Engaging young minds in the wonders of science is a mission that Carrie Sheffield, an elementary education major, is passionately pursuing. Inspired by her experience as an interpreter, Sheffield aims to capture the curiosity of students and lead them toward scientific literacy. As part of the TXST Teacher Residency program, she is currently working as a first-grade student-teacher in the Manor school district, with aspirations to teach upper elementary students after her graduation this fall.
“I really wanted to get back into the university environment and try to capture college students’ interests early on in teaching science,” Sheffield explains, emphasizing the importance of equipping future educators with effective teaching techniques. Her journey in curriculum development and leading educational tours has further solidified her commitment to science education.
“Being an interpreter introduced me to creating tangible connections for kids,” she says. “Yes, they’re learning science and they’re learning state standards, but they’re also learning a sense of scientific literacy and an understanding of the world and their place in it. I think that’s a really powerful thing, and it pushes me toward teaching science.”
College of Education Collaboration
At the heart of this educational initiative is the College of Education’s STEM and Early Childhood and Elementary Education course, developed in collaboration with Dr. Shelly Forsythe, associate professor of Curriculum and Instruction. The course, established three years ago, aims to build confidence and enthusiasm for science teaching among aspiring educators.
“They take this course in part to learn more about STEM and technology and engineering,” Forsythe explains. “But also, they begin to build an identity as STEM teachers, as science teachers.”
Throughout the course, students create educational activities for the Meadows Center, with the fall semester dedicated to designing learning stations for third graders from the San Marcos Independent School District. These field trip tours are generously sponsored by H-E-B each fall.
“We work with the pre-service teachers to determine the learning objectives we want their activities to hit,” Price explains. “We have check-ins, we talk about interpretive techniques, how to ask good questions, and how to actively involve their students in the learning experience through curiosity-driven approaches. Teaching outdoors is a very different experience than teaching in a traditional classroom setting. This experience stretches the pre-services teachers in a new way.”
In the spring semester, the focus shifts to the Meadows Center’s annual Earth Day celebration, where students create learning stations for children. Activities at the latest event included creating native seed balls, matching plants with their pollinators, and testing seed dispersal using fans.
Forsythe highlights the transformative impact of these experiences: “I love that it gives our students that practical experience with not just creating a learning activity, but then implementing it and reflecting on it. A lot of our elementary and middle level teachers are a little bit scared of science and STEM. By having this positive experience during Earth Day facilitated by the Meadows Center, it’s really transformative for their identities as teachers and for their career paths.”
Price underscores the alignment of nurturing future science teachers with the Meadows Center’s mission. “First and foremost, we really want students that visit us to form a relationship with the environment,” she says. “We want them to learn a lot, but we also want to spark interest and curiosity with the outdoors that can hopefully blossom into something even bigger. Education is a really important tool in securing a sustainable future for the environment.”
Original Story at hillviews.txst.edu