Lab In Every Lesson

Creativity In Science: Support & Solutions For Teachers

Are you a science teacher looking to inject more creativity into your classroom? You're in the right place! Join Lisa from Lab In Every Lesson in this enlightening podcast episode as she dives deep into the world of creativity in science education. In a world where it can sometimes feel like other teachers are more creative, Lisa is here to empower you and show you that creativity is within your reach.

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Modeling Our Love Of Science To Teach With Enthusiasm

As a science teacher in virtual school, I have the unique opportunity to watch recordings of the classes I lead.

This can be an excruciating activity for many reasons, not the least of which is realizing just how boring class can get and how slowly time passes.  

But, it's empowering to know that when we teach with enthusiasm, the students don't feel that sense of boredom and time actually passes very quickly!

As education initiatives continue to emphasize STEM skills and careers, it's especially important for science teachers to demonstrate their own interest and love of the content daily.  Doing so enables us to more naturally teach with enthusiasm and serve as inspiring mentors to our students.

In this video, I guide teachers through a reflection of what they present of themselves to students each day when they meet using a variety of clips from teachers in TV and movies as a muse.

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Looking for support as you consider when, why, and how to make the switch to student-centered learning for your science students?  
JOIN THE STUDENT-CENTERED SCIENCE TEACHER SOCIETY

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JOIN THE DIGITAL INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN STUDIO WAITLIST

Knowing Every Student: Tools & Strategies To Learn About Student Strengths In The Science Classroom

When pressed to share individualized input about specific students in your science classroom, can you?

For years I struggled with this task because I led a teacher-centered classroom wherein I lectured on every day except "lab day".  Now, that's not to say that I didn't ask questions and create discourse ... I did.  I also gave them practice opportunities, homework, and tests.  But, in an attempt to transfer knowledge directly to my students primarily through telling, I didn't often give them an opportunity to showcase science skills.  

In this video, I share how leading a student-centered classroom can create more opportunities for learning about student strengths, academically and personally, as well as opportunities for growth.

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Want my Active Learning Lesson Plan Template and Student Activity Tracker for science teachers ... for FREE?  SIGN UP HERE

Looking for support as you consider when, why, and how to make the switch to student-centered learning for your science students?  
JOIN THE STUDENT-CENTERED SCIENCE TEACHER SOCIETY

Need to know which strategies will define your practice as a student-centered science teacher?
JOIN THE ACTIVE LEARNING LABORATORY

Want solutions that will make all the student-centered things effortless?
JOIN THE DIGITAL INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN STUDIO WAITLIST

Serving Students: How To Show Them You Care

Graham Nuthall, in his text "The Hidden Lives of Learners", suggests that students already know 60% of what we're going to teach them.  🤯

When we're talking about teaching science concepts and skills, this is so hard to believe and should be saved for another discussion entirely!

But, if that statistic is remotely true, then how much might they possibly know -- or think they know -- about content that isn't so technical and specific?

I would propose that students observe, comprehend, and make inferences about all kinds of nonverbal cues in our classrooms.  (This is science, after all, and we're all doing it all the time!)

From our outward presentation through how we spend our time, students of any age can make grand, and often quick, judgements about us and how much we care about them and their learning.  

In this video, I present the question, "What if we open our minds to earning
mutual trust and respect instead of demanding it?".  This would require us to adopt a mentor mentality rather than an authoritative one in our science classrooms when working with our students.  

Together, we'll explore how an intentional lesson planning framework used in tandem with the definition of love can build trust and make every student feel equally valued in our classrooms.

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Want my Active Learning Lesson Plan Template and Student Activity Tracker for science teachers ... for FREE?  SIGN UP HERE  
 
Looking for support as you consider when, why, and how to make the switch to student-centered learning for your science students?  
JOIN THE STUDENT-CENTERED SCIENCE TEACHER SOCIETY  

 

Need to know which strategies will define your practice as a student-centered science teacher?
JOIN THE ACTIVE LEARNING LABORATORY

 

Want solutions that will make all the student-centered things effortless?
JOIN THE DIGITAL INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN STUDIO WAITLIST

Organization Tips for Science Teachers: Active Learning Lesson Plans & Student Data

Student-centered classrooms are action-oriented.

It stands to reason, then, that the data we collect needs to be similarly action-oriented, rooted in what we've planned for students to do and what they've actually done during their time executing the lesson.

In this episode, I discuss how my free Active Learning Lesson Plan can be used to ensure that learning is focused on action.  The data we can gather about student performance and progress is also discussed in the context of using my free Student Activity Tracker.

Both of these resources are included in my full-year, customizable digital planner which is included as a bonus to members of The Active Learning Laboratory.

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Want my Active Learning Lesson Plan Template and Student Activity Tracker for science teachers ... for FREE?  SIGN UP HERE  
 

Looking for support as you consider when, why, and how to make the switch to student-centered learning for your science students?  
JOIN THE STUDENT-CENTERED SCIENCE TEACHER SOCIETY   

 

Need to know which strategies will define your practice as a student-centered science teacher?
JOIN THE ACTIVE LEARNING LABORATORY

Want solutions that will make all the student-centered things effortless?
JOIN THE DIGITAL INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN STUDIO WAITLIST  

Setting Goals For Active Learning In The Science Classroom

Science Teachers!

When it comes to setting learning goals for whole content units and individual lessons, you're THE BOSS!!!

But, when it comes to setting goals for a science classroom makeover that can help YOU BANISH BURNOUT FOREVER, you might have hit a wall.

Since you wear one million hats, the big goals you set -- the ones that align with your 'why', your big purpose -- can get easily lost in the day-to-day stuff that leaves you feeling overwhelmed and just plain OVER IT ALL.

In this episode, I'll suggest strategies for science teachers to set DAILY goals that align with their big purpose. 

If you already use Learning Intentions and Success Criteria to set your unit and lesson content goals, you'll be shocked how easy this is!

If you aren't using those strategies, you'll get some insider information in this episode!

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Want my Active Learning Lesson Plan Template and Student Activity Tracker for science teachers ... for FREE?  SIGN UP HERE

Looking for support as you consider when, why, and how to make the switch to student-centered learning for your science students?  
JOIN THE STUDENT-CENTERED SCIENCE TEACHER SOCIETY   

 

Need to know which strategies will define your practice as a student-centered science teacher?
JOIN THE ACTIVE LEARNING LABORATORY

Want solutions that will make all the student-centered things effortless?
JOIN THE DIGITAL INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN STUDIO WAITLIST  

Why and How To Make Teacher Reflection A Routine?

Continual improvement only comes from regular reflection.

When science teachers lecture, the only aspects of their instruction upon which they can reflect include those dictated by the content ... what they say or how they say it.

In a student-centered science classroom, teacher reflection can and should happen at all four stages in the teaching and learning process -- from defining a clear purpose, to developing that amazing interactive science lesson plan, through delivery of that lesson plan and analysis of the student outcome artifacts that are produced.  

For more fundamentals of reflection and suggestions for how to improve or increase the frequency of your science teacher reflection practice, listen in!

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Want my Active Learning Lesson Plan Template and Student Activity Tracker for science teachers ... for FREE?   SIGN UP HERE  

Looking for support as you consider when, why, and how to make the switch to student-centered learning for your science students?  JOIN THE STUDENT-CENTERED SCIENCE TEACHER SOCIETY

 

Need to know which strategies will define your practice as a student-centered science teacher?
JOIN THE ACTIVE LEARNING LABORATORY

 

Want solutions that will make all the student-centered things effortless?
JOIN THE DIGITAL INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN STUDIO WAITLIST 

How To Create Change In The Culture of a Science Classroom

Knowledge cannot be transferred.  

Yet, science teachers easily get stuck in the rut of teaching by telling.

We sing our Lecture Hall Lullabies, and then complain about the lack of student engagement in our science classrooms!

Creating a student-centered classroom environment requires more than just preparing and delivering activities for students to stay busy.  It requires teachers to empower students to take ownership of their learning.  

For me, this required a complete mindset shift and a whole new purpose.  

Listen in to learn more!

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Want my Active Learning Lesson Plan Template and Student Activity Tracker for science teachers ... for FREE?
SIGN UP HERE:   
https://memberships.labineverylesson.com/templates-email-optin 

Looking for support as you consider when, why, and how to make the switch to student-centered learning for your science students?  
JOIN THE STUDENT-CENTERED SCIENCE TEACHER SOCIETY  

Need to know which strategies will define your practice as a student-centered science teacher?
JOIN THE ACTIVE LEARNING LABORATORY

Want solutions that will make all the student-centered things effortless?
JOIN THE DIGITAL INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN STUDIO WAITLIST  

The One You‘ll Listen To When You Feel You‘ve Failed

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."

Have you heard that one?  It's a quote is by Seneca. 

Um .... Seneca?!

I'm an 80s baby who lived her best life in the 90s so, to me, that's the famous final line of "Closing Time" by Semisonic!  ⌚  Good thing it's a catchy tune, because I've needed to remind myself of that as every season of this crazy life transforms into the next.

This episode is the last in what we'll call "Season 1" of the Student-Centered Science Teacher Podcast.

As a full-time teacher 👩‍🏫, boymom 👩‍👦‍👦, wife, and aspiring instructional coach who tries to give each of those jobs my very best 100% of the time, I haven't been able to keep up with what I demand of myself to provide you the very best I can in this format.  With the holidays approaching and extra special time with my family on the horizon, I'm a realist . . . I know that'll only get worse.

Don't worry, though!  I'll be back with Season 2 sometime in Spring 2022.  🌱 

Get on my email list by sharing your email anywhere on the homepage of my website (http://www.labineverylesson.com) to be notified when I start publishing new episodes OR just follow the podcast on your favorite player. 

Listen in now to hear about all the CRAZY that's been happening behind the scenes in my life and get the goods on the final installment of the series I've been sharing on "Things to Consider When Making the Switch to Student-Centered Learning", strategies I use to combat feelings of failure. 

Wishing you a blessed holiday season full of abundance, peace, and joy and hoping you'll join me again next spring,

Lisa

☮️🕊️😂

Generating Student Buy-In and Creating Consistency In A Student-Centered Classroom

Before -- or after -- listening to this episode, you'll want to check out an episode of Cesar Milan's "Better Human, Better Dog" show currently airing on National Geographic.  Caesar is an accomplished dog trainer and is able to, essentially, tame some wild, out of control dogs. There are also instances where he encounters dogs who exist in a state of paralyzing fear 24/7.  While his former TV show, years ago called "The Dog Whisperer", documented how he helped those types of extreme cases, this new show is focused on post-pandemic problems with pets people have adopted from rescue shelters.  These are average, everyday people with, sometimes, average, everyday dog problems. 

Even though Cesar teaches dog owners how to handle difficult situations, I have used his strategy to create the classroom environment I want and need to deploy student-centered learning and provide valuable experiences to all of my students.  

In this episode, I'll describe Cesar's approach and how it can be adapted for use in our classrooms to encourage and support active learning, build trust and rapport, and foster growth mindset in and among the students in our classrooms. 

 

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If you’re interested in creating robust lesson plans you can believe in and follow through on, consider downloading the details of my 5-Element Framework for planning interactive science lessons on my website at www.labineverylesson.com/5elements.   Or, if you're more interested in gaining some insight into the practical aspects of delivering and executing student-centered instructional strategies in your classroom, you might benefit from the free guide, "Things To Consider When Making The Switch To Student Centered Learning".  Just share your email at www.labineverylesson.com/considerations.  

Join our FREE, non-Facebook community at community.labineverylesson.com!  We need your voice, your questions, your celebrations to keep us all inspired and motivated to do our best work!

Teach chemistry?  Shop for ready-to-deliver interactive science lessons at https://www.labineverylesson.com/shop. 

If you loved this episode or any other on the Student Centered Science Teacher Podcast, please leave a review on the podcast player of your choice OR give me a shout-out on your favorite social network!  Help me spread the word!  Take a snapshot of that review or social shout-out and share it with me to receive a FREE interactive science lesson of your choice from those currently available in my store.  Just go to my website, www.labineverylesson.com, and click on PODCAST in the menu at the top right.  Then, follow the instructions on that page.