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Kathy Renfrew
Wade Institute for Science Education
MA

My NSTA / Peers / Kathy Renfrew

Kathy Renfrew is an experienced elementary teacher/educator/learner who has been privileged to hold many roles in her career. She was a classroom teacher who was hired by the Vermont Agency of Education as the Elementary Science Assessment Coordinator. Kathy returned to Massachusetts as an elementary science coach for a school district. Currently Kathy is an education specialist for the Wade Institute for Science Education, a virtual coach for Sibme, an EdReports reviewer, and more. Kathy is a vocal advocate for the need of quality science instruction in elementary classrooms. Kathy attended the University of Massachusetts in Amherst for her undergraduate degree in Human Development. She followed that with a MEd in Professional Teaching and a MS in K–8 Science Education. Kathy was a National Board Certified Teacher as well as a Presidential Awardee in Elementary Science.

Public Collections
Recent Public Collections by Kathy

Teaching NGSS in K-5 Creating Coherent Storylines

20 Resources

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Making Meaning through Discourse

16 Resources

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Forum Posts
Recent Posts by Kathy

Sun, Jan 29, 2023 5:00 PM in Leadership Matters

So pleased to see the launch of the new collaborative column between NSELA and NSTA. Thank you S.Page Keeley for writing the premiere column. This column is for all leaders in elementary science which includes teacher leaders, coaches, curriculum coordinators, principals, and so many other leaders, too many to list. This column is intended to support you in your work. Please share your leadership...

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Mon, May 09, 2022 3:13 PM in Leadership for Elementary Science

Hi Page, I am so excited that you have decided to champion elementary science ( PK-5 ) during your presidency with the National Science Education Leadership Association. We , elementary science leaders, need a champion just as all kids need a champion in Rita Pearson's eyes. I think the time is beyond right. Science instruction for elementary students has minimal if existent at al...

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Mon, Nov 02, 2020 4:48 PM in STEM Teacher Leader Learning Opportunity

This is a wonderful opportunity to leaarn from the expereinces of others in the field. Often techer leaders in STEM subject areas feel isolated. Here is a place to connect others doing the same work. I have already registered.WIll you? Looking for opportunities that can accelerate your path towards teacher leadership? Join the @STEMTLnet panel of #STEM teacher leaders on Nov. 4th to...

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Reviews
Recent Reviews by Kathy

Making the Transition to Three-Dimensional Teaching

Wed, Jul 27, 2016 12:21 PM
Teacher's Interpretation of Changing Instruction

This article is the on-the-ground thinking of a 4th and 5th grade science teacher. The author gives herself and you permission to be overwhelmed but she doesn't leave you in that place. She gently leads you through some of the changes she made in her classroom. She talks about doing something that is hard for all of us, throwing out that favorite activity because it is no longer appropriate with the new science standards. She also helps us by sharing that she didn't throw out everything. She did use the rubric to review the resource and then she made adjustments as needed. Betsy shows us this is doable. We need to change our instruction but maybe we don't need to change it all at once and its okay to go slow. Thanks Betsy for some feet on the ground advice! Reading this article is well worth your time!

Discover the NGSS

Wed, Jul 15, 2015 2:40 PM
Discover NGSS A Gift to Educators

Discover NGSS is awesome! I finally got time to sit and spend some time with my Discover NGSS and I was not disappointed. I love all the components especially the Unit Planner. I work with K-5 classroom teachers and I cannot wait to share this resource. This new enhanced ebooks has entry points for all levels of #ngss learners and none of us are experts all the time. Having said that, I do have a place where I can go and find what I need whether it is the very basic “NGSS, what’s that?” to “Need to double-check I understand coherence” to the user who is going to jump right to the Unit Planner to begin work. Being able to access Discover NGSS is another reason, I love it. I don’t have to carry my work laptop back and forth every day because I can access it at home too, just by signing into the Learning Center and going to my library. I also use it on my IPAD almost every day. I love it because I can move back and forth between Discover NGSS and my supplementary documents, pictures, and videos that I might want to include in my Unit Plan. Discover NGSS also means I do not have to carry around my Framework for K-12 Education Standards or the two volumes of Next Generation Science Standards because I can carry around my IPAD and have it all right there and accessible anywhere!

Guest Editorial: The BSCS 5E Instructional Model: Personal Reflections and Contemporary Implications

Mon, Apr 28, 2014 8:43 PM
The 5 Es Live On!

I have been using the 5 E learning cycle in science for a long time and I have to say I am happy to be able to use it as I begin to help teachers transition to NGSS. Reading this article helped me pause and really reflect on this instructional model , what do each of the Es really mean? How should i be using them as I plan instruction or as I help teachers plan instruction. Writing this review caused me to read this article for the 3rd time after I discussed it with colleagues. It is such a good article by such a wise man that I sent out email recommendations about the article to some more colleagues. Definitely worth your time.

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