OUTCOME
Over 2,000 middle school science students experience science units designed to meet the state standards’ goal of 3-Dimensional science learning.
WHY?
A strongly-invested, district-wide team of 23 teachers including all science teachers from the district’s 4 middle schools joined together for several years to participate in an ongoing series of workshops, PLCs, and significant time as a team planning lessons. One example of the joint work: the team attended ISB’s workshop “Systems Are Everywhere,” which gave them a shared experience to support incorporating the 8 Science and Engineering Practices and the 16 Systems Thinking Skills into every science unit at every grade level. Because the teachers attended as a district-wide team, ISB Education customized the workshop for the district core instructional materials, resulting in each teacher supported for classroom action and a systemwide impact for the district.
WHY?
In some classes, middle grade science students reached more rigorous learning targets and exhibited higher levels of engagement, as evidenced by more students contributing their own ideas and listening to others’ ideas.
WHY?
A teacher-leader team including 20 middle and high school science teachers representing all 7 secondary schools engaged in a professional learning series for five years. Teachers learned collaboratively to implement best practices including instructional strategies targeted for 3-Dimensional science learning grounded in the Next Generation Science Standards and research findings from How People Learn.
WHY?
6 STEM professionals from ISB directly supported teacher learning during workshops. They shared their knowledge and experience with educators in a way that supported teachers to focus on the big ideas of science during student explorations.
WHY?
7 principals and 4 district administrators saw the value in bringing STEM experiences to their schools and championed the teacher leadership role for system improvement. The principals and district administrators were supported by their participation in ISB Education’s Principles of Science for Principals series. 6 members of the District Science Leadership Team, including 1 ISB Educator meet monthly to keep the work on track.
WHY?
ISB Education is a catalyst. In partnerships with local school districts we take a systems approach to K12 science/STEM education. This approach reflects the systems approach that ISB scientists take when considering all parts of a system. ISB Education fosters school district partnerships that build capacity to implement programs that will sustain and improve K-12 science education for every student. ISB Education designs and facilitates professional learning experiences that support educators to implement research-based practices.
WHY?
For 20 years ISB has partnered with LASER, a leadership network, to support science and STEM education with school districts statewide. This network enables us to form active partnerships with military-region districts which have federal DoDEA grants via support from US congressional members.
