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Aug. 9, 2007

Ames Lab joins teacher training program

by Anne Krapfl

Dan Andrews

Ames Middle School science teacher Dan Andrews (right) explains his research to improve the heating efficiency of cook stoves for residents in Third World countries during a poster session Aug. 3. Andrews and eight other middle school teachers from four states made up Ames Lab's first class of the national "Academies Creating Teacher Scientists" program.Photo by Bob Elbert.

Ray Sims, a K-6 science specialist at St. Paul's Maxfield Elementary School, said it's great "to feel like a student again." And Ginny Elliott, a teacher of 8th grade earth science the last two years after 26 years as a third grade teacher at South Tama County, said she's grateful for the opportunity to "do science, not just talk about it."

Sims and Elliott are members of the first class of nine in Ames Laboratory's "Academies Creating Teacher Scientists," a four-week professional development program for middle school science teachers. It provides hands-on research experience with a faculty mentor, instruction in both science content (physics this year) and teaching methods, topical field trips, and funding for classroom equipment and other professional development opportunities during the year. The class convened July 9 and wrapped up with a poster presentation of the members' research efforts on Aug. 3. They'll return for four more weeks each of the next two summers, to focus on chemistry and earth science, respectively.

The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, which provides guidelines for what each national lab should provide. The labs then develop their own proposals based on their strengths and areas of expertise, according to Adah Leshem-Ackerman, who is coordinating the program. Now in its fourth year nationally, this is the first year Ames Lab is participating.

The DOE grant amounts to about an $18,000 investment in each of the nine teachers participating, including a weekly stipend, travel reimbursement and $4,000 for equipment purchases and professional development this school year.

Elliott was one of two participants who spent most afternoons in the last three weeks of the program at the Iowa Energy Center's Energy Resource Station in Ankeny. Their research project focused on natural lighting in classrooms, both to improve student learning and reduce energy costs.

"It was an amazing experience," she said. "They made us the scientists, and they all became the support people. Anything we asked about, they made time to help us through it."

As a class, the teachers also made a road trip to West Des Moines' Hillside Elementary School, which was built four years ago with numerous energy conservation features.

"They learned a lot in four weeks - probably even more than they bargained for," Lesham-Ackerman said.

Sims concurred, but said it wasn't just what the lab experiences taught him. Being part of a network of science teachers who all want to be better teachers is valuable as well.

"We'd ask a lot of questions of each other - how to develop new science curriculum, how to do assessments," he said. "It's a good opportunity to talk to other teachers about what they've tried so I'm more likely to be successful at developing a program that works."

Quote

"They made us the scientists, and they all became the support people."

Ginny Elliott, South Tama County Middle School