Navigation
Resources Highlight

Spotlight on African Americans in Science

Since Benjamin Banneker and George Washington Carver left their marks on American science, African Americans have made great strides as scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and inventors. » more

 
Document Actions

Opportunities in the Schools

by admin — last modified 2007-07-12 16:07

Dealing with the same teacher day after day tends to bore students who have shorter and shorter attention spans. Teachers are constantly looking for an exciting way to learn their lessons. Even more than that their students want to see applications of what they’re learning in the classroom and how it could help them in the real world.

By teaching a lesson for a science class, the teacher and students get a break from one another, the students feel more engaged in the lesson and they get the perception that there are other people who are working with science as a profession. Another simple way to engage a group of students would be to participate in a career day at a local school to expose students to careers that use the sciences, which also gives them an idea about the practical applications of the sciences.

Perhaps you’re nervous about speaking to a group of students. Try one-on-one contact instead. Mentor a young student and be a valuable source of information for them or serve as a contact and reference to them. Who knows? You could be speaking with the next Jonas Salk or Charles Drew.
If you’re a professional presently working in a STEM field and are interested in getting more involved in your local elementary, middle or high school, click here to contact your state department of education to be put in touch with your local school district.  For more information, click here.