Teachers hone their science skills at ESD 112 to bring exciting new applications to students this fall.
Teachers experiment with a new ESD science application.
Middle and elementary school teachers have been using their summer break to engage in hands-on science applications to take back to their classrooms this fall.
ESD 112's Science and Math Education Resource Center (SMERC) serves 30 districts and seven private schools in Southwest Washington, providing science curricula in 30 different areas, including physical, life and earth sciences.
The science kits are inquiry-centered, standards-based materials developed by nationally recognized leaders in science resource development. Each eight to 12-week unit contains enough materials for an entire class to experience and investigate in a way that leads to development of core science principles and concepts.
According to SMERC Director Mark Lewis, the trainings are especially useful because they help teachers gain the hands-on experience they need to turn around and convey the wonder of each lesson to their students. "The kit training sessions ensure that teachers understand the content and convey the excitement of learning to their students," said Lewis. "Once they've used the kits themselves, the concept is no longer abstract, it's real."
A partnership with LASER (Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform) provides some state funding for these trainings. LASER was launched by the State Legislature in 1999 and supports professional development, materials support and technical assistance for schools. LASER funding comes from a combination of state, private and school district sources.
This summer, new teachers and teachers changing grade level assignments received training on the kits. Other professional development sessions are offered throughout the year.
Lead teachers in school districts in our region facilitated the trainings which took place August 19-22.
Public Information - August 26, 2008