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LASER eNewsletter October
2010 |
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As defined by Peter Senge, a learning organization is
marked by continuous transformations. Learning
organizations bring together people "who continually
enhance their capacities to create what they want to
create." This is certainly true of Washington State
LASER.
We are recognized nationally and internationally for our
systemic science education reform work. Our successes do
not occur in isolation. Our stories are dependent on the
quality, strength and continuity of our many
partnerships. We thank all of you who are on this journey
with us and look forward to collaborating with all of you
in the 2010-2011 school year.
This eNewsletter is in memory of Bill Fromhold, a former
four-term state legislator from the Vancouver area who was
a friend of the science education community.
Jeff and Sonia |
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Did You Know? |
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During the 2009-2010 school year the nine LASER Alliances
conducted 448 professional development events focused on
inquiry-based science instruction for a total of 3,664
hours of professional development. These events had a
total attendance of 5,765 and served 3,098 educators
(unduplicated count). Together these educators received
nearly 49,425 contact hours of professional development. |
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STEM De-Mystified for Principals |
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Gene Sharratt, Washington State University Professor and
Director of the Superintendent Certification Program
states, "Science, technology, engineering and mathematics
(STEM) education is a relatively new mode of thinking
about how best to educate students for the workforce and
for post-secondary education. STEM is not simply a new
name for the traditional approach to teaching science and
mathematics. Nor is it just the grafting of "technology"
and "engineering" layers onto standard science and math
curricula. Instead, STEM is an approach to teaching that
is larger than its constituent parts."
The Association of Washington School Principals (AWSP)
focused on STEM at their summer retreat in Leavenworth ,
WA from July 27th to 30th. The
Retreat was a partnership between Association of
Washington School Principals (AWSP), Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory (PNNL), Battelle, WSU, Pacific Science
Center and Washington State LASER. Financial support came
from Battelle, PEMCO, and School Employees Credit Union of
Washington. The Retreat was developed and facilitated by
Sonia Siegel Vexler, the acting co-director of Washington
State LASER and Peggy Willcuts, Senior Science Education
Specialist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory .
Forty principals from around the state learned about STEM
and began building a toolbox of resources to support STEM
teaching and learning. Bruce Cannard, principal of Edison
Elementary in Kennewick, described his experience: "The
administrator STEM retreat provided a chance for me to
learn from experts and other principals. Most of us were a
little fuzzy as to what exactly STEM referred to. In some
districts it may be a Career and Technical Education (CTE)
high school project-oriented class. In other areas it may
refer to a magnet high school that focuses on STEM fields.
We came to an understanding that while those two aspects
of STEM were true, there are other activities that
students can engage in across all grades that incorporate
STEM disciplines."
For more information contact Sonia Siegel Vexler at
206-443-2903 or Peggy Willcuts at 509-375-6797. |
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Teachers-As-Researchers: Understanding Student Thinking |
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Washington State LASER is embarking on an R&D project
focused on school-based teacher collaboration, development
of real-time assessment tools and strategies, and teacher
leadership. The project is named TRUST
(Teachers-as-Researchers: Understanding Student Thinking)
to highlight the significant role teachers can play in
solving their own problems of practice related to the
specific students they teach. Eighteen teachers from two
middle schools, one on the east side of the state and one
on the west side, are participating in this two year
project. Because this is a research project, the identity
of the schools and staff must remain anonymous.
Project goals are:
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Effective Science and Learning Experiences - Teachers
will use researched-based instructional practices,
materials and assessments.
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Enhanced Professional Knowledge and Skills - Teachers
will develop a deep foundation of usable knowledge and
skills.
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Enhanced School Practices - School leaders will
implement coherent professional strategies, policies,
and practices at all levels of the system.
TRUST teachers will receive support from a science
facilitator who will help them build strong school-based
learning communities and use tools such as Curriculum
Topic Study (CTS) to identify critical assessment points,
and an assessment expert who will help teachers develop
valid and reliable assessments, based on standards.
Funding is provided through grants from the Paul G. Allen
Family Foundation and Battelle. In-kind support for the
project comes from the Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory, the Science and Mathematics Education Resource
Center at ESD 112, and Washington State
University/Vancouver Campus.
For more information contact: Anne Kennedy, TRUST
Director, 360-313-1059, office or 360-907-1013 cell. |
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Dennis's Work in Australia |
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An update from Dennis Schatz in Australia:
 For
those who read my
blog, you might think that I've spent
all my time digging in the dirt, riding ferries or
shooing birds from my breakfast. But I have also
been working on Washington State LASER-connected
activities. A major reason I was invited to be
visiting scholar at the University of Queensland was
to identify ways that our eleven-year history could
assist the work of Education Queensland (the
equivalent of OSPI).
The most direct connection has been with the AU$37.7
million
Science Spark initiative that identified 15
regional managers to work with 4th
through 7th grade teachers across
Queensland. In Queensland, 7th grade is
part of the elementary school (called primary school
in Australia) and is taught in self-contained
classrooms with a single teacher. Over three years,
the Spark Mentors are supposed to work with 100
"primary science facilitators" to provide at least
one day of professional development (PD) for all 4th
through 7th grade teachers - interesting
number for the amount of PD considering we don't
think 54 hours of PD per teacher over three years is
enough. The Science Spark effort is only six-months
old, so they are eager to learn about our
experiences with science education reform in
Washington State - especially the structure and
activities of LASER and the ESD Science
Coordinators. One interesting parallel is that the
Spark Mentors have a statewide coordinator that
resides in the Education Queensland main office, but
the 15 mentors report to 15 different supervisors.
In the next eNewsletter, I will report on my
interactions with
ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and
Recruiting Authority), Australia's effort to develop
national standards, curricula and assessments in a
country where, until recently, state's rights --
like in the US -- meant each state had its own
standards, curricula and assessments.
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According to Fossil Evidence... |
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 ...who
lived in Washington in prehistoric times? This is the
question that began the day for twenty-four elementary,
middle and high school teachers from six districts in SW
Washington, all members of a Building Science Liaison
Cadre. Mark Watrin, Co-Director for the SW LASER Alliance,
facilitated a jam-packed day, combining Washington State
fossil content learning with teaching strategies to assess
student learning. Participants examined real fossils, used
maps to locate fossil beds, and made predictions about
what the landscape of Washington used to look like.
The Science Liaisons Cadre gather three times annually in
professional learning meetings, to share school issues,
challenges, resources, and the progress of curriculum
implementations. A goal of the SW LASER Alliance is to
have one Science Liaison in each building. These liaisons
are seen as a transitional strategy to provide ongoing
professional development and instructional materials
support for their staff in an attempt to sustain a high
quality science program that will help students meet the
state's standards.
To learn more about the Science Liaison program, contact
Mark Watrin at 360-750-7500. |
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Science Champions: Science Education Advocacy Awards
Nominations Now Being Accepted |
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Do you know a group or an individual that is a strong
advocate for science education? Honor their efforts by
nominating them for the 2010-2011 Science Champions:
Science Education Advocate Awards. These awards are
presented annually to up to five individuals,
organizations, and/or project teams who have exhibited
outstanding advocacy for science education in the State of
Washington by promoting the importance of science
education among the general public and/or education
system. Nomination materials and further information can
be found at
www.wastatelaser.org/_awards. Nominations are due
January 24, 2011. |
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Jeanne Harmon Honored |
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LASER Steering Committee member, Jeanne Harmon, received a
Paul G. Allen Foundation Grant award for her ongoing work
to increase the effectiveness of teachers in the
classroom, particularly new teachers. Through her work,
Washington state has established a stronger system for
supporting new teachers, leading to greater job
satisfaction and retention in the profession. Harmon is
the Executive Director and Founder of the Center for
Strengthening the Teaching Profession (CSTP). You can
learn more about CSTP at their
website. |
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The work of Washington State LASER would not be possible
without the major support and funding of Pacific Science
Center, Battelle/Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory, the Washington State Legislature, Office of
Superintendent of Public Instruction, Boeing, and The Paul
G. Allen Family Foundation. |
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