Professional Development Design Workshop

For Local Systemic Change Projects

February 16-21, 1998

Participant Biographies

ALLEGHENY SCHOOLS SCIENCE EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY, INC.

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA

Virginia Belko gbelko@aiu-server.aiu.k12.pa.us I am lucky enough to be currently serving as an ASSET Resource Teacher (ART). There are six of us on loan from our school districts. Our job is to provide training on specific hands-on science modules (STC and FOSS), to offer assistance and module enhancements in the field, as well as to offer professional development sessions on instructional strategies such as questioning, assessment, Constructivism, and the FERA learning cycle. We also participate in focus groups on topics related to professional development and help to organize a summer Leadership Conference and three "regional resource road trips."

Vincent Valicenti vvalicen@aiu-server.aiu.k12.pa.us As Co-Project Director working in the Professional Development component of ASSET, my major responsibilities are to coordinate and help develop and align with the National Science Standards Professional Development workshops for our Resource Teachers, Building Lead Teachers, SOS members, and ultimately the classroom teachers who are implementing a hands-on, inquiry-based science program for grades K-8. Attending the Institute for Inquiry will help me perform the duties necessary in fulfilling these obligations.

ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF THE PACIFIC

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

Shannon Lalor shannon@aspsky.org Shannon Lalor is the National Coordinator of Project ASTRO at the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. Project ASTRO began in the Bay Area as a program pairing professional and amateur astronomers with teachers at the elementary and middle school levels. The project has now expanded to ten sites nationally and boasts over 200 working teacher-astronomer partnerships. As the National Coordinator, Shannon is responsible for developing and implementing inquiry-based professional development utilizing astronomy content for teachers and scientists throughout the national network. In addition, she is involved in other education outreach initiatives of the Astronomical Society, including specialized teacher and astronomer training workshops, a teachers newsletter, and the development of new programs.

Nicole Taddune astro@aspsky.org Nicole Taddune is the Coordinator of Bay Area Project ASTRO at the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. Project ASTRO has been a part of science education in the Bay Area for 5 years, pairing teachers and astronomers in working partnerships to improve the quality of science teaching at the elementary and middle school levels. Because Bay Area Project ASTRO serves as the model for an NSF-funded national expansion project encompassing nine other sites, Nicole is responsible for experimenting locally with inquiry-based approaches to the professional development of teachers and scientists that can then be transferred to the national sites. In addition to her Project ASTRO responsibilities, Nicole is also involved with other outreach education initiatives of the Astronomical Society, including specialized teacher and astronomer training workshops, a teachers newsletter, and the development of new programs.

BAY AREA SCHOOLS FOR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION

PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA

Nancy Rankin rankins@ix.netcom.com I am a district science specialist. I teach all our fourth and fifth grade students a 45 minute science lab that goes way beyond but is coordinated with what the classroom teachers do. I am also our district's science resource teacher involved with BASEE. I work with new teachers, introducing them to our science kits, trouble-shoot when needed, work on planning staff development opportunities both for our district and BASEE.

Claudia Rucker ceruck@aol.com I assist with the PB assessment development and implementation. Assist with decisions concerning Resource Center. Work with schools in upgrading science matrix. Advise schools/teachers in unit planning and BASEE site plans. Am a Science Resource Teacher with BASEE where we make decisions on professional development opportunities that we need to develop. Model inquiry-based science education. Show teachers that the questioning techniques of science are the same that are now used in literacy and math and can be extended to all areas. Offer content training to teachers.

BUILDING BRIDGES

MUNCIE, INDIANA

Jessie Bloom pbloom@fortwayne.infi.net First grade teacher at Most Precious Blood Catholic Elementary School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Member of the Building Bridges project for the last seven years including three years on the advisory council and one year in leadership. Currently providing inservice workshops in district as well as being a member of the district's Science Curriculum Committee.

Julie Hays rjhays@wawaseeschools.org I teach second grade at Syracuse Elementary School. I am in my third year of participation in Building Bridges to the Future, a project funded by NSF that focuses on teacher inservice using inquiry-based science. I also will be assisting our district curriculum director with science adoption next year. I am on the Professional Development Committee in our district and help to arrange inservices. With fellow Building Bridges members, we are organizing and teaching inservices to our district focusing on inquiry-based science.

Patricia Long plong@msdsteuben.k12.in.us I am a second grade teacher at the Metropolitan School District of Steuben County in Indiana. I am located in the Pleasant Lake Elementary School, Pleasant Lake, Indiana. For the last few years I have participated in a project called Building Bridges to the Future under the direction of Dr. Susan Johnson, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana. The project utilizes hands-on science inquiry-based methods. This year I have been assisting our grade level chairs by setting science goals that will meet our state standards. In conjunction with that we are reviewing and adopting curriculum that will satisfy the goals and implementing a hands-on approach to teaching science. During the academic year I am trying to expose and familiarize our staff with these methods. I am also the science fair coordinator for our building.

Alice Meyers alicemyers@aol.com Alice Meyers has long been interested in inquiry-based, "hands-on" science with children. She has been involved in workshops promoting sciencing with children including the NSTA ScienceGrasp Project in 1994. She is currently a fifth grade classroom teacher and has been involved in the NSF "Building Bridges to the Future...the Next Generation" Teacher Training Project, inservicing teachers in exemplary inquiry-based science for the past few years. With the support of the school district administration and a team of colleagues, a school plan was designed to address the issues of teaching inquiry-based science at the elementary level in her building.

CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

Michelle Adams My current job title is Teacher on Special Assignment for the Clark County School District at the K-5 Science and Mathematics Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. One of my major responsibilities is to provide professional development in mathematics and science and to develop standards-based materials workshops with an emphasis on inquiry. I work with clusters of schools and coordinate the Northwest Area Professional Day for Mathematics and Science.

Roxie Witt In my position, titled Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA), K-5 Science and Mathematics Center, carries the responsibility for professional development in science, health, and mathematics and leadership development for the areas teacher leadership cadre. Focus for the next three years, servicing twenty-three schools in the Southwest Area, are physical science, earth science (year 2), and life science (year 3). The facilitation of school dialogue consists of staff participation through whole group and small groups addressing brain compatibility, tools, assessment, learning logs, and the science reference charts in alignment with the National Science Standards and the Nevada State Science Standards.

COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT #3

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Howard Berger As director of science in District 3, I initiated the process that resulted in our being awarded, in 1995, a $4.4 million, five year grant to reform science education. Entitled the SMART Process, District 3 collaborated with District 5 to design a Process that would (a) provide an NSF sponsored kit of science materials to an ever-increasing number of classroom teachers, (b) a series of full-day, released-timed workshops devoted to professional development in use of the kit, (c) on-site support by a trained catalyst for change for classroom teachers beginning to modify their method of teaching science from an essentially didactic approach to one more constructivist in nature. In the two years since the Process began, more than 250 teachers in District 3 have been trained to use grade-appropriate Insights life science or physical science modules. After a ten-week period of implementation, kits are returned to our joint Materials Management Center where they are refurbished and delivered to a new set of teachers. My prime responsibilities include articulating a long term vision for the Process, as well as overseeing the professional development program, the teacher facilitator cohort, the materials management program, collaborative relations with science-rich institutions and industrial partners, and family involvement. In my capacity as co-principal investigator of the SMART Process, I interact within the district with the superintendent, deputy superintendent, director of finance, other directors of curriculum, principals, assistant principals, as well as students, parents and teachers.

Sharon Pavlovich Currently, I am a half-time SMART Process teacher facilitator. SMART stands for science, math and related technologies&emdash;all areas of the curriculum which at the outset of the Process were taught didactically at my school if they were taught at all. My job entails helping teachers move toward a more child-centered, inquiry-based approach to these subjects. Concretely, I model process-oriented lessons and extensions, provide an extra pair of hands for set-ups and during lessons, help encourage and plan related trips, provide a sounding board for issues of classroom management and issues about particular lessons and the concepts involved, and collect and distribute science materials and libraries. I also try to allay teachers' fears about their own science knowledge. In addition, I support teachers' efforts to integrate science with our literacy process&emdash;our strongest area of child-centered learning. We are increasingly successful in integrating science journals, observations, and reading into our literacy block. I work closely with the math coordinator to connect our math program with our science work. We recently wrote a grant to develop an inquiry-based math process with eight volunteer teachers. Lastly, together with a co-facilitator, I provide workshops for new and veteran teachers in the concepts behind inquiry-based science, lesson development using this approach, and the use of the science materials.

Mary Stetten Carson mattnmaggie@earthlink.com As a SMART teacher facilitator, I work with forty K-5 classroom teachers and their classes at PS 87. My primary responsibilities are to (a) meet with teachers to discuss their curriculum and how they may integrate science investigations with other subject areas; (b) demonstrate and model learning experiences; (c) provide hands-on support by co-teaching; (d) distribute kits, libraries, and other materials and (e) facilitate two series of four released time workshops for first grade teachers devoted to Insights' Living Things and Balls and Ramps modules. I run our school's Science Resource Center where teachers and children get materials, curriculum guides, and advice about most any science topic they might wish to explore. Once a year I organize a school-wide "Science Museum," a hands-on, interactive exhibit where individual students and every class in the school shares discoveries they have made in the course of the year. The event runs for three days, and one evening, and is open to all students and their families. In addition, twice a year I teach a course for the New Perspectives division of Bank Street College. Called Hands-on Science for 3 to 8 Year Olds, the course attracts pre-service graduate students, in-service teachers and administrators from the metropolitan New York City area. I have written two books about science and young children, Let's Play Science, and The Scientific Kid, both published by Harper Collins. I am currently starting on another book.

Kate Witzke My responsibilities as a SMART Teacher Facilitator are varied. I work closely with the 35 classroom teachers (K-5) in my building, providing on-site support by modeling learning experiences and conducting pre and post conferences as I work alongside classroom teachers and their students. I conduct individual conferences and small group meetings to talk with teachers about such subjects as ongoing assessment, classroom management and questioning techniques. I am a conduit between my building administration and the District Science Staff. In addition, I facilitate bi-monthly meetings of District 3 Teacher Facilitators. These meetings are designed to disseminate information and to provide support for the TF's. I also run a series of four, full day professional development workshops for teachers from around the district. Participation in these workshops ranges from 12 to 20 teachers. These workshops focus on the implementation of one of the modules in the district science curriculum. I have also provided intensive outreach to parents at my school. Over the last two years, I have offered 12 workshops designed to introduce parents to the concepts, skills and overall philosophy of the SMART Process.

E=MC2 NEW YORK, NEW YORK

TRENTON, NEW JERSEY

Jessica Heller Jessica Heller has been a 6th grade teacher for 10 years in Lawrence Township, New Jersey. She currently teaches all subjects in a self-contained classroom. Previously she taught a gifted and talented class in an integrated team setting. Jessica is involved in science education reform through involvement in her district's National Science Foundation grant entitled E=MC2. She serves on the Management Council of E=MC2 and has been a pilot teacher for adopting science kits. In addition, Jessica is a science mentor teacher for her school district. This summer she will be a lead teacher in a week long summer institute entitled Inquiry-Based Science. Jessica has worked with ETS, Educational Testing Service, and Princeton University in the area of science. She has a Masters degree from Rider University in Curriculum, Instruction and Supervision. In 1994, Jessica was awarded the Governor's Teacher Recognition Award.

Susan Pantone jspanto@erols.com I am currently a second grade teacher at the Village Elementary School in the West Windsor-Plainsboro School District in New Jersey. Responsibilities, other than my classroom, include Building Science Coordinator (which I share with another colleague) and Science Mentor for the Second Grade. I have served on the district wide Science Curriculum Committee for the last eight years. As a member of this committee, I was one of the first teachers in my district to be introduced to the "inquiry" method of teaching. When our district received the NSF Grant for science reform, I was asked to be a lead teacher in our Summer Science Institute, sponsored by E=MC2, our local systemic change project. Last summer I was a member of a team that planned and trained approximately 150 teachers on inquiry-based science. I look forward to implementing any knowledge that I gain at the Exploratorium into our Summer Science Institute and my classroom.

EARTH SYSTEMS IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

Gail Raymond raymond_gail@msmail.asd.k12.ak.us My job title is Secondary Science Teacher Specialist. I have been a trainer for the Earth Systems Implementation Program; a facilitator/trainer for the NSF funded secondary grant "Project on Leading Alaska Restructuring in Science&emdash;POLARIS," a university instructor through Alaska Pacific University and University of Alaska, Anchorage, and presenter at National NSTA conventions. I have done DNA research at L. Livermore National Lab and have been a science/math high school teacher for 25 years. I presently am a field test teacher for the new SEPUP 10th grade course.

Alison Vail vail_alison@msmail.asd.k12.ak.us My home of 23 years is on the valley floor of a particularly beautiful spot in Alaska. We are surrounded by majestic mountains which shield us from the healing powers of the sun for too long during the winter. I teach 40 miles away in Anchorage at an elementary school. I have been a teacher for 10 years, and spent one year with Curricular and Instructional services in our district. I am one of the initial group members who helped form our current science program. I helped make decisions which led us to our inquiry-based science kits. I took the role of group leader, helping bring teachers on-line and continued to train teachers at my grade level on specific kits. During my year in C&I, I spent time making connections between our math and science programs. Math and science are my particular interests and I teach 5th and 6th graders in these disciplines fairly exclusively while my teaching partner concentrates on the language arts and social studies. We both were a part of the original Earth Systems Project team and we integrate our lessons across the curriculum, often using the science kit as our underlying theme. I am looking for methods to fine-tune my inquiry approach to teaching and am looking forward to this workshop.

HANDS-ON ACTIVITY SCIENCE PROJECT

HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA

Patricia Lann plann72750@aol.com Currently I teach fourth grade at Julian Newman Elementary, an Athens City School located in the North Alabama District. I also represent my school as a HASP School Facilitator. In this position I have had the opportunity to participate in various types of professional development. Through this training I was on a team that designed a two day workshop on Inquiry that is available to all five Local Systemic Change districts. I am currently working with a group of teachers on a home page for the HASP program.

Mary Shurett bshurett@peop.tds.net I currently serve as a fourth grade teacher and HASP school facilitator. In my role as facilitator, I attend workshops at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), and communicate information to teachers in my system. School and system-wide meetings are held to convey and share information. Last summer I worked with other district teachers to develop and present a workshop on Integration so teachers would learn to have a heightened awareness of the critical link between inquiry and other disciplines. For fifteen years I taught in the Tuscaloosa City Schools System (Alabama), where I served as a Teacher-in-Residence at the University of Alabama for three years, teaching senior level methods courses, and participated in the University's Clinical Master Teacher Program.

KEYSTONE PROJECT

BOZEMAN, MONTANA

Myra Miller wimill@hawks.bps.montana.edu At the present time, I am the principal investigator of the LSC project called Keystone as well as the director of Bozeman Public Schools' STEC Center (Science and Technology Center). I am responsible for organizing and carrying out staff development plans, workshops and institutes for mentor leaders, participants, and administrators in 21 school districts that are geographically wide spread, overseeing and advising districts about the expenditure of grant funding, visiting and working in schools as a mentor, overseeing scheduling, distributing, and refurbishing kits for the science center as well as billing schools and maintaining the center's budget, administering, collating, and reporting Keystone evaluating data, performing the duties that are a part of being the science committee chairperson for Bozeman.

Wendy Pierce cjpier@hawks.bps.montana.edu I am currently teaching 6th and 7th grade science at Chief Joseph Middle School in Bozeman, Montana. As part of an interdisciplinary team that consists of communication arts, social studies, math, health enhancement and science, I am responsible for teaching both general and life science to approximately 140 middle school students. In our interdisciplinary team we teach both our core subjects as well as integrated units. For the past three years I have served as a mentor science teacher for the Keystone grant in our district. I work with middle school science teachers as well as teams interested in including a science component in integrated units. My role as a mentor teacher for the Keystone Project involves encouraging and modeling inquiry-based teaching for my colleagues. I have participated in and presented at several workshops through the Keystone Project as well as served on the district science committee which is responsible for writing the district goals and assessments. I am continually looking for ways to improve my teaching and understanding of the best methods of teaching science and to share this knowledge with others.

LANGUAGE ACQUISITION IN SCIENCE EDUCATION FOR RURAL SCHOOLS

SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA

Karen Feltman I am a bilingual second grade teacher at Castroville Elementary School in North Monterey County Unified School District. I am a LASERS resource teacher at my school site and a district-wide LASERS mentor. I am currently peer coaching new teachers in science-based ELD, training other mentors in the peer coaching process and leading Action-Reflection Team meetings with new teachers interested in Inquiry Science.

Gail Thomson soquelkiwi@aol.com I work for the Life Lab Science Program as a Staff Developer in the LASERS Project. My responsibilities with LASERS includes working directly with teachers in the classroom to improve science instruction, presenting workshops, facilitating research meetings and helping to implement peer coaching around science instruction.

METRO NASHVILLE

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

ReGina Etter nsftir@coe.tsuniv.edu I have experienced the joy of teaching kindergarten and first grade for 13 years in Nashville, Tennessee, before becoming a Teacher in Residence for the NSF project. As a teacher I was afforded many opportunities for professional growth by serving as an assessment evaluator for materials, committee member for Standard and Basic Skills testing, committee member for revising the math curriculum, and a participant in Child Development and Diversity in the Classroom project at Vanderbilt University. I have also served as a trainer for new teachers in math and reading, and in the areas of alternative assessment, Writing Across the Curriculum, and Applying the Science Standards to the Curriculum. The two years that I have worked with the NSF project have provided me opportunities to see the benefits of hands-on and inquiry based instruction for over 70,000 students.

Belinda Jackson nsftir@coe.tsuniv.edu Currently I am a Teacher-in-Residence (TIR) at Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee. Our Local Systemic Change project is in its second year. Likewise, this is my second year as a TIR. As one of eight TIRs on full-time leave from my Metropolitan Nashville School District, I am responsible for teacher training and support and project support. The numerous science workshops, training sessions, and conventions I have attended and led in my twelve years of elementary teaching have only increased my hunger for knowledge. I look forward to my part in science reform in my district. My personal goal is to help as many teachers and students as possible have the love of science I do.

PACIFIC SCIENCE CENTER

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

Len Adams len_adams@pacsci.org My title is "Community Leadership Supervisor" and I'm responsible for a training program aimed at reaching youth underrepresented in the sciences. We reach the youth at community centers throughout the Puget Sound region, and strive to involve community based organizations in science education efforts in our region. I also just love dancing to Zydeco music and playing basketball!

Cheryl Lydon cheryl_lydon@pacsci.org As a team member in the STAFF Leadership project, a four-year, local Systemic Change grant funded by the National Science Foundation, I supervise four teacher education staff who support the efforts of three rural school districts to reform their district-wide science programs. As part of this project, Pacific Science Center collaborates with Riverview, Skykomish, and Snoqualmie Valley school districts. Through the involvement of 30 teachers, 10 administrators, parents, scientists, Pacific Science Center teacher education staff and the community, the STAFF Leadership Project utilizes exemplar programs and current research to help each district create a science program based in inquiry methods and problem solving for the benefit of all students. The STAFF Leaders spend two years developing a solid grounding in quality science education and then these leaders provide 100 hours of staff development to each district's entire elementary teaching staff.

Brian Saulsman saulsmanb@tms.riverview.wednet.edu I split my work day between being a seventh grade science teacher and a K-5 Science Resource Teacher. Beyond my regular classroom duties, I am responsible for providing instructional and resource support for our district's elementary teachers. I frequently co-teach science with classroom teachers. I also act as a liaison with the Pacific Science Center, the coordinator of our NSTA LSI grant.

PARTNERSHIP FOR ELEMENTARY SCIENCE EDUCATION

VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON

Gloria Ferguson gloria.ferguson@esd112.k12.wa.us I am one of three Science Specialists hired by Educational Service District 112 for the NSF Partnerships for Elementary Science Education grant funded-project, to provide professional development and classroom support to elementary teachers of six rural school districts over the next four years. In this capacity, we work with Washington State University faculty, approximately thirty lead teachers within the districts, and science volunteers. Five of the districts are in the process of adopting the FOSS curriculum, adding one new kit at each grade level each year. The sixth and largest district, as large as the other five combined, has been using the FOSS kits for several years know. My primary role is to support the first and second grade teachers. I work extensively with the teachers in the classroom, lead grade level meetings, help provide direction to the lead teachers in planning and delivery of kit training, deliver inservice workshops throughout the year, and assist in the development and delivery of science content training during the summer.

Obed Norman norman@vancouver.wsu.edu I am an Assistant Professor of Science Education at Washington State University, Vancouver. I am also a co-PI on an NSF funded systemic reform project in southwest Washington State. The project is called Partnership for Elementary Science Education (PESE). PESE is a partnership initiative between WSU, Educational District 112, and Hewlett Packard. My responsibilities as co-PI involve assisting with the professional development activities of the project. I also teach science methods to preservice teachers.

TEAM 2000

BUFFALO, NEW YORK

Sarah Gikas As Assistant Senior Mentor for grades kindergarten, first and second, I have provided support and facilitated during Teachers' Inservices. I have been responsible for training teachers in Elementary Hands-On, Inquiry-Centered Science Kits. I have also led groups of teachers to align the Hands-On, Inquiry-Centered Science Kits to the New York State Standards. I am also involved in designing and providing professional development for Elementary Teachers.

Teresa Navarro I am presently a 5th grade teacher and a Science Mentor in Buffalo, New York. As a Science Mentor, I have provided support and facilitated during Teachers' Inservices. I have been responsible in setting up and demonstrating the ESPECT test, a fourth grade hands-on test for the state. I am also involved in training teachers in Elementary Hands-On Inquiry-Centered Science Kits. I have also led teachers to connect the Hands-On Inquiry-Centered Science Kits to the New York State Standards. As Assistant Senior Mentor, I am responsible in helping the senior mentor in all her professional development with TEAM 2000.

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