Posts
Magicians do the impossible first
People often ask how I got excited about science. Who was the great chemist who influenced my life?
I grew up in an unusual family. My first recollection was when I was three years old, peeking through the curtain at the Paramount Theater,…
Teacher as Blogger – Sharing recipes, experiments and passion for teaching science
David Mayer is on the road to becoming a great teacher. He's an undergraduate student at Boston Universty majoring in Earth Science, and he spends his summers teaching science to students ages 5-11 at a day camp called Camp Summer in Connecticut.…
The hardest thing about teaching science – not enough hours in the day
In a 2003 survey, elementary teachers said the hardest thing about teaching science was "I don't have enough time in the day"?. In that survey supervisors were asked the same question. Their responses related to not enough materials or staff…
Teaching teachers to do magic
A teacher can be an amazing teacher. In science workshops and seminars, I teach teachers how to do magic.
I grew up in a family of professional magicians, but my 13 years in the classroom didn't involve a lot of magic other than science magic,…
After school demos make great teachers
So you want to be an amazing teacher? Start with the parents. Back to school night is a great time to do some science demonstrations.
Imagine yourself doing an experiment right in front of the parents' eyes, like filling a Ziplock bag with…
How to be an amazing teacher by taking the lid off the box
How to be amazing teacher? Try this! Get organized. The hardest thing is to take all the ideas we learn at conferences, workshops and seminars and put them to use.
Don't put science demonstrations in a closed box - because they will stay there.…
Teachers need learning too – say yes to staff development
I think the #1 thing an elementary teacher can do today to be a better teacher is to go to as many professional staff development opportunities as possible. The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) conference is one of the best to prepare…
Edutainment: injecting entertainment into learning
Edutainment - good word or bad? Well, it depends on whom you talk to.
The 1950s teaching style of "˜sit down, shut up and learn' was how it was. Kids learned and absorbed information because they didn't have as many things going on as today.…
Scientist of the Week – Great Idea!
Here's an idea submitted by Candice Ware - a really creative teacher who is getting her kids doing science.
This idea originated with Dr. Jean. I just carried it a step further. I have an attache case labeled Scientist of the Week. Each week…
10,315 Missing Teachers
If your child's science teacher is not at school today, I'll put 10 to 1 odds that you'll find the teacher in Dallas, Texas. Why? It's the gathering place for close to 25,000 of the best science teachers in the world! Dallas is host to the National…
