"Because of this pandemic, many teachers have had to adjust their teaching and curriculum. One subject that might be harder to do outside of the classroom is science."-- Trevor Walton, 8th grade
Because of this pandemic, many teachers have had to adjust their teaching and curriculum. One subject that might be harder to do outside of the classroom is science. Science is very creative, it can be shown in many different ways. Doing labs or experiments concocted by the students or teacher to just taking notes in class. Either way, whichever method is used, it’s harder to do via distance learning.
However, middle school teachers at Oakland School for the Arts and other schools have found many ways to deal with the problem. What are the workarounds OSA science teachers came up with?
Crystal Yan is an 8th grade teacher at OSA who teaches Physical Science. Yan went to UC Berkeley for college for her undergraduate degree but she didn’t know at the time what she wanted to do when she finished college. “At the time, I didn’t know I wanted to teach. Still, attending a school famous for protests and social justice appealed to me as a young person finding my place in the world. I carry that social justice torch with me today.”
Julie Humphrey is a 6th and 7th grade teacher who teaches different subjects. For 6th grade, Humphrey teaches earth science. And, for 7th grade, she teaches life science. Like Yan, Humphrey didn’t pursue science right away. Humphrey went to the University of Minnesota to major in engineering. “I was an engineer for 20 years,” Humphrey said. “I switched over to teaching after that and got the teaching credential I needed by doing coursework online.”
Humphrey has loved science since she was a kid. She actually read a big science encyclopedia when she was little. “My family won a huge science encyclopedia from a local grocery store raffle,” Humphrey said. “I remember pouring over it. I have always been focused on some kind of science—I almost went into medicine.”
Yan wasn’t studying science in college, she was actually focused on pursuing law. But overtime, Yan came to love science. “I actually studied law and rhetoric at Berkeley,” Yan said, “thinking I wanted to be a lawyer one day. But I quickly realized that it wasn’t the profession for me. I struggled with science as a young person, but came to love it over time. Trying to find a way to teach young people science helped me appreciate it so much more.”
On the day of her interview at OSA, Yan fell in love with the school immediately. There, Yan could sense that everyone she spoke to was passionate and creative. Yan “longed” to work somewhere where her passion and creativity would be encouraged and welcomed. “I love the whole OSA community,” Yan stated. “I also appreciate how much we all care for one another, and want us to succeed.”
Ms. Humphrey wanted to teach at OSA because she wanted to move from San Diego to the Bay Area. And, during her interview, she saw so many “interesting looking” teachers, making her want to be a part of the school community. Humphrey also has a different favorite thing about teaching science from Yan. “I love taking a high-level science concept and helping kids see that they can understand ideas that sound very complicated,” Humphrey stated.
The physical science teacher has a lot of favorite things about teaching science. “I love how hands-on science is,” Yan stated. “It's one thing to learn about something from a book, and another to learn by doing. I love all the a-ha moments! Watching students do things they never thought they could do. It is so important, as citizens, that we understand science, and I like playing a role in that.”
Yan would give a rating of seven from a scale of 1-10 on how hard it is for her teaching students during quarantine. “In normal times, I have students do a lab a week,” Yan said. “Now, with limited time together, that isn't possible. Still, I'm trying to keep everyone engaged and do what I can to recreate the lab experience from home.”
“I would say I'm at about a five since I am frustrated because I can not provide students with all the hands-on materials I would usually purchase for them,” Humphrey said, rating her own distance learning experience, “and I can't use what we already have at OSA, like microscopes.”
“When we are face-to-face, it's easier for me to judge whether someone understands what we are doing,” Humphrey said. “Whether it is by facial expression or by looking right at their work. However, some of the advantages are that there are not really behavior issues to deal with as a teacher, and I find that a lot of students want to engage with me and each other and that when we attempt to do anything that is hands-on, students welcome that experience right now when they are stuck at home all the time.”
During the pandemic, Yan has found ways to adapt her teaching methods, such as scaling back a bit of her curriculum, without leaving out the really important information students will need in high school science. “I'm doing more direct instruction in an effort to keep students engaged,” Yan said. “I'm also using formative assessments more (like Peardeck), which is helping me adapt my teaching. Despite the limitations of quarantine, I'm learning a lot that I will take with me once quarantine is over.”
Humphrey also adapted her teaching methods during quarantine. Previously, she rarely used PowerPoint as a teaching tool. But, now, she uses it every class. “I now create PowerPoints every class to try to keep myself on track and provide the students with both a visual and audible input (my voice),” Humphrey said. “I am very easy about repeating myself and do not get frustrated because I know how hard it is to be home and on Zoom and really focus on a ‘tiny teacher’ on a screen. I count on students to learn by interacting with me and each other twice a week for one hour—and then I also expect that they do work on their own outside of class to help move the curriculum ahead.”
Science is a really important subject, and given this pandemic, it’s crucial that we use science to help us navigate a way out of our current circumstances. However, our current U.S. administration under President Trump isn’t taking the subject seriously, which isn’t helping our local communities. According to the scientific research journal, Nature, since Trump took office in January 2017, his administration has engaged 150 attacks on science. This has included lying about the pandemic, saying the virus is mild, when it’s the total opposite of the statement. He and his administration have also ignored trying to fill science positions within his own administration, while also ignoring climate change and global warming.
“I'm very concerned,” Yan said in regards to our current administration's response to scientifically-backed issues. “In times of crisis, we should come together and look to our experts for guidance. Our current administration has made Covid a political issue, when really it's a public health issue. I'm hopeful that the next administration will get us back on track, but concerned about all of the damage that's already been done.”
Like Yan, Humphrey is very concerned and frustrated about our current U.S. administration. “I am very, very frustrated by the lack of respect for all the good science that's been done in the name of the pandemic,” Humphrey said. “There is so much to know and learn, especially if we want to keep everyone safe and healthy. The more we can observe the scientist recommended safety habits, and give them the funding and materials to figure this out, the sooner we will be able to get back to normal, where we can interact with each other in all the fun and productive ways that we are used to doing! I must say that I am excited by the new administration's respect for our scientists, especially as they invite Dr. Fauci to continue with his useful leadership during the pandemic.”
Science is an amazing subject that doesn’t get the credit it deserves, and our OSA teachers are showing why it matters so much. It helps all of us in many ways, from helping the human body to building knowledge about the world. And, it will help us during this pandemic, if we use it right. With the 45th President and his current administration packing their backs, we wait for Joe Biden and his administration to give science something we didn’t see from Donald Trump: A little more respect.
However, middle school teachers at Oakland School for the Arts and other schools have found many ways to deal with the problem. What are the workarounds OSA science teachers came up with?
Crystal Yan is an 8th grade teacher at OSA who teaches Physical Science. Yan went to UC Berkeley for college for her undergraduate degree but she didn’t know at the time what she wanted to do when she finished college. “At the time, I didn’t know I wanted to teach. Still, attending a school famous for protests and social justice appealed to me as a young person finding my place in the world. I carry that social justice torch with me today.”
Julie Humphrey is a 6th and 7th grade teacher who teaches different subjects. For 6th grade, Humphrey teaches earth science. And, for 7th grade, she teaches life science. Like Yan, Humphrey didn’t pursue science right away. Humphrey went to the University of Minnesota to major in engineering. “I was an engineer for 20 years,” Humphrey said. “I switched over to teaching after that and got the teaching credential I needed by doing coursework online.”
Humphrey has loved science since she was a kid. She actually read a big science encyclopedia when she was little. “My family won a huge science encyclopedia from a local grocery store raffle,” Humphrey said. “I remember pouring over it. I have always been focused on some kind of science—I almost went into medicine.”
Yan wasn’t studying science in college, she was actually focused on pursuing law. But overtime, Yan came to love science. “I actually studied law and rhetoric at Berkeley,” Yan said, “thinking I wanted to be a lawyer one day. But I quickly realized that it wasn’t the profession for me. I struggled with science as a young person, but came to love it over time. Trying to find a way to teach young people science helped me appreciate it so much more.”
On the day of her interview at OSA, Yan fell in love with the school immediately. There, Yan could sense that everyone she spoke to was passionate and creative. Yan “longed” to work somewhere where her passion and creativity would be encouraged and welcomed. “I love the whole OSA community,” Yan stated. “I also appreciate how much we all care for one another, and want us to succeed.”
Ms. Humphrey wanted to teach at OSA because she wanted to move from San Diego to the Bay Area. And, during her interview, she saw so many “interesting looking” teachers, making her want to be a part of the school community. Humphrey also has a different favorite thing about teaching science from Yan. “I love taking a high-level science concept and helping kids see that they can understand ideas that sound very complicated,” Humphrey stated.
The physical science teacher has a lot of favorite things about teaching science. “I love how hands-on science is,” Yan stated. “It's one thing to learn about something from a book, and another to learn by doing. I love all the a-ha moments! Watching students do things they never thought they could do. It is so important, as citizens, that we understand science, and I like playing a role in that.”
Yan would give a rating of seven from a scale of 1-10 on how hard it is for her teaching students during quarantine. “In normal times, I have students do a lab a week,” Yan said. “Now, with limited time together, that isn't possible. Still, I'm trying to keep everyone engaged and do what I can to recreate the lab experience from home.”
“I would say I'm at about a five since I am frustrated because I can not provide students with all the hands-on materials I would usually purchase for them,” Humphrey said, rating her own distance learning experience, “and I can't use what we already have at OSA, like microscopes.”
“When we are face-to-face, it's easier for me to judge whether someone understands what we are doing,” Humphrey said. “Whether it is by facial expression or by looking right at their work. However, some of the advantages are that there are not really behavior issues to deal with as a teacher, and I find that a lot of students want to engage with me and each other and that when we attempt to do anything that is hands-on, students welcome that experience right now when they are stuck at home all the time.”
During the pandemic, Yan has found ways to adapt her teaching methods, such as scaling back a bit of her curriculum, without leaving out the really important information students will need in high school science. “I'm doing more direct instruction in an effort to keep students engaged,” Yan said. “I'm also using formative assessments more (like Peardeck), which is helping me adapt my teaching. Despite the limitations of quarantine, I'm learning a lot that I will take with me once quarantine is over.”
Humphrey also adapted her teaching methods during quarantine. Previously, she rarely used PowerPoint as a teaching tool. But, now, she uses it every class. “I now create PowerPoints every class to try to keep myself on track and provide the students with both a visual and audible input (my voice),” Humphrey said. “I am very easy about repeating myself and do not get frustrated because I know how hard it is to be home and on Zoom and really focus on a ‘tiny teacher’ on a screen. I count on students to learn by interacting with me and each other twice a week for one hour—and then I also expect that they do work on their own outside of class to help move the curriculum ahead.”
Science is a really important subject, and given this pandemic, it’s crucial that we use science to help us navigate a way out of our current circumstances. However, our current U.S. administration under President Trump isn’t taking the subject seriously, which isn’t helping our local communities. According to the scientific research journal, Nature, since Trump took office in January 2017, his administration has engaged 150 attacks on science. This has included lying about the pandemic, saying the virus is mild, when it’s the total opposite of the statement. He and his administration have also ignored trying to fill science positions within his own administration, while also ignoring climate change and global warming.
“I'm very concerned,” Yan said in regards to our current administration's response to scientifically-backed issues. “In times of crisis, we should come together and look to our experts for guidance. Our current administration has made Covid a political issue, when really it's a public health issue. I'm hopeful that the next administration will get us back on track, but concerned about all of the damage that's already been done.”
Like Yan, Humphrey is very concerned and frustrated about our current U.S. administration. “I am very, very frustrated by the lack of respect for all the good science that's been done in the name of the pandemic,” Humphrey said. “There is so much to know and learn, especially if we want to keep everyone safe and healthy. The more we can observe the scientist recommended safety habits, and give them the funding and materials to figure this out, the sooner we will be able to get back to normal, where we can interact with each other in all the fun and productive ways that we are used to doing! I must say that I am excited by the new administration's respect for our scientists, especially as they invite Dr. Fauci to continue with his useful leadership during the pandemic.”
Science is an amazing subject that doesn’t get the credit it deserves, and our OSA teachers are showing why it matters so much. It helps all of us in many ways, from helping the human body to building knowledge about the world. And, it will help us during this pandemic, if we use it right. With the 45th President and his current administration packing their backs, we wait for Joe Biden and his administration to give science something we didn’t see from Donald Trump: A little more respect.
