Social Emotional Learning within Science Education
- November 2, 2021 • Blog
Social emotional wellbeing is an essential part of learning and life. Likewise, social emotional learning is an essential part of growing up and schooling. The stresses of the COVID pandemic have intensified the needs of our youth in these areas.
It Takes Two — Neither High-Quality Instructional Materials nor High-Quality Professional Learning Can Do It Alone
- January 11, 2022 • Blog
During the pandemic students learned a lot about resilience, their families, and their communities, but many did not make as
Reaching equitable outcomes for all students
- December 11, 2020 • Blog
In science and beyond, in-person and remotely, we have an opportunity to cultivate learners who go after their curiosity and are rewarded with the thrill of discovery. To make this happen for every single learner in our classrooms, we have to focus on the research on how humans learn.
How Distance Professional Learning Helps Teachers, Students, and Parents
- January 6, 2021 • Blog
When COVID-19 began, MSS thought hard about what solutions we could offer toward the problems associated with emergency distance schooling. We shifted to supporting teachers with distance professional learning about distance teaching — not about science.
The Power of PLCs
- January 6, 2021 • District Spotlight
In 2019, Peoria Unified School District (PUSD) began a district-wide PLC roll out to support teachers transitioning to new state science standards. The new standards pull largely from A Framework for K-12 Science Education and leverage student-driven, multidimensional learning.
Supporting the Needs of Next Generation Science Education
- January 6, 2021 • School Spotlight
The Making Sense of SCIENCE Investing in Innovation (i3) project is a comprehensive initiative designed to provide professional learning and classroom supports
Supporting High School Teachers with NGSS
- January 6, 2021 • Teacher Spotlight
High school teachers in my district have struggled with figuring out how to bundle the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) into a cohesive and relevant storyline of instruction. Even envisioning what an NGSS lesson would like is a challenge — and although few would admit it, they are also up against the limitations of their own content knowledge.
Adopting the NGSS: Changing Boats Midstream
- January 6, 2021 • Teacher Spotlight
I have only been in the classroom for 5 years, and every year has brought new experiences and a few surprises. I’ve been in a different room, taught different classes, had a different bell schedule, and been evaluated using different processes and criteria. Needless to say, I’m used to change.
A New Dimension: A New Teacher’s Take on NGSS Implementation
- January 6, 2021 • Teacher Spotlight
For a new teacher, the implementation of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) is a daunting undertaking. I am trying to be innovative in an education system that I am only just beginning to comprehend. Understanding the scope of this challenge was the first step on my path to NGSS implementation.