Local Science Teachers Share Research at National Conference
Submitted by Carson Now Reader on Tue, 10/20/2015 - 2:04pm
Event Date:
Repeats every day until Sat Oct 24 2015 .
October 22, 2015 (All day)
Event Date:
October 23, 2015 (All day)
Event Date:
October 24, 2015 (All day) Carson City School District teacher expertise will be on display at the National Science Teacher Association area conference on science education Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 22- 24, at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.
Eight local educators will present their findings to science colleagues on their curriculum, assessment and instruction efforts funded by the Carson City School District Race to the Top Grant over the past two years.
Chris Whitcome, 7th grade science teacher and science department chairperson at Eagle Valley Middle School and Amy Burton, CCSD Implementation Specialist supporting middle school science, will present Friday, October 23, 2015 on their curriculum and assessment work involving the new Nevada Academic Content Standards for science. The two have helped facilitate cross-campus efforts to align learning targets and develop common benchmark tests to help teachers, students and parents track student learning progress toward science curriculum goals.
Whitcome and Burton will also present their action research study in conjunction with five colleagues who participated in conducting the study: Josh Billings, Carson Middle School (CMS) science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teacher; Phyllis Atkinson, CMS 6th grade science teacher; and Sandi Helfrick-Hendrix, former CMS 7th grade science teacher.
The group volunteered to study their attempt to shift from a delivery centered model to a learner centered model last year, and will share their insights at the conference on Saturday, October 24, 2015. The team worked under the guidance of their administrative team, Chelise Crookshanks, CMS Dean of Students, and Susan Moulden, Ed.D., Assistant Principal at EVMS, who will share their point-of-view regarding action research as a form of professional learning.
Another CMS 7th grade science teacher, Gail Bushey, was selected to present Thursday, October 22, 2015 about her journey through science literacy. Her session will highlight her students’ learning experience, and instructional transformation, when she used student-written arguments to assess a higher level of scientific understanding.
CCSD science teachers will be attending the conference en mass Friday, October 23, 2015. On behalf of CCSD Associate Superintendent, Educational Services, Susan Keema, planned and scheduled a district professional development day on Friday, October 23, 2015 to allow all K-12 science teachers to attend without missing class time with their students. Community partners, district coordinators, and NSTA representatives negotiated reduced rates and scholarships to fund conference attendance for 221 local teachers. This shared effort will continue to develop and support science education in the CCSD.
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