The goal of this website is to help bridge the gap between public school science teachers and practicing scientists. Over the last two years, reaching out through Twitter primarily, I have been able to bring in many awesome practicing scientists to work with and/or talk to my students. These interactions really are helping to inspire the next generation of scientists. These interactions can be a short time commitment or a long term commitment, depending on what your schedule will allow. Please consider reading further to see if you would be willing to sign up to be a Student Scientist Partner!
My name is Patrick Goff and I am a middle school science teacher in Lexington, KY. I have been teaching for 17 years, hold a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education, Masters in Administration and I am Nationally Board Certified in Early Adolescent Science Education. Over the last two years I have been working on developing a network of practicing scientists who would be willing to work with my students or talk to them virtually. It has been a great adventure and I can say I have had so much fun making so many new friends. I can only hope that I can expand this opportunity to many other students across the United States.
I truly feel that it is my job as a science teacher to help my students see how awesome and fascinating science can be for them. If I can help at least one student see how cool science can be through a virtual talk with a scientist or by working with one on a project, then that just made my year. You never know what will spark a student. It could be a talk about some cool research being done dealing with genetics, drilling into the ocean crust, working with the James Webb Space Telescope or penguins in Antarctica! Over the course of the last two years, I have some phenomenal people talk to and work with my students. The impressions they have made on them have been huge for sure. I hope you will join us in this project.
One of my new friends, Dr. Samantha Oester, invited me to the International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC4) meeting in St. John’s Bay, Canada to present about my project. At this conference I was able to make new connections and partnerships for my students, never mind the awesome science I was able to hear and learn about. Dr. Oester suggested I build a website to help facilitate these partnerships so that we can broaden the impact. It is my hope, that over time, we will be able to get to many, many students to help them work with a practicing scientists so they can be inspired. I hope you will join us in this endeavor.
School –
I teach at a middle school in Lexington, KY. We currently house around 1100 students, grades 6-8, with about 30% free and reduced lunch students. Out of those students, I get the privilege to teach about 120 of them each year. My classes are really determined by math placement (Geometry, Algebra or Pre-Algebra). Our main units for the year range from Energy transfer, Heredity (Genetics), Climate Change, Evolution, Geologic History, and Ecosystems. It has been really neat to have various practicing scientists work with my students in a variety of ways.
Error: Contact form not found.
Is this your initiative?
Claiming allows you to manage your initiative.
