Volunteer Spotlight: Barbara Cheung
For the month of November, we’re highlighting a special volunteer, Barbara Cheung, a former science teacher.
How did you hear about SiE and what made you decide to give your time to our cause?
My first exposure to Science is Elementary was when my students at Rose Elementary were lucky enough to participate in hands-on science lessons with SiE staff and volunteers. Students loved the lessons and activities so much that I was inspired to include science lessons and hands-on projects in our distance learning curriculum. It was a happy day when we found out that SiE would be returning to classrooms to do in person lessons! Now as a retired educator, it is a joy to give back as a volunteer in a classroom and experience the thrill of students making discoveries from a different vantage point. I have also had the privilege of helping to put learning kits together, and to work with families in a library to help them enjoy science activities in a community setting.
Do you have a favorite activity or memory from a lesson?
Our scientists have shared so many great lessons and activities with us. The one that comes to mind right away though is the last activity in the second-grade program. Students had the opportunity to work and teams and design structures with a variety of materials. The activity was purposefully designed so students had to experiment with materials to see what would hold up best and make sturdy structures. It was gratifying to see and hear students engaging each other with statements like, “We should try this because….” or “I wonder what will happen if we use this material instead.” It was a natural culmination of the lessons and activities they got to do during the year, as well as active practice in using the Scientific Method to figure things out.
What does it take for kids to grasp scientific concepts, based on your experiences with SiE?
Whether through trial and error, or just plain brilliance, the experts at Science is Elementary have come up with a very effective format. They have created lessons that begin with material they have created around a specific topic that is presented by the classroom teacher. Then a SiE scientist dives deeper into that topic with a lesson and hands-on activity (further supported with a storybook or journal for certain grade levels). Then there is a concluding lesson, presented by the classroom teacher, that reviews the concepts taught, and leaves students with something to ponder. In education, this idea of “conceptual redundancy” is proven to be effective in helping individuals to remember key ideas. Business experts use the idea to design speeches by “tell people what you are going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them.” This strategy usually works well for kids as well as adults!
Given your years of experience as a teacher, do you have any tips or tricks for new SiE volunteers?
One of the biggest temptations when working as a teacher or a volunteer is to explain too much to students too soon. Kids are smart and can figure out a great deal on their own. By asking probing questions, rather than providing too much information (and maybe opinions) up front, students can connect the dots for themselves, and the experience will be more valuable because they were able to construct the meaning on their own. The other general piece of advice is to try and help students stay on topic and not to get sidetracked with questions or comments about things not relevant to the lesson.
Why do you think it is important for underrepresented children to develop scientific thinking?
Frankly, I am old enough to have observed (and experienced) gender bias in education. When I was in elementary school, boys were often encouraged more in science and math. Girls were more likely to be complimented on writing or artistic skills. This influences the confidence of a learner and has stuck with me. I am an advocate for every student having access to all subjects and types of activities. Science textbooks are often written at a difficulty level above the grade they are intended for, so the multi-media approach (lessons often include one or more fun videos and/or stories) and hands-on activities are appropriate for students who are emerging readers, second language learners, or who may need extra support. All students should have the opportunity to grow a skill set that will help them be successful in a variety of work and ‘real life’ situations. Thank you to everyone at Science is Elementary for helping our students experience scientific information and practice investigation and problem-solving in an age-appropriate context!
