outcomes Boost ninth-grade reading scores by two years at Vashon High School. Introduce play- and project-based lessons at Shenandoah Elementary. Improve assessments at Roosevelt High School. The principals at these schools and four others are poised to achieve big goals after participating in the inaugural cohort […]
It is exciting to consider the potential that exists for our community with the successful launch of the Taylor Geospatial Institute, an endeavor that aims to transform St. Louis into the go-to region for geospatial science in the next ten years. This specific opportunity and any others that promise prosperity and growth for our region […]
Mistakes are easy to make, and often hard to accept, but sixth grader Valeria Rodriguez is getting more comfortable knowing she’s not always going to have the right answer. “When I was younger, making mistakes made me a little anxious because I thought I did something wrong,” says Valeria. “But now I know that if […]
Making science lessons memorable and engaging for students involves not only extensive planning, but also the tolerance and time for mess in the classroom. When I think of science, it’s always messy. There’s really not an easy way to engage students in science without allowing for this chaos. Having taught 5th grade at a STEM […]