The STATellite (May 2011)

Contents

Volume 55, Number 2

May 2011

Calendar President’s Message New STAT Officers STAT Awards Nominations Farewell from the Past President CAST 2011 Candy-coated Labs 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance STAT Membership News When They Drive You Crazy Contacts

Inside:

• New STAT Officers • STAT Awards Nominations • Lesson Plans and Tips • Membership News and Pics • and much more!

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The Official Newsletter of the Science Teachers Association of Texas

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Remember the first time you fell in love with science?

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We do. It is the reason we believe in hands-on scientific technology. It engages students in a meaningful way, develops keen analytical skills, and awakens a love for discovery.

President’s Message New STAT Officers STAT Awards Nominations

www.vernier.com for product tours, training videos, FREE sample labs, and to look for FREE workshops in your neighborhood.

Farewell from the Past President CAST 2011 Candy-coated Labs Flow Rate (m/s)

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Vernier Software & Technology | www.vernier.com | Toll Free: 888-837-6437

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About Us Calendar

We are STAT, the Science Teachers Association of Texas.

President’s Message

STAT is committed to the enhancement of the teaching of science in Texas at all levels and in all science disciplines.

New STAT Officers

For STAT Position Statements, go to: http://www.statweb.org/positions

STAT Awards Nominations Farewell from the Past President CAST 2011 Candy-coated Labs 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance STAT Membership News When They Drive You Crazy Contacts

STAT is: o A statewide organization of elementary, middle level, and high school

teachers, college educators, supervisors of science, and others dedicated to

maintaining the highest levels of science and education in our schools. o A chapter of the National Science Teachers Association o Visit the NSTA site STAT seeks to: o Serve as a unified voice for the science teachers of the state. o Keep science teachers and other members informed about current trends in

science education. o Provide opportunities for members to examine techonology, curriculum,

materials, and services. o Inform members of local, state and national meetings, conferences, seminars

and workshops related to sciences. o Cooperate with other science oriented organizations and teacher associations

in the promotion of teaching of science.

History: STAT, Science Teachers Association of Texas, was formally organized in 1957 during the 4th Annual Conference for the Advancement of Science & Mathematics Teaching (CASMT). STAT membership is now more than 8,000 strong!

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Contents

Calendar

Calendar..............................................................5 President’s Message .........................................6 New STAT Officers ...........................................8 STAT Awards Nominations ............................9 Farewell from the Past President...................10 CAST 2011.........................................................13 Candycoated Labs ...........................................14 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance ................15 STAT Membership News ..............................16 When They Drive You Crazy ........................18 STAT Contacts .................................................20 Elected Officers ....................................20 Appointed Positions ............................20 Affiliate Congress ................................21 Texas State Board of Education..........22

President’s Message New STAT Officers STAT Awards Nominations Farewell from the Past President CAST 2011 Candy-coated Labs 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance STAT Membership News When They Drive You Crazy Contacts

Cover art illustrating “The Art of Science”

by Avery Hodges, student at Frenship Middle School in Wolfforth, TX.

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Contents September TAEE Conference September 23-25 Navasota, TX

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October CAST 2011 Committee & STAT BOD Meeting

President’s Message New STAT Officers STAT Awards Nominations Farewell from the Past President CAST 2011 Candy-coated Labs 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance

June TSELA Meeting, June 17 Jewish Community Center 7300 Hart Lane, Austin, TX

November CAST 2011: The Art of Science November 17-19 Dallas, TX

July NSTA’s Chapter and Associated Groups Meeting July 12 - July 16 Baltimore, MD

CAST 2011 STAT Board Meeting November 19 Dallas, TX

www.hmheducation.com/tx/science

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Holt McDougal

Texas Supplemental Grades 5–12 Science

STAT Membership News When They Drive You Crazy

One-Stop Solutions

Enter the digital classroom and find everything you need, all in one placevirtual labs, animations, editable materials, and other rich media to complement your current science instruction.

Contacts

Enter the digital classroom and try our one-stop solutions for Texas Science at www.hmheducation.com/tx/science

ENGAGE

Resources include virtual labs, animations, and other rich media to meet the learning needs of all students.

EXPLORE

Search by TEKS to locate comprehensive instruction over all science concepts, as well as connections to current science issues through SciLinks, and correlations to current science programs.

ENRICH

Prepare for STAAR with instruction, review, and practice assessments.

EQUIP

Great Source • Heinemann • Holt mcDouGal • international • riGby • riverDeep • riverSiDe publiSHinG • Saxon • Steck-vauGHn © Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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A Message from President Hill

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As your brand-new President of the Science Teachers Association of Texas, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ross Ann Hill, and I have had the honor to educate seventh and eighth graders at Idalou Middle School for the past twenty-seven years.

Idalou, a small West Texas town outside of Lubbock, is where I was born and reared. This year has been an exceptional year to be an Idalou Wildcat with our successes athletically and academically!

President’s Message New STAT Officers STAT Awards Nominations Farewell from the Past President CAST 2011 Candy-coated Labs

As the school year winds down, we educators notice definite changes on the horizon. With the ongoing legislative session, who knows what modifications will transpire before the dust settles with new TEKS, the STAAR test, and end-of-course exams. More on that in a moment.

3-D Learning to 2-D Performance STAT Membership News When They Drive You Crazy

Thankfully, the Science Teachers Association of Texas is experiencing enormous growth as we are now more than 8,000 members strong! Currently, we are gearing up for the Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching at the Dallas Convention Center on November 17-19. This year’s theme - The

Contacts

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Art of Science – recognizes the student (and her teacher) as a whole; some might invoke left brain/right brain references. I prefer to think that if we are well-rounded and open to “creative” learning opportunities, we will better forward our young people into the complex world they are inheriting. CAST is always an enlightening adventure, so I encourage your attendance this fall.

In addition, the Award Nomination site is accepting nominations for those inspiring science teachers in your life who deserve recognition: http://www.statweb. org/awards. Please take time to recommend someone so we can honor our best!

As promised, another word about elected officials and their processes in Austin. We all know that the resolution of the school finance issue is reduced to two options: very bad and much worse.

We will again be asked to do more with less, and most of us will do so. The big loser is the children (and their future employers, and the Texas economy, and these children’s children, and American international competitiveness, and society’s safety, and higher education’s expectations, and….). STAT can no longer stand by with crossed fingers.

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Calendar President’s Message New STAT Officers STAT Awards Nominations Farewell from the Past President

I feel compelled to take this opportunity to thank the many folks of STAT, most of whom prefer to remain nameless, who have been rolling up their sleeves and participating in the public process to reduce the detrimental changes that are occurring in Texas science education. My one shout-out is to Sandra West, STAT’s Legislative Committee Chair, who on numerous occasions has driven to Austin to testify at hearings of the State Board of Education, the Senate, the House of

Representatives and any other captive audience on science education issues.

Sandra, on behalf of all of us, thank you very much for your selfless service to our profession.

Hopefully, your brief summer will be relaxing, educational, and restoring because a new school year with its multiple challenges shall be looming.

CAST 2011 Candy-coated Labs 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance STAT Membership News When They Drive You Crazy

CONGRATULATIONS! TO THE 2011 REGIONAL FINALISTS

Splendora ISD • Aransas County ISD • Conroe ISD • Edinburg CISD • Brownsville ISD • Harlandale ISD

Rising Star

Leadership

Lifetime Achievement

Ms. Jennifer Garcia

Mr. Michael Massad, Sr.

Ms. Jayne Doxsey

Hornsby Dunlap Elementary

Patton Elementary

Reeces Creek Elementary

Ms. Lindsay Richard

Ms. Jimmie Walker

Dr. Diana Maxwell

Wilderness Oak Elementary

Cambridge Elementary

Fort Sam Houston Elementary

Ms. Kimberly Buskirk

Ms. Cindy Cormier

Mr. Richard Landmann

Gardens Elementary

Jan Schiff Elementary

Forest Ridge Elementary

James F. Bay Elementary

Ms. Vanessa Rincones

Mr. Michael Sweet

Ms. Dora Newell

Carman Elementary

Thigpen-Zavala Elementary

Ms. Dolores Cisneros Emerson

Sam Houston Elementary

Ms. Christy Zamora

Ms. Martha McLeod

Ms. Belinda Silva

Flour Bluff Early Childhood Center

Fulton 4-5 Grade Learning Center

Moses Menger Elementary

Ms. Jennifer Welch

Ms. Melissa Cooper

Ms. Ella Whitley

Murchison Middle School

Claude Cunningham Middle School

Mr. Jason Sabotin

Contacts

Small Districts Argyle ISD • Large Districts Mesquite ISD

Arlington Heights High School

Ms. Penny McCool Robert E. Lee High School and STEM Academy

Mr. David Foss

Ms. Levinia Lara John Hoffmann Elementary

Ms. Erin Tite Morningside Elementary

Ms. Galen Hoffstadt Luther Jones Elementary

Mr. David Gonzalez George Washington Middle School

Ms. Janice Cuccia

Alamo Heights High School

Fox Tech High School

Ms. Carol Briggs

Ms. Carole Smithwick-Kiebach

Westfield High School

Seven Lakes High School

Ms. Rachelle Grace

Ms. Yolanda Fernandez

McAllen Memorial High School

Del Rio High School

Booker T. Washington High School

Ms. Judy Holmgreen

Ms. Linda Colman

Alice High School

Ms. Ann Lilie Summitt Elementary

Midway Middle School

Dr. Nghia Le Mr. James Butler

Principal

Cuero High School

Dr. Patricia Castillo Claude Cunningham Middle School

Mr. Charles Pickitt Richardson High School

Mr. Michael Cardona Robert E. Lee High School

Dr. R. Scott Allen The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts

Uvalde High School

Finalists receive the following AWARDS • Principals receive $1,000 and their school receives a grant for $2,500.

• Teachers receive $1,000 and a matching grant goes to their school.

• Small School Districts receive $2,500. Large School Districts receive $5,000.

All of these finalists will go on to the statewide competition in May where they have a chance to win $5,000 to $100,000 for themselves and a matching grant for their school.

Visit heb.com/education in June for the list of 2011 awards winners ©2011 H-E-B, 11-2424

and to nominate your favorite educator or district for the 2012 awards program.

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Contents

Calendar

The Votes Are In!

President’s Message

Congratulations to the new STAT Executive Committee.

Officers will take their positions June 1st, 2011.

New STAT Officers STAT Awards Nominations

Farewell from the Past President

President

Ross Ann Hill

CAST 2011

Past-President

Joel Palmer

President-Elect

Sharon Kamas

Vice President

Donald Burken

STAT Membership News

Secretary

Jo Anne Jackson

When They Drive You Crazy

Treasurer

Terry Ward

Member At Large

Kiki Corry

Member At Large

Denise Hill

Member At Large

Deidre Parish

Candy-coated Labs 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance

Contacts

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Calendar President’s Message

STAT Award Nominations It’s time to nominate yourself, a friend, colleague, or mentor for a 2011 STAT Award.

New STAT Officers STAT Awards Nominations Farewell from the Past President CAST 2011 Candy-coated Labs 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance

Applications will be accepted until June 15, 2011.

Show your appreciation for an excellent teacher who deserves recognition!

Please Note: Only current STAT members may be nominated.

STAT Membership News When They Drive You Crazy Contacts

Click Here to go to the online awards page.

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Farewell from the Past President

by Joel Palmer

31,600,000 seconds ago Calendar President’s Message New STAT Officers STAT Awards Nominations Farewell from the Past President CAST 2011 Candy-coated Labs 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance STAT Membership News When They Drive You Crazy Contacts

(give or take 100,000 or so) I sat down to write a very different letter. That letter was my first letter as the new President of STAT. This letter is my farewell letter.

31,600,000 seconds ago, gas was an average of $2.90 per gallon1, and we were complaining about the price. Today the average is $3.96 and we think fondly of prices a year a go. 31.6 x 106 seconds ago (or 1 year for those of you who have not figured it out yet) there was a teacher surplus. Districts around the state were having record numbers of people showing up at job fairs. Some districts had as many individuals show up at their job fair as they had teachers in their districts.

Nevertheless, there were openings.

My district hired about 20% fewer teachers than in prior years, but we had some openings. This year my district and all the districts near mine simply canceled their job fairs and most have hiring freezes. While I have not heard of any science teachers being laid off yet I know of several Science Curriculum Coordinators and Instructional Specialists that are looking for jobs. I have openings in my district for science teachers but am not allowed to fill them. Budgets are not yet adopted at the district level because a budget has not been adopted by the State 10

Legislature. Until the Legislature votes on the budget there is a great deal of uncertainty.

In addition to the budget decisions that the Legislature has yet to make, they are looking at a number of bills that will impact legislation. STAT is tracking these bills and making them available to you as a member.

You can see the bills that relate to education on the STAT website under News/Legislative Tracker. There are links to each bill on Texas Legislature Online where you can find the entire bill and see the status of the bill.

These bills address educational funding, unfunded mandates, professional employee salaries, deadlines for notification of teacher of nonrenewal of contracts, implementation of the STAAR, teacher appraisal and more.

STAT is actively tracking these bills and engaging in conservations with the legislators. It is easy to think that your voice is not important. Nothing could be further from the truth. Last December, four STAT members went before the state school board to advocate for the 9-12 supplemental science textbook adoption. By the end of the meeting, not only had the board reversed it decision on the 9-12 adoption, it had reinstated the 5-8 supplemental adoption.

Teachers make up a large demographic in Texas. If we remain silent the Legislature will not know what we want. One role of STAT is to be a voice for science teachers, but your voices are needed as well.

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Calendar President’s Message New STAT Officers STAT Awards Nominations Farewell from the Past President CAST 2011 Candy-coated Labs 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance STAT Membership News When They Drive You Crazy Contacts

Farewell from the Past President (cont’d.)

It has been an interesting year as STAT President. New TEKS, transition to new assessment, budget crises, and an outstanding, record-breaking CAST. I cannot take any credit for the 2010 CAST in Houston. The credit goes to Past President Patsy Magee and her committee. My job now is to make the 2011 CAST in Dallas just as good. STAT is committed to providing the premier professional development for science teachers.

As I hand off the presidency of STAT to Ross Ann Hill, I know that the organization is in good hands.

In addition to the success of CAST 2010, STAT has a number of other successes this year. We impacted the State Board of Education decision on the supplemental adoption. STAT began offering professional liability insurance to its members. In addition to CAST, STAT sponsored a number of successful MiniCASTs around the state. The biggest accomplishment for STAT this year is a reorganization of the STAT Board. Prior to this year the STAT Board consisted of the President, Vice President, President Elect, Past President, Secretary and Treasurer. This year you, the STAT membership, voted to add three additional positions. These positions are the Member At Large positions, and the individuals may run for two consecutive terms. In addition, the Vice President and Secretary may also run for two consecutive terms. These changes will provide broader representation on the board and

more continuity with all positions, allowing members to serve for more than one year.

Ross Ann will lead a very different STAT board than the one I had, and I believe that it will be a stronger board that can continue improving STAT’s benefits to its membership. Working together, we can provide better educational opportunities for all students in Texas.

Narayanan, R., U.S. Pump Price Update – May 11, 2011, American Petroleum Institute www.api.org/aboutoilgas/gasoline/upload/ PumpPriceUpdate.pdf 1

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MOLU_PE3 Clr StateliteAd 4-11:Layout 1

4/20/11

10:22 AM

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presents

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The Mobile Offshore Learning Unit (MOLU) The Mobile Offshore Learning Unit (MOLU) is a $1.2 million dollar engaging traveling exhibit.

It features six self contained learning centers with curriculum-based, hands-on activities about energy and the technologies and sciences involved with

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the oil and gas industry. The curriculum for each of the 24 activities is based on national and Texas

President’s Message

state standards (TEKS). Although the MOLU is geared for 5th grade students, it is also appropriate

New STAT Officers

for other age groups. The MOLU is sponsored by Teachers will need to accomplish the following prior to the visit: ■ Administer pre-test ■ Have students view 2 complimentary DVDs, OEC’s The Offshore Story and API's Fuel-less ■ Have students complete a Career Interest Profile form

STAT Awards Nominations Farewell from the Past President

Following the visit, teachers are asked to: ■ Review and correct answers in the MOLU Pass booklet with students ■ Administer post-test ■ Score pre/post tests and mail to OEC ■ Complete online teacher evaluation form

Devon, Dominion, ExxonMobil, Halliburton, Marathon Oil Company, and Schlumberger.

For more information about the MOLU and to download a MOLU Request Form, please visit www.oceanstaroec.com

A pre-visit package containing all necessary materials will be sent to the school prior to the MOLU visit.

CAST 2011 Candy-coated Labs 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance

Presents

Project E³: Expanding Energy Education Workshops At Ocean

STAT Membership News

Star Museum in Galveston – 20th Street at Harborside Drive

20 11 W O R K S H O P D AT E S Knowledge Box Grades 6-12 Thursday, June 16, 2011 Thursday, July 14, 2011 Thursday, August 4, 2011 Saturday, September 24, 2011 Saturday, October 22, 2011 Saturday, December 10, 2011

When They Drive You Crazy Contacts

Playing with Petroleum Grades K-5 Tuesday, June 14, 2011 Tuesday, July 12, 2011 Tuesday, August 2, 2011 Saturday, September 17, 2011 Saturday, October 8, 2011 Saturday, November 19, 2011

Participants will receive free admission to the Museum, a complimentary guided tour along with a light breakfast, lunch, and the Project E³: Expanding Energy Education Teacher Guide (a $35.00 Value). We require a $35.00 refundable deposit to discourage NO-SHOWS. Registration deposits will be cheerfully refunded to registrants that attend the workshop and those that cancel three days prior to the workshop date. Workshops begin at 9:00am and end at 4:00pm. Each participant will also receive 6 CPE hours and will be able to check out the Knowledge Box or Playing with Petroleum Kit up to 30 days to utilize in their classrooms at no charge. ( Free pick-up and delivery within the Houston area.) The first time a 2011 workshop attendee checks out a Knowledge Box or PWP Kit, he/she will receive a $25.00 incentive bonus upon the OEC’s receipt of a completed survey.

Mail checks to: Offshore Energy Center 200 N. Dairy Ashford, Suite 4119 Houston, Texas 77079 (281) 544-2435 Fax: (281) 544-2441

Ask about workshops outside of the Houston/Galveston area.

For more information about the workshops, visit our website: www oceanstaroec.com or contact Doris Tomas, Education Director, dtomas@oceanstaroec.com

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CAST 2011 District budgets are a...

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Balancing Act.

President’s Message New STAT Officers STAT Awards Nominations Farewell from the Past President CAST 2011 Candy-coated Labs 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance STAT Membership News

Extra-Early Registration is only $115.

Visit www.statweb.org/cast to learn more.

Click Here to Register for CAST 2011!

Thank You to Our Sponsors for Making CAST 2011 Possible!

Sponsorships are still available. Visit the menu HERE for more details.

When They Drive You Crazy Contacts

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Candy-coated Labs

by Deena S. Harper

Simple labs to use in order to introduce students to the concepts of scientific processes TEKS 1A; 2A, B, C, D, E; 3A, B, C, E Calendar President’s Message New STAT Officers STAT Awards Nominations Farewell from the Past President CAST 2011 Candy-coated Labs 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance STAT Membership News When They Drive You Crazy Contacts

Scientific processes are skills science students should be introduced to early and used often throughout their 6-12 science classes. The Candy labs are the result of trial, error, experience, and a profound interest of mine in the nature of science. The use of plain and peanut chocolate in a colorful candy shell is not new to some science teachers, but I have developed these labs to focus on specific scientific processes.

In order to introduce my students to the scientific processes and the nature of science, I use the following activities. These activities establish the beginnings of lab procedures for our class and have worked well with 6th through 9th graders. As with all procedures, we may need to reteach at times. I explain to my students that we may be using candy, but we are learning scientific processes that we will use as scientists. In addition to the scientific process terms, I introduce the terms metacognition and constructing knowledge. I share with them that it is important that they are aware of how they learn and knowing this makes them responsible and active in their own learning (metacognition). They learn that in order to construct their own knowledge, they need to be able to link what they know and what they are familiar with to what is unfamiliar (constructing knowledge).

The use of plain and peanut chocolate candies as the focus of the endeavor provides them with something familiar, non-threatening, and fun. The lab activity introduces them to making observations, measuring, classifying, organizing data, inferring, defining operationally, predicting, hypothesizing, making models, and exploring variables. Conducting this activity at the beginning of the school year introduces the students to the vocabulary and concepts of the scientific process and provides a reference point for future and more rigorous lab activities. This activity is conducted at our desks and not in the lab.

Each lab has a vocabulary that should be taught to the students in context to the lab.

Allow time for students to reflect on each experience and make connections between their experiences and the value of each scientific process to their future experiences in your class.

Click Here for the Full Article.

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3-D Learning to 2-D Performance©

by Barbara ten Brink, Ph.D.

Calendar President’s Message New STAT Officers STAT Awards Nominations Farewell from the Past President

On the Brink of Success 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance© 3-D to 2-D©

By Barbara ten Brink, Ph.D. How can we ensure that our students will transfer their knowledge from the instructional practices we implement in the science classroom to the state assessment?

• What is 3-D? • What is 2-D? • I know I taught it. I know my students learned it. How can my students transfer their knowledge to a test?

CAST 2011 Candy-coated Labs 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance STAT Membership News When They Drive You Crazy

The value of district benchmark tests and statewide assessments is: we can assess students’ knowledge on specific state and national standards; we can predict student performance on those assessments; and we can identify gaps in the cycle of Curriculum, Instruction, Learning, and Assessment.

In this case study, we discovered the students’ inability to transfer their learning from the lessons in class to the district’s benchmark test. If this trend continued, we foresaw a disappointing performance on the State’s assessment. We will extrapolate the success of this case study to instructional strategies to improve science performance.

Contacts Click Here for the Full Article.

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STAT Membership News

Calendar President’s Message New STAT Officers STAT Awards Nominations Farewell from the Past President CAST 2011

The numbers are in. STAT is now 8,000 members strong and growing each day.

If you know a science teacher or administrator who isn’t yet a member of STAT, invite them to join for only $25/year. We provide year-round benefits such as access to publications, email alerts, and social networking.

Remind your friends to attend CAST 2011 and receive a year of STAT membership included!

Candy-coated Labs 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance

In the News...

STAT Membership News

STAT Member Bhavna Rawal has been named a regional winner in NSTA’s Shell Science Lab Challenge, a new competition for middle and high school science teachers.

When They Drive You Crazy Contacts

See the full story here.

STAT member Jim Westgate is a Piper Award winning professor of science at Lamar University.

See the full story here.

Past President Michael Baldwin chronicles his daring escape from Libya, where he moved for a teaching assignment immediately following CAST 2009.

Read about his adventures here: http://www.dinomike01.blogspot.com/

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STAT Membership News

Calendar President’s Message New STAT Officers STAT Awards Nominations Farewell from the Past President

Sandra West Moody, STAT’s Legislative Committee Chair, joined STAT Executive Director Chuck Hempstead at the Capitol.

CAST 2011 Candy-coated Labs

The STAT Executive Board: Joel Palmer, Deidre Parish, Terry Ward, Ross Ann Hill, Sharon Kamas, Kiki Corry, Jo Anne Jackson, Donald Burken, and Denise Hill.

3-D Learning to 2-D Performance STAT Membership News When They Drive You Crazy Contacts

Past-President Joel Palmer congratulates the newly-elected Members At Large: Kiki Corry, Deidre Parish, and Denise Hill.

Joel Palmer passes the gavel of STAT Presidency to Ross Ann Hill.

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What to Do When They Drive You Crazy

by David Peters

I am sure

Calendar President’s Message New STAT Officers STAT Awards Nominations Farewell from the Past President CAST 2011 Candy-coated Labs 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance STAT Membership News When They Drive You Crazy Contacts

when she acted out in class I would act like we’ve all had that I didn’t see or hear her, but that didn’t work student, that one, the only one that drives well at all. I tried praising and encourageyou nuts! You know the class is coming, ment: when she made a high score on a test and you stand in the hallway and see them or project I would let the whole class know. walking towards the classroom and you This worked sometimes but at others was cringe. You think, “How am I going to make disastrous. In the end, she was just a difit through another class with that student?” ficult student to figure out. We finally just Then the bell rings, the class begins, and as came to a mutual understanding that she you begin to take roll... it starts. You hear was going to act as she wanted and I was gothe voice and you see the movement and ing to just have to accept it. you know it’s going to be a tough class. It’s the student that isn’t quite bad enough to

She wasn’t bad all the time. She send out of class or even write a discipline always made very high grades on tests and, referral on, but, bad enough to cause some when she did daily work, her work was class disruption and drive you crazy trying excellent. Just getting her to concentrate and to control the class. do the work was the problem.

I had one of these, we’ll call her Lucy.

Lucy was 16 years old and in my Pre-Advanced Placement (PAP) Physics class. She was super intelligent, but she was a challenge to my patience and teaching. She had the qualities of a Gifted and Talented (GT) student, but had not been identified in the schooling system. She obviously knew she was gifted as she was in a PAP class, but, just had just never been labeled. She had the knack for saying the perfect thing at the perfect time to completely disrupt the class or my train of thought. When she took a test, she would actually come to me and ask me for the answers!

I tried several different approaches in my treatment of this student. I tried ignoring: 18

I’ve had several students like this one in my years of teaching, but she definitely stood out as one of my most difficult. I guess the most difficult part was she was so intelligent and so hard to work with. Most of my difficult students were usually not very highly motivated or were of average intelligence, but Lucy was definitely above the norm. I believe this is why I found her to be so difficult: I saw such tremendous potential.

Fortunately I was able to keep with up Lucy over the years. After she left my class, we became friends and she also became friends with my daughter, who was roughly her same age. This friendship has lasted for several years, so I know how her life has

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Calendar President’s Message New STAT Officers STAT Awards Nominations Farewell from the Past President CAST 2011 Candy-coated Labs 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance STAT Membership News When They Drive You Crazy Contacts

When They Drive You Crazy (cont’d.) proceeded. I found out in the course of time that one of the reasons she was so difficult in my class is that at the time she was going through a lot at home. Her parents had just split up and in her grief she was experimenting with drugs and drinking and acting out. Over the next few years she quit the drugs and drinking and accepted her parents break-up. She went on to receive a full athletic scholarship at a Midwestern university and studied pre-med. At this time she is a medical student at a major university and will soon be a pediatrician.

So, in the end, this most difficult student became highly successful.

Is every difficult student going to be as highly successful as this one? Unfortunately, probably not, but you never know which one will be. So, it is always best to be patient and work with the difficult students as best you can, because you never know, the next difficult student could end up being a doctor, lawyer, or even President of the United States and all they needed was a little patience and understanding in their early years.

but most likely, there are some deep-seated reasons behind the behavior.

So, if you are a new teacher, or even a veteran, when you have a student that drives you crazy in your class what do you do? You approach them with patience and understanding as much as you can. You can try and find out what underlying issues could be causing the behavior through a counselor, parent or even the student. If you find an underlying cause then you know how to react to the student and hopefully, how to reach the student and regain control of the class. If you are unable to find a cause or if the student is just challenging beyond our efforts, then, you can always try the traditional methods of write-ups and consequences, but in most cases this is not effective and only a stopgap measure. I have always found that using patience and understanding is much more effective than consequences (although it’s sometimes a nice break when they are out of class in detention or in-school-suspension (ISS)!).

So, when you hear that student coming down the hall and you cringe, remember: that student may be having problems you are not aware or at the very least, the acting out could be a mask covering tremendous potential. Of course, they could just be a bad student that needs more discipline, 19

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Elected Officers As of June 1

STAT Office Mailing Address: 5750 Balcones Dr., Ste 201 Austin, TX 78731

Calendar President’s Message

Phone: (512) 491-6685

New STAT Officers

Fax: (512) 873-7423

STAT Awards Nominations

www.statweb.org stat@bizaustin.rr.com

President: Ross Ann Hill (806) 892-1900 president@statweb.org

Past President: Dr. Joel Palmer (972) 882-7388 pastpresident@statweb.org

President-Elect: Sharon Kamas (281)-604-7000 presidentelect@statweb.org

Treasurer: Terry Ward (817) 305-6741 treasurer@statweb.org

Vice President: Donald Burken (713) 723-0273 vicepresident@statweb.org

Secretary: Jo Anne Jackson (806) 766-1162 secretary@statweb.org

Farewell from the Past President

Members At Large: Kiki Corry Dr. Denise Hill Dr. Deidre Parish

CAST 2011

kiki@statweb.org denise@statweb.org deidre@statweb.org

Appointed Positions

Candy-coated Labs 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance

Executive Director: Chuck Hempstead

STAT Membership News

(512) 491-6685 stat@bizaustin.rr.com

CAST Exhibits Manager & Advertising Manager: Frank Butcher

When They Drive You Crazy Contacts

(281)424-1230 frank.butcher@comcast.net

Texas Science Teacher Editor: Dr. Joel Palmer (972) 882-7388 president@statweb.org

STATellite Editor: (512) 491-6685 stat@bizaustin.rr.com

TEA Representative: Dr. Kenn Heydrick

(512) 463-1827 Kenn.Heydrick@tea.state.tx.us 20 20

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Contents

ACT

Calendar President’s Message New STAT Officers

Associated Chemistry Teachers of Texas

Informal Science Education Association

Amiee Modic

Chip Lindsey

TAEE

TCES

amodic@sbcglobal.net

STAT Awards Nominations

TABT

ISEA

chip@dhdc.org

Farewell from the Past President

Texas Association of Biology Teachers

Texas Association for Environmental Education

Texas Council of Elementary Science

CAST 2011

Michael Wells

Sally Wall

Deborah Rang

Candy-coated Labs 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance

mwells@springisd.org

swall@gccisd.net

deborah_rang@roundrockisd.org

TESTA

TMEA

TSAAPT

Texas Earth Science Teachers Association

STAT Membership News

Gail Gant

ggant@sjs.org

Texas Marine Educators Association Marolyn Smith

marolyn.smith@yahoo.com

Texas Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers Karen Jo Matsler kjmatsler@gmail.com

When They Drive You Crazy

TSELA

Contacts

Texas Science Education Leadership Association Kevin Fisher

kfisher56@msn.com

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Contents Gail Lowe, Chair Bob Craig, Vice Chair Mary Helen Berlanga, Secretary

Calendar

SBOE District 1 - Charlie Garza

SBOE District 10 - Marsha Farney

SBOE District 2 - Mary Helen Berlanga

SBOE District 11 - Patricia Hardy

12453 Tierra Cipres Dr. El Paso, Texas 79938 (915) 630-2427

President’s Message

2727 Morgan Avenue Corpus Christi, TX 78405 (361) 881-1000 (361) 881-1028 fax

New STAT Officers STAT Awards Nominations

SBOE District 4 - Lawrence A. Allen, Jr.

SBOE District 13 - Mavis B. Knight

SBOE District 5- Ken Mercer P.O. Box 781301 San Antonio, TX 78278-1301 (512) 463-9007

Candy-coated Labs 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance

SBOE District 6 - Terri Leo 23516 Twin Oaks Dr. RR#5 Spring, TX 77389 (281) 257-0832 fax

STAT Membership News

SBOE District 7 - David Bradley 2165 North Street Beaumont, TX 77701 (409) 835-3808

When They Drive You Crazy

900 North Elm Weatherford, TX 76086 (817) 598-2968 (817) 598-2833 fax

SBOE District 12 - George Clayton

2130 Vermillion Oak St. Fresno, Texas 77545 (713) 203-1355

CAST 2011

P.O. Box 99 Georgetown, Texas 78627 (512) 966-6771

SBOE District 3- Michael Soto 2034 W. Kings Hwy. San Antonio, TX 78201 (210) 685-8378

Farewell from the Past President

William B. Travis Building 1701 North Congress Avenue Austin, Texas 78701-1494

526 Tiffany Trail Richardson, Texas 75081 (972) 834-3618 6108 Red Bird Court Dallas, TX 75232 (214) 333-9575 (214) 339-9242 fax

SBOE District 14 - Gail Lowe

11 Chris Avenue Lampasas, TX 76550 (512) 556-6262 (512) 936-4319 fax

SBOE District 15 - Bob Craig

P.O. Box 1979 Lubbock, TX 79408-1979 (806) 744-3232 (806) 744-2211 fax

SBOE District 8 - Barbara Cargill 61 W. Wedgemere Circle The Woodlands, TX 77381 (281) 465-8095

Contacts

SBOE District 9 - Thomas Ratliff P.O. Box 232 Mount Pleasant, TX 75456 (903) 717-1190

Need to find your state legislators?

Search by zip code at:

http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us 22 22

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Contents

Want to be published?

E-mail us your letters and articles!

Calendar

STATellite Due Dates

President’s Message

Due dates for publication of articles in The STATellite are:

New STAT Officers

Submission Deadline February 1 May 1 August 1 December 1

STAT Awards Nominations Farewell from the Past President CAST 2011 Candy-coated Labs 3-D Learning to 2-D Performance STAT Membership News When They Drive You Crazy

Publication Date February 15 May 15 August 15 December 15

Text files or Microsoft Word documents are preferable, but InDesign files are also acceptable.

A minimum of one picture to accompany each article is required.

Mail or e-mail your submissions to: The STATellite 5750 Balcones Dr., Ste 201 Austin, TX 78731 stat@bizaustin.rr.com The views of the columnists in The STATellite do not necessarily represent the views of STAT or its Board members.

Contacts

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