Confused about what to do post COVID? Thinking about switching careers? Learn about the experiences, challenges, and mistakes made by several esteemed science education leaders in this engaging and interactive panel discussion. This panel will feature current and former teachers, school leaders, district leaders, consultants, academics, national STEM education leaders.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about the increasing number of opportunities available for educators both inside and outside of the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Lach (Hinsdale Township High School District 86: Chicago, IL)

What are your #LeadershipGoals? All educators are leaders: in their classroom, department, institution, and personal life. During this workshop, participants will reflect on how they envision themselves as a leader, engage with a self evaluation tool, and consider the steps in developing an action plan for making change in their leadership life. Providing resources from the freely available, recently published guide Honoring Teachers as Professionals through AIP Publishing, the authors will share how university/K-12 partnerships led to increases in their own leadership capacity, building of professional networks, and improved professional development opportunities through self-reflective classroom research. We will discuss research and experiences around these partnerships, leadership in education, goal setting, and how participants can work towards the same.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will reflect on how they envision themselves as a leader, engage with a self evaluation tool, and develop an action plan for making change in their leadership life.

SPEAKERS:
Shannon Wachowski (EdReports.org: Lander, WY)

Learn about the novel approach taken by Illinois to include teacher voice in developing a statewide three-dimensional science assessment.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about the process of developing a state-wide assessment written by local educators.

SPEAKERS:
Kristin Rademaker (NSTA: Freeport, IL), Harvey Henson (Southern Illinois University Carbondale: Carbondale, IL), ANGELA BOX (Southern Illinois University Carbondale: CARTERVILLE, IL)

Learn about opportunities to become a change agent within your school, district, and beyond. Discussion will be around strategies and programs to support teacher advocates.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn strategies and opportunities to support them in becoming change agents at various levels: within their school or district, local community, and state.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Vick (Northwestern University: Avon, IL), Maggie Moore (Hononegah High School: Roscoe, IL)

Improve inclusive classroom dynamics between teachers, families, and students by reflecting on disability model perspectives, identifying barriers to collaboration, and determining effective avenues of communication.

TAKEAWAYS:
The triangle of inclusion presents pathways that can be used by administrators and teachers to recognize and overcome barriers faced within the inclusive classroom and includes strategies such as early open communications, student advocacy, professional learning opportunities, and mentorships.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Wack (East Penn School District: Quakertown, PA)

Informal science learning opportunities can be so much more than a trip to the zoo or museum. The resources available at informal learning organizations can greatly strengthen or supplement those at formal learning institutions. Collaboration is key to achieving such results. In many cases, those partnerships are strengthened through the creation of formalized teams or committees. Quite often, that’s where the struggle begins. Frequently, teams are not structured to react quickly to changes and they don’t mature in a manner that provides stability as they age. Whether starting from scratch or reenergizing an existing team, it’s important to recruit members with the right skills and resources, engage them effectively and layout a structure that allows them to succeed… even during times when you can’t be there to lead them. The guidance discussed in this session will provide attendees with successful tips and K-12 examples that they can take with them as they improve informal science in their communities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Tips on building teams from scratch, reorganizing existing teams and laying the path for continued success.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Kutsch (National Science Teaching Association, eCYBERMISSION: Maumelle, AR)

Let's discuss the expansion and availability of geospatial data (arcGIS, EJScreen, CalAdapt) to examine environmental justice issues in their own community and create climate resilience action plans for an authentic audience (city council, school district, state lawmakers).

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will explore strategies for using geospatial data to examine, interpret, and act on place-based environmental justice issues in their communities.

SPEAKERS:
Nancy Metzger-Carter (Sonoma Academy: Santa Rosa, CA)

Sagan said that when kids are young, they cannot stop asking questions. By high school, they stop asking. This needs to change.

TAKEAWAYS:
Ways we can help students learn and retain science concepts, critical-thinking skills, and inquisitiveness using alternative approaches to teaching.

SPEAKERS:
Juan Bacigalupi (Eagle Hill School: HARDWICK, MA)

This session will present attendees with an up-to-date literature review, as well as original research, regarding administrators knowledge and acceptance of evolution and evolution education law. After discussing the research, a virtual library of general resources will be shared with attendees that they bring back to their school and district administrators. Additionally, attendees will learn how to locate or create resources to add to this virtual library that are specific to their state standards, specific content areas, and local communities. The goal is that attendees will return to their schools and districts and be better able to participate directly or indirectly in Instructional Leadership Team roles in their communities in order to promote high quality science instruction for their students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about our current understanding of administrators' knowledge of evolution and evolution education law and walk away with a virtual toolbox of resources that can be shared with building and district level administrators to better support quality science instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Blake Touchet (National Center for Science Education: ABBEVILLE, LA)

Too many students fall for disinformation. Learning facts is not enough. New research shows students need more critical-thinking skills, and supplemental curriculum helps.

TAKEAWAYS:
Critical-thinking curriculum is available to help “inoculate” students against disinformation and science denial.

SPEAKERS:
David Hundsness (Critical Thinking Project: Pacifica, CA)

Enjoy conversation about our research lesson collaboration with the University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center EYES (Educators and Youth Enjoy Science) teacher research experience.

TAKEAWAYS:
Authentic teacher research experiences can catalyze students' career interest, authentic classroom inquiry, curriculum development, and relevant professional learning.

SPEAKERS:
Steven Rogg (Notre Dame College Prep: Lindenhurst, IL), Pamela Wagner (George Westinghouse College Prep: Chicago, IL)

An understanding of the structure of our educational system will allow us to better navigate this system in ways which promote social justice in the science classroom. Consequently, this session will start with a discussion of accountability reform initiatives (such as high-stakes testing) and the impact those mandates have had on science education. Thus, the first part of the session will focus on the interplay between reform initiatives and equity by examining how mandates worked to widen the achievement gap. The NGSS challenges states to make changes to their curricula and bring the focus back to science. We will then move to a discussion regarding how we can use the vision embodied in the NRC Framework to promote quality teaching practices in the science classroom and bring the focus to science instruction. Here we examine equity-driven practices that can work to promote social justice in the science classroom. Participants will identify components within the NCR Framework which promote equity by engaging all learners—specifically historically marginalized students—in the learning process.

TAKEAWAYS:
Accountability mandates such as high-stakes testing are working to funnel time and resources away from science instruction, however, 3D learning and inclusive practices can mitigate the effects of those mandates by promoting sound pedagogical practices.

SPEAKERS:
Klodia Saad (Dearborn Public Schools: Dearborn, MI)

Toshiba America Foundation wants to work together with teachers who are looking for a better way to engage the community in STEM. Participants will hear from educators that have won money for their school and communities to implement STEM action projects.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how they can receive cash awards and acknowledge for STEM action projects.

SPEAKERS:
John Anderson (Toshiba America Foundation: Irvine, CA)

Culturally relevant pedagogy embodies a professional, political, cultural, ethnical, and ideological disposition that supersedes mundane teaching acts; it is centered in fundamental beliefs about teaching, learning, students, their families, and their communities, and an unyielding commitment to see student success become less rhetoric and more of a reality. This session will aid in building awareness and sensitivity to the culture-based genius that students bring to the classroom using science inquiry strategies. Emphasis will be placed on a model for the inclusion of culturally relevant content that accommodates student backgrounds and methods of learning. In this session, we will exhibit how to identify the key characteristics of culturally responsive lessons. Attendees will acquire lesson design methods that employ cultural competence and effective communication. Attendees will use collaborate boards during the presentation to respond and interact. Activities to exhibit how students identify with what they know in the classroom will be utilized to help educators make connections and apply this information when planning lessons.

TAKEAWAYS:
Building awareness and sensitivity to the culture-based genius that students bring to the classroom using science inquiry strategies. Emphasis will be placed on a model for the inclusion of culturally relevant content that accommodates student backgrounds and methods of learning.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Haynes (Baker High School: Zachary, LA), Jennifer Norwood (Instructional Support Specialist: Zachary, LA), Tara Hollins (Exceptional Student Services Educator: Zachary, LA)

Since 2015, EdReports has published more than 900 free reviews of K-12 instructional materials including nearly 70 reviews of K-8 science programs. Most recently, EdReports completed a listening and learning tour to hear directly from the field about what’s needed to conduct rigorous reviews of high school science materials. Findings point toward inequities not only in the selection and use of quality curricula, but also a lack of support for educators to make the instructional shifts necessary. This session will open with research on the challenges educators face in finding quality materials, detail how the mission and vision of EdReports aims to address those challenges, and share the findings that have guided high school review tool development. Participants will engage in large group, small group, and pair share conversations to reflect on their own classroom materials and adoption practices, and discuss strategies for navigating the challenges involved with high school science instructional materials. Educators will also learn about opportunities to engage as an EdReports reviewer in upcoming reviews, which includes NGSS training, an extended learning community, and a paid stipend for participation.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about the expansion into high school science and develop an understanding of the tool development process, characteristics of alignment to the NGSS and usability, and how EdReports supports educators through smart adoption processes and opportunities to participate in educator-led review teams.

SPEAKERS:
Shannon Wachowski (EdReports.org: Lander, WY)