KERA radio report:
On Tuesday morning, about 20 DISD 5th grade teachers gathered in the library at Caesar Chavez Elementary for a little role reversal.
For four days this week, they are the students. Doug Frasher is their teacher.
Frasher is the Professional Development Coordinator for the Museum of Nature and Science. This week, he will show the teachers demonstrations that they can bring back to their schools. Many of them are trained in general education, not science.
“My hope is that this program is able to give these teachers ideas and suggestions of things they can do in their classroom that aren’t intimidating. These are easy activities to do,” he said.
That’s welcome news to Josie Denis, a teacher at Central Elementary School in Seagoville
“This is my first year teaching science, so this is great for me, because it’s given me a scientific background,” she said.
The program is called Leaders in Science. Fifth-grade teachers are targeted because they are responsible for preparing students for more advanced middle school science. The program will also send museum staff into DISD classrooms armed with everything from experiments to animal skeletons.
Leaders in Science is funded by $285,000 raised by the Dallas Citizens Council, an organization made up of business leaders.
In the next three years, 160 DISD teachers will take part in the program.
Image outfront from When Sodium Goes Wild
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