March 2024

Kurt Russell, the 2022-23 Ohio and National Teacher of the Year from Oberlin, Ohio (see article below), visited the Project EDUCATE afterschool club at Washington Local Schools in late February during his visit to Toledo and Bowling Green. He met with participating Project EDUCATE students who are interested in teaching as a career to discuss his inspiring and challenging path to becoming an educator of color. Students were encouraged to ask questions and learned more about the opportunities and overcoming the challenges all educators face.

This article is from BGSU News, By Victoria Dugger

Students hear from the best in their field during an inspirational appearance by the nationally recognized educator, sponsored by Project EDUCATE and NWO at the College of Education and Human Development

As one of Ohio’s largest producers of teacher education graduates, BGSU has long been regarded for the caliber of its education graduates, and on Thursday, future educators heard from one of the best in their field – 2022 National Teacher of the Year Kurt Russell.

Russell, a high school history teacher in Oberlin, Ohio, was honored as the 2022 National Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). His commitment to creating an inclusive environment where every student feels welcome, regardless of their race, background, or ability, has earned him recognition as a passionate advocate for education and more importantly, earned him the devotion of hundreds of students he has taught.

Russell shared his experiences with BGSU students, celebrating the teaching profession and the power of public education as well as encouraging them to keep a student-centered focus as their North Star.

“There is unlimited potential in public education because there's unlimited potential in you,” Russell told students. “You all have made a choice to shape and to develop your mind. There is nothing like being an educator because it's the only profession that could change the trajectory of someone's life.”

Like many who choose to become educators, Russell was influenced by impactful teachers he encountered during his own education. He reflected on two teachers who shaped both his education and his outlook on teaching. He recalled the impression his kindergarten teacher, Miss Francine Toss, had on him in 1978, as she read a book to the class about a young Martin Luther King Jr., during which Russell saw someone who looked like him with every turn of the page.

“Remind yourself – Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, so it's only been 10 years after his assassination. He was not this iconic figure. We did not have a holiday named after Martin Luther King Jr.,” Russell said. “But this middle-aged white woman was intentional about the work. She said, ‘I have students of color in my classroom, and I need to be intentional to include them in the curriculum.’”

The first teacher from a minoritized group Russell encountered when he was a student was his eighth-grade math teacher, Larry Thomas, at Oberlin Middle School. It was the first time he had seen someone who looked like him in front of the classroom. Russell said he took cues from Thomas, who conducted his classroom with common kindness, connecting with and showing interest in each of his students.

“That's our job, everyone. That's our responsibility. Every single student that walks into your classroom needs to see an image of themselves. Every lesson that we teach must be inclusive,” Russell said to BGSU education students. “Miss Toss was working before the word ‘inclusivity’ became this buzzword, and before it became this educational pedagogy. Miss Toss was intentional about the work, and Miss Toss did not have to do it. In 1978 kindergarten, you didn't have to do that.

“With Mr. Thomas, what I took with me was how this gentleman treated me and how he treated every single student who walked through his door each and every day. Mr. Thomas looked like me and gave me the image of the possibility that I could become a teacher. That is possibility through representation.”

Russell’s visit was sponsored by Project EDUCATE (Educators of Diversity; a Unified Collaborative to Aspire Teacher Education) and the Northwest Ohio Center for Excellence in STEM Education at the BGSU College of Education and Human Development. The NWO also co-sponsors the Educators of Color Panel, which is held on the BGSU campus and invites local teachers to share their teaching experiences, addresses issues and challenges teachers of color face, and addresses how to support students and colleagues of color in classrooms, among other topics.

NWO partners with the Washington Local School District on the grant-funded Project EDUCATE, an educational model developed to increase and diversify the educator workforce. Russell also spoke during an assembly with Washington Local Schools students, educators and staff on Wednesday afternoon.

Click here for complete article.

This article is from Ohio STEM Learning Network

This month, the Ohio STEM Learning Network hosted the State Showcase for the #STEMorbitsOhio Design Challenge at Battelle’s headquarters. This event celebrated the innovation and hard work of all participating students, culminating in the announcement of the state winners of the challenge. Read on for a photo album from the event, state winners, and a full listing of all the schools that qualified for the showcase.

The #STEMorbitsOhio Design Challenge asked students to tackle a unique problem: “How do we improve the health and well-being of astronauts aboard Starlab orbiting the earth? Develop a plan, system, or product to positively impact the sustainability of the physical and/or mental health of those living in space for an extended period of time.”

The State Showcase brought together the top 21 teams from across the state. In total, more than 70 students from around the state attended the event. The event featured a keynote address from Emily Matula, EVA Certified Instructor and Flight Controller at NASA Johnson Space Center. Matula spoke about the importance of persistence in achieving her dream of working at NASA.

Students also heard from Steve Dackin, the Director of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, Matt Vaughan, Battelle‘s President of Applied Science and Technology, Howard Greene, Director of STEM Education and Outreach in Ohio State University’s College of Engineering, and OSLN Director Kelly Gaier Evans.

The speakers celebrated students’ accomplishments and urged them to continue building STEM habits of mind in preparation for future success, including careers at Battelle and Ohio State University.

Students then showcased their solutions during a poster session. During the showcase, scientists from Battelle engaged with these young innovators, asking questions and learning both about the solutions students created and the learning process.

This event was the seventh annual statewide design challenge hosted by OSLN, as a service to all schools in the state. OSLN is a public private partnership between Battelle and the Ohio Department of Education & Workforce.

The state winners of the #STEMorbitsOhio Design Challenge are:

• Elementary: Alliance Intermediate School
• Middle school: St. Mary School, Chardon
• High school: Marysville STEM High School

OSLN extends its congratulations to all the participants for their hard work and innovative solutions. The dedication to exploring the world of space exploration and other fields while prototyping real-world solutions to current problems is truly commendable. OSLN looks forward to seeing what these bright minds will achieve in the future!

Click here for complete article.

Ohio STEM Learning Network Offerings

Computer Science Education PD
The Ohio STEM Learning Network (OSLN) offers professional development to all Ohio teachers looking to bring the critical ideas of computer science and computational thinking to their students. No matter the grade level, OSLN offers programs that can inspire students, connect to relevant standards, and build life-changing skills.

Elementary program: OSLN Computer Science K-5 Program (Grades K-5)

Elementary teachers, learn to enhance math, ELA, and science instruction with computer science. Learn more and apply.

Middle or high school programs: Code.org Computer Science Discoveries (Grades 6-10), Code.org Computer Science Principles (Grades 9-12), and Code.org Computer Science A (Grades 9-12) From broadening participation in middle school to college-level programming, OSLN has brought nationally tested professional learning programs backed by Code.org to hundreds of Ohio teachers. 

Get the support you need to bring computer science education to your school or take students further. Learn more and apply.

Fostering STEM Institute opens for third cohort
Now recruiting for a third year, the Fostering STEM Institute helps instructional specialists and teacher leaders foster STEM culture and instructional practices in their schools. The institute is designed around essential tenets of effective instructional coaching, transformational professional learning, and quality STEM education. The Fostering STEM Institute includes both workshops and a residency opportunity.

Priority applications close April 1, 2024. Learn more and apply here.

The 2024 Ohio STEM Innovation Summit centers on community

Join OSLN on June 4, 2024, for a day devoted to fostering connections and collaboration, aimed at strengthening the Ohio STEM community and empowering educators within it.

The 2024 summit will focus on professional learning with sessions led by teachers, administrators, and partners from across the state. The Ohio STEM Learning Network has revamped session tracks to match the Ohio STEM designation rubric and quality model that form the foundation of STEM/STEAM designation:

•  Culture for Learning
•  Learning and Teaching
•  Pathways to Success in Careers
•  Disadvantaged and Underrepresented Groups in STEM

Share experiences and ideas by applying to lead a session.

Learning Blade free STEM awareness curriculum
This supplemental curriculum provides interactive and engaging lessons on various STEM topics by exposing students to STEM, Computer Science, and CTE.

Designed for students in grades 5-9, Learning Blade can help teachers foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and understanding of careers. Please see the link below for more information:

https://osln.org/how-we-help/classroom-opportunities/stem-career-awareness-platform/

OSLN Innovative Leaders Institute (2024-2025)
The Innovative Leaders Institute empowers school leaders to transform current practices and bring high-quality STEM education to their students. This year-long professional learning program is designed for school leaders interested in:

• Creating or strengthening STEM culture and identity in the school buildings they lead
• Forging strong business and community partnerships and leveraging these relationships to create authentic learning experiences
• Applying transformational leadership strategies to support their faculty in implementation of STEM instructional approaches
• Challenging traditional approaches to teaching, learning and assessment

As the landscape of STEM education in Ohio has evolved over the past 10 years, so has the approach to leading schools. The Innovative Leaders Institute: Bridge to STEM and Innovative Leaders Institute: Reimagined experiences drive change in communities of all kinds across the state. 

Applications close May 1, 2024.

NWO 2024 Spring STEM Inquiry Series!

Session THREE

From Barriers to Belonging: Fostering Equity and Excellence with Design Thinking

April 18, 2024

This interactive session will feature hands-on Design Challenge experiences to create an environment where every student feels valued, respected, and capable of success in STEM.

Facilitator: Paige Espiritu, Assistant Technology Director, Ottawa Hills Local School District
Location: BGSU Levis Commons, 1655 North Wilkinson Way Perrysburg, OH
Time: 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. (dinner provided)
Registration: https://forms.gle/3u8ikMUyR37a6h8aA

ESC of Lake Erie West Teacher Camp

Creating Authentic Meaningful Partnerships Teacher Camp is a week-long immersive experience for educators grades 3-12, June 10 – June 14^th .

Application deadline is April 1^st, for more information: please see https://conta.cc/3wBsQ2C

Envirothon

The Environthon is a competitive outdoor academic team event testing kowliedge of aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife and a current environmental issue. The event is designed to stimulate and reinforce the students interest in our environment and our natural resources while encouraging cooperative decision making, team building and problem solving. Held on Ohio State University Lima Campus on April 24^th.

For more information: https://www.area1envirothon.com/about

Ohio Personalized Learning

KnowledgeWorks will hold professional learning sessions across Ohio to support school and district leaders with understanding the content of the guide and how it can be applied to local contexts. School and district leaders can attend the sessions as individuals seeking to learn more about the Innovation Guide or as small school or district teams. If attending as a team, participants are encouraged to have a range of roles and perspectives represented. Each team member must complete a registration form. 

Northwest: March 20 from 9am-12pm. Register here!
ESC of Lake Erie West , 2275 Collingwood Blvd, Toledo, OH 4362