Hi there, my name is Kyle Johnston and I am honoured to share about my experience as a Science Teacher at Centre High Campus.
I am relatively new to teaching, I completed my Bachelor of Education After Degree from the University of Alberta in 2022. Prior to entering the education field I did a Bachelor of Science at the University of Alberta majoring in Biology and minoring in Chemistry. I chose to go into Science because I loved learning about how the physical world works and diving into Science felt like an endless well of fascinating discoveries. While I was attending University I got a job working with a local youth group with high school and junior high aged students. I decided to pursue education in order to marry my love for Science with the joy I found of working with young people. This is my second year at Centre High Campus and it has been such a privilege to share my passion for learning Science with students and work alongside a collaborative staff that strongly shows their commitment to making life better for the students they work with. We have an incredibly diverse student population at Centre High Campus and several students are reattempting a course for the second or sometimes third time. For many of these students, they have a negative preconception of their abilities with science and struggle to enjoy the content of the course because of the weight of their previous performance. One of the most rewarding experiences I have found as a Science educator is to watch the joy on a student’s face as a concept they have struggled to understand “clicks” for them or when a concept is related to a real-world context that is significant to them. Few things excite me as much as watching students who have struggled through figuring out a problem get excited to share their new knowledge with their classmates. I have two quick examples of these “eureka” moments from my recent experience. We are blessed to have 3-D printers at Centre High and this last year one of our support staff graciously taught me how to use them. Using the 3-D printers we were able to create manipulatives for Bohr diagrams, DNA structure, ionic compounds and blood typing that helped put a physical model of a difficult concept in the hands of the students. A Science 10 student remarked to me that the puzzle piece model for the ionic compounds put the idea of balancing positive and negative charges into a whole new perspective and they became so proficient at balancing compounds that they began to teach their friends how to do the same. So many excellent 3-D printed manipulatives are available on the internet and I am excited to continue to build our school’s resource library of manipulatives and see more examples of students having difficult concepts come to life for them. My story comes from a very recent classroom experience with Chem 20 students. I attended a Teacher’s Convention Session led by Michael Ng on engaging students with inquiry based prompts that related concepts to real-world examples. One of the examples Michael Ng shared involved using stoichiometry to determine whether or not the Apollo 13 astronauts could survive by removing their excess carbon dioxide through a chemical reaction, which matched both the historical and film record of the events. After showing a clip from the 1995 movie I instructed students to get to work trying to “save the astronauts” by putting their stoich skills to the test. I was greatly impressed and pleased by how into the activity the students got, including several students I did not expect to enjoy the activity. One of the students told me that he had never had so much fun doing chemistry because it felt like there were real stakes and he was invested in the solution to the problem. Like the first example, this student after finishing the problem started to help others around him with a humorous amount of zeal for Chemistry. I am grateful for the constant education that I receive as an educator. I hope that as my experience and proficiency for teaching grows, so does the frequency of these special moments where students grasp a genuine understanding and share in our love of Science.
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Braiding Sweetgrass
"Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Wall Kimmerer bridges the gap between Indigenous wisdom and scientific knowledge. Kimmerer, a botanist and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, explores the natural world through both lenses, revealing how plants and animals can be our teachers. She examines traditional ecological knowledge and its relevance to modern science, discussing topics such as plant uses, ecological restoration, and the importance of reciprocity with the earth. With personal stories and insightful observations, "Braiding Sweetgrass" provides valuable insights into Indigenous perspectives on nature and encourages readers to develop a deeper understanding of their own relationship with the environment. Check out the book reviews here: A Cree Healer and His Medicine Bundle "A Cree Healer and His Medicine Bundle" documents the life, beliefs, and healing practices of Cree Medicine Man Russell Willier, showcasing his extensive knowledge of medicinal plants and their traditional uses. Through Willier's teachings, readers gain insight into the connection between Indigenous cultures and the natural world, highlighting the importance of ecological knowledge in promoting health and well-being. The book includes detailed descriptions of various plants, their properties, and where to find them, providing a rich source of information for educators seeking to integrate Indigenous perspectives into their teaching. Check out the following book reviews: Lost Science: Astonishing Tales of Forgotten Genius by Kitty Ferguson delves into the lesser-known corners of scientific history. Ferguson sheds light on "overlooked or lost stories" of brilliant individuals and their scientific contributions.
The book features a collection of intriguing characters, from trailblazing women like the first-century chemist, Mary the Jewess, to under-appreciated geniuses like Lise Meitner who played a crucial role in nuclear fission. Ferguson also explores the fascinating stories behind inventions and scientific endeavors, including the creation of the first ever automobile as a toy by Ferdinand Verbiest, and more. Check out these book reviews for more information. By Katherine Wilson, University of Alberta When beginning your journey as an IFX pre-service teacher, stepping into a classroom for the first-time can be exciting and intimidating. Years of what you have studied and prepared for have come to a culmination. Although, despite what we have been taught, it is unparalleled to what you will learn within the classroom, so here is some advice on how to help you achieve success that I encompassed during my experience.
First and foremost, professional growth requires proactive communication with your mentor instructor(s). Mentor teachers are there to guide you, although it is your responsibility to advocate for advice and feedback. Inquire about your lesson plans flow, how they find marking assignments most effectively, what tasks you need to complete daily, or even solicit suggestions for improvement. Receiving feedback is a common standard amongst mentor teachers and their students, but it’s your initiative that will determine your growth. Secondly, working together with colleagues is essential and applies greatly to the teaching community. There is no need to hesitate to seek out other educators in your department as they too are there to help. This can be through support, resources or sharing different perspectives. You can also ask to collaborate on labs and assessments if you're teaching the same class. Personally, I found that the more exposure I had working with other teachers, the more it molded my teaching pedagogy. In addition, establishing relationships with your students is one of the most important things as it sets the tone of your learning environment. What I found that worked well was having your mentor teacher send out a Google forum before you start your practicum, so that you get to know their interest faster. Another easy thing is learning their names and faces as soon as possible. Calling on them or doing attendance by just seeing their faces makes them feel more like a person to you than a number in your class. I also would recommend incorporating your students’ names and interest in reviews or worksheets if you can. The little things like that, I found noticeably increased students’ excitement and appreciation of you since you included them. Furthermore, my final piece of advice is that being prepared is crucial for it is inevitable that you will encounter unforeseeable circumstances. I learned quickly that it is best to rehearse your lessons or labs before the actual day of. Despite how simple instructions may appear, practicing can resolve many unpredictable issues or bring insights on instruction delivery. Lastly, be mindful of the learning diversity within your classroom. That can involve learning styles, processing speed or language barriers. Strategies I found to make my class more inclusive were pre-planning different modes of learning, making sure I used language that would be understood by every student and pre-printed fun customizable word puzzles for students who finished faster than others. Ultimately, everybody’s experience through their IFX is different. The only thing you can try to do is be prepared, build those relationships and be open to collaboration. Your growth and success hinges on the effort you give. |
AboutThis blog features stories, insights, and interesting facts to share from educators to help with teaching in the K-12 science classroom. ArchivesCategories |
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