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Telling Your Story: Developing Scientist-Teacher-Classroom Partnerships


Our next TYS workshop is currently full. If you have registered on the website you will receive a confirmation email by Tuesday October 3rd - there may be a waiting list due to the great response we have had. For those who were not able to sign up for this event, we hope to run another workshop this winter. Thank you for your interest!

The Telling Your Story program aims to form collaborations between research scientists and K-12 teachers that will result in ongoing classroom visits by scientists, and lab visits by teachers and their students. The program brings together scientists and K-12 educators in a workshop that lets each group learn about, and from, the other. Scientists are taught effective communication skills appropriate for K-12 audiences, and work with teachers to develop ideas and formats for classroom visits. The workshop helps to create personal connections that foster lasting relationships. 

For Teachers: Your students will get to know a working scientist, providing a role model for students interested in STEM careers. The program will also help students understand more about how science works, who does science, and what motivates scientific curiosity. 

For Scientists: Always wanted to do more outreach but haven't known how? TYS will give you an opportunity to engage in a meaningful outreach activity. The TYS workshop is a great example of a 'broader impact' - learn to effectively communicate your science to students, and build relationships with local teachers. The program is open to scientists at all levels, from undergrads to faculty to lab technicians. 

Quotes from teachers about the workshop:

  • "This was a wonderful experience. I can't wait to bring the scientist into my classroom! I learned how to better interact with a scientist, I [feel] have more in common with them."

    "Today was exactly what I had hoped it would be, an opportunity to connect with scientists who are willing and eager even to speak with students. "

  • "I learned some really interesting science from my talks with scientists. I also broadedened my thinking about what a scientists is or does and about who I could potentially invite for a visit."

Quotes from teachers after classroom visits:

"The impact of having a "real scientist" visit the classroom simply cannot be underestimated. My 4th grade students were inspired, energized, and continue to talk about the first visit to this day."

Quotes from scientists about the workshop:

"I learned what challenges teachers face on a daily basis and what kind of activities would be the most effecrive in a classroom setting"

"Living in my science "bubble" it was just good (and interesting) to hear about the whole world of K-12 teaching that I know nothing about."

"I learned about how science is being offered in schools and got some great tips about how to do a visit to a school."

Quotes from scientists after classroom visits:

"The students were extremely curious and voiced many questions about the science and about my career as a scientist. It was fun and rewarding to engage with them - to find out what they are most interested in knowing."

"It was a great experience to share my work with local teachers and students, and I enjoyed interacting with others outside my immediate work group. The students were so curious, and it was a lot of fun to answer their questions about science and to see how enthusiastic they were."

Facilitators:

Phoebe A. Cohen, Ph.D. 
Education and Outreach Lead
MIT NASA Astrobiology Team
617-253-7872
pcohen@mit.edu
 
Wendy Derjue-Holzer
Education Director 
Harvard Museum of Natural History
wderjue@oeb.harvard.edu
(617) 495-5782
 

Jessica Garrett
K-12 Education Outreach Project Coodinator
MIT Edgerton Center
617-253-2865
jessg@mit.edu


This workshop is funded by the Paleontological Society and the NASA Astrobiology Institute in collaboration with the Cambridge Science Festival. TYS was originally developed by TERC. 

  • To learn more about the original version of TYS, aimed mainly at the ocean sciences, go here. 
  • If you are an educator or scientist interested in running your own Telling Your Story workshop, please contact Phoebe Cohen at pcohen at mit.edu for more information.

Our First TYS workshop was a great success! 

TYS Workshop Handouts

Resources for Scientists going into the classroom:

 

Resources For Developing Hands-On Classroom Activities

Research Articles on Teacher-Student-Scientist Parternships