There’s a Scientist in my Classroom!

October 22, 2015 at Clark, Quisset Campus, WHOI

On October 22nd, over thirty Cape Cod scientists and teachers convened for the first Woods Hole-based There’s a Scientist in my Classroom! workshop of Cape Cod. Following the format of previous meetings at MIT in Cambridge, MA, this workshop provided a space for K-12 teachers from the Falmouth (and surrounding) area to meet graduate students and scientists from the Woods Hole Consortium and discuss opportunities for collaboration in the classroom.

The workshop goals were (1) to create partnerships between Falmouth-area teachers and scientists from Woods Hole, (2) to provide an opportunity for teachers to enrich their science classes through visits by scientists from Woods Hole, and (3) to offer a chance for scientists to enhance their skills in communication through outreach to classrooms in the Falmouth area.

The agenda was a mix of group discussions, networking, and presentations on effective classroom visits, teacher-scientist partnerships, and tailoring outreach to Massachusetts state science standards.

Many participants made valuable connections that will continue to develop beyond the space of the workshop.

The workshop was organized by Megan May, Lauren Kipp and Sarah Rosengard from the MIT-WHOI Joint Program and Broader Impacts Group. Kama Thieler from WHOI’s Academic Programs Office provided invaluable advice in the planning process, especially in reaching out to teachers and constructing the workshop presentations. Jessica Garrett, who organized the past Cambridge-based workshops, provided the logistical materials and the original content that became the foundation of the Woods Hole workshop.

The WHOI Student Representatives supported the event through a fund from the Office of the Dean for Graduate Education at MIT.