2006 Summer Teacher Institute
“I feel that the experience of the teacher institute was invaluable for Arkansas teachers. Students retain 85-plus-percent when they can have their hands on what is being taught. I could go years without having this much information. I have already collaborated with my fellow science teachers at Cutter Morning Star. I hope the connection between the network, Arkansas teachers and the Exploratorium can continue for a long while.”
James Arce
Cutter Morning Star High School
Hot Springs, AR
Press Release: James Arce attends Exploratorium Summer Institute
Press Release: James Arce presents at Arkansas Conference on Teaching
“The Institute helps new and veteran teachers prepare with inquiry-based activities that are easy and inexpensive to prepare and use in the classroom everyday,” Autrey-Treat said, “Before I attended the Institute, I thought that a month was a very long time to do a teacher training workshop. After three weeks of being at the Institute I realize that I had not even scraped the surface of the resources available at the Institute. The trip was exceptional, inspirational and applicable.”
Renay Autrey-Treat
West Fork Middle School
West Fork Schools
West Fork, AR
Press Release
“I learned so many new activities to share with my students and gained a whole new enthusiasm for teaching science. Students love hands-on activities and I have many new ones to do with them. I think every science and math teacher in the state of Arkansas needs to go to one of the teacher institutes at the Exploratorium. I don't think they will be disappointed.”
Tami Davis
Rogers High School
Rogers School District
Rogers, AR
Press Release: Tamayra Davis attends Exploratorium Summer Institute
Press Release: Tamayra Davis presents at Arkansas Conference on Teaching
“These new techniques will expand my arsenal to stimulate learning through a larger range of modes. Concepts some students find esoteric will become easier to understand when they are presented from another perspective. I learned many new ways to illustrate such science concepts as the properties of the visible spectrum, geologic modeling, physical science motion characteristics, and many activities which support instruction in the nature of science."
Allan Wade Geery
Norfolk Elementary School
Norfolk Schools
Norfolk, AR
Press Release: Allan Wade Geery attends Exploratorium Summer Institute
Press Release: Allan Wade Geery presents at Arkansas Conference on Teaching
Local teachers share hands-on science
“What a wonderful summer program for teachers! I know that what I learned will reach students that have never liked science before. The different strategies and inquiry methods will let the students experience science first hand. They will be able to figure out and discuss what they learned because of their experiences with it first hand. The displays that we were able to make for our classrooms are just miniature versions of the hands on displays in the Exploratorium’s Institute only on a teacher’s budget. I will be able to let my students make and take home their own models, they will be able to explain what is going on AND why. This will be such a boost to their confidence and self-esteem too.”
Gail Hayes
Bentonville High School
Bentonville, AR
Press Release: Gail Hayes attends Exploratorium Summer Institute
Press Release: Gail Hayes presents at Arkansas Conference on Teaching
“The Institute was invaluable. The professors were constantly challenging me to think more, learn more, and express what I'd learned in other ways,” Kelsh said, “I had opportunities to use shop equipment to build experiments that simulated actual hands-on museum pieces, design and build equipment that I'd thought about but didn't know how to produce. I had and have free access to a wonderful library full of science and math materials. I met people from all over the world and shared ideas. I listened to experts in their field from botany to nano technology. This is an experience that is worth a summer's month away from home. It is an on-going experience that will permeate my teaching for the rest of my career.”
Lynn Kelsh
Pinkston Middle School
Mountain Home School District
Mountain Home, AR
Press Release: Lynn Kelsh attends Exploratorium Summer Institute
Press Release: Lynn Kelsh presents at Arkansas Conference on Teaching
Local teachers share hands-on science
“The Institute was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career as an educator. I was surrounded by fellow teachers that were excited about science education and willing to share ideas. The institute instructors were exceptional. We learned so many new ideas for teaching hands-on science, while having fun ourselves. My students are going to love doing these activities and hopefully love science because of them. I can't wait to share these ideas with the other teachers at my school.”
Connie Tenberge
Huntsville Middle School
Huntsville School District
Huntsville, AR
Press Release
“The teacher institute was amazing. I learned that a great deal of what we can teach our children is to question and experience things in the world around them and to always have their eyes open. The institute is a great place to learn and grow. It stimulates the brain to go beyond what you normally do in the classroom. I can't imagine anyone attending the Teacher Institute and coming back and teaching in the same way.”
Lisa Tice
St. Joseph Catholic School
Fayetteville, AR
Press Release
Read the Press Release About the 2006 Teacher Institute.
Pictures from the 2006 Teacher Institute
Teachers rev competitive (fruit) juices
Exploratorium showdown forces competitors to get creative in their pursuit of affordable classroom science demonstrations
San Francisco Chronicle; July 15, 2006
2006 Iron Science Teacher Competition
On your mark, get set: Science
Christian Science Monitor; July 20, 2006
Summer Institute Graduates Present at the Arkansas Conference on Teaching, November 2, 2006
See What Other Teacher Institute Attendees Have to Say:
2008 Teacher Institute
2007 Teacher Institute