Podcasts about ap environmental science

In this episode of the Just Schools Podcast, Jon Eckert interviews Chris Mihealsick, the 2025 Texas Teacher of the Year from Westwood High School in Round Rock ISD. They discuss her passion for expanding access to high-level science education, the importance of mentorship for new teachers, and the challenges facing public education today. Mihealsick shares insights on supporting students new to AP coursework, fostering a collaborative classroom culture, and navigating the demands of teaching while avoiding burnout. The conversation also explores the impact of uncertified teachers and the role of teacher preparation programs.  The Just Schools Podcast is brought to you by the Baylor Center for School Leadership. Be encouraged. Mentioned: Armadillos to Ziziphus: A Naturalist in the Texas Hill Country by David Hillis Courage is Calling: Fortune Favors the Brave by Ryan Holiday Connect with us: Baylor MA in School Leadership EdD in K-12 Educational Leadership Jon Eckert LinkedIn X: @eckertjon Center for School Leadership at Baylor University: @baylorcsl     Jon Eckert: All right. This week we have Chris Mihealsick, the 2025 Texas Teacher of the Year from Westwood High School. She is in Round Rock ISD, and so she's representing educators across the state of Texas and we're really excited to have her here today. So Chris, welcome in. Chris Mihealsick: Thank you so much. It's so good to be here. Jon Eckert: And just give us a little background about how you got into teaching in the first place. I always love teacher origin stories, so how did you get to doing what you're doing now? Chris Mihealsick: Well, both of my parents were in education and for a really long time I thought, "Nope, nope, not for me, not for me." When I started college, I was a bio major. I worked in a lab. I thought maybe that would be my path. I kind of thought I was going to switch to environmental engineering, but my freshman year, I tutored some at-risk kids in biology and chemistry and I just loved it. I loved seeing them grow. I loved them going from really struggling in biology to being able to get Bs on their tests and be excited about science. And even as hard as I pushed against the family business, I just couldn't deny that that was where I was meant to be. I really liked working with teenagers and helping them learn and grow. Jon Eckert: The kids are always the draw. That's always the thing. And I feel like other professions that don't get to work with kids and see the way they become more of who they were meant to be, they miss out on that joy. And so that's cool that that's what pulled you in even though you were fighting the family business. So we're glad that you broke through that barrier. So tell us a little bit about... You have a platform this year as the 2025 teacher of the year. What are you most passionate about as an educator? Chris Mihealsick: I am incredibly passionate about students having access and being able to do higher level science. I teach AP Environmental Science, and I really say, "My course is a course for anybody." I work really, really hard to build students up that have never taken an AP class before. I also oftentimes will have some of the top students at our school, and I work very, very hard to make my class engaging for all levels. So I really believe that every kid deserves to have a higher level science experience before they leave high school. And that's kind of my mission as an educator. Jon Eckert: Oh, that's such a gift. As a former middle school science teacher, I always loved being able to pass my kids along to science educators like you because kids are naturally curious about the world. Environmental science, what a great place to try to explore where we fit in the world and how is this made to work and how can we be better stewards of this earth? That's something that a great teacher, I think, can hook any kid into. And so I love this idea that any kid can access those higher level courses because for so long we've been tracked in ways that some kids never get access to that class. Do you have any examples where you've seen a kid who maybe would've not gotten that opportunity in another school or with another teacher where you've seen some incredible growth that gives you belief that this is the right thing for each kid? Chris Mihealsick: Yeah. Every year I get students that this is their first time taking it. For example, I have two students this year. I have a student that has never taken another AP class and she started out getting 30s or 40s on most of the quizzes, and she's worked really hard. She stuck with it. I checked with her a semester, "What support do you need?" She just needed some extra help with some of the writing props because we do essays. Which is sort of a little bit unusual, I guess, in a science class, you don't tend to think of science classes doing essays, but our AP tests, they take a multiple choice part and they have to write three pretty large robust essays. So we do a lot of lab report writing, but we also practice that skill a lot because that's where the kids that have never taken an AP class before really tend to struggle. They can answer the multiple choice questions, okay, they're great in lab, they're fantastic in class, but they really struggle with that writing component. So really working with her this year and helping build her writing up as well as helping build her confidence up. She wasn't quite sure she fit in the class when we started this year, and she absolutely belongs there, I think every kid that comes to my door that's willing to take that chance, and that's a risk for kids, right? They've never taken a higher level of science before. Maybe they had a bad science experience before and they're jumping into this advanced class. So I want to honor that courage that those kids show, that decide, "I'm going to try this, I'm going to take this." So just giving them enough support. And I think also building that culture where the kids really work on helping each other. I try to build up really tight lab groups and then we switch them and they have to build up tight lab groups with a whole new group of kids. So really working with their peers quite a bit is a big cornerstone of my class as well. Jon Eckert: That's one of the things I love about AP is that it forces the writing, because writing is where you really see how kids are thinking, and that's the power in that. It's not rote memorization. You have to be able to think. And as an educator, it's the closest thing we get to getting inside a kid's head. And so I love that that's where you started. And people that listen to this podcast will know I'm always talking about joy through struggle. And it's so true that that student who struggles at the beginning and then gets to the point where she gets a three, four or five on that AP exam in her first attempt at an AP class, she's going to experience so much more joy than the kid who's taking their eighth AP class and they're getting their eighth or ninth four or five. That's great, that's success, but you don't experience the same level of joy if you haven't had that struggle. And so what I also love, the last thing you said really sticks with me, I've been pushing this for a while, that schools obviously have to be safe and psychological safety and physical safety all matter, but what you're celebrating and respecting is that struggle that kids do with others. And so it's not about being safe because those kids don't feel safe when they sign up for that first AP class. That feels like a risk. And so if kids feel like, "Feeling safe is not taking risks," that's a problem. And so what you've created is an environment in your classes where kids know, "Hey, this is a place where I can take risks," and then it's going to be celebrated and respected. And so I love that you're moving kids into that in tangible ways. What have been the benefits to other students in the class? Not the kids who are taking their first AP class, but to other AP students that are seeing a wider range of students in your class than, say, they might in another AP class. Have you seen any benefits to the classroom culture from that? Chris Mihealsick: I think students seeing anybody at our school attempting an AP class and being successful and being part of our group is really important. I think sometimes the highest flying kids at the school tend to think like, "I'm here and everybody else is not as academically robust as me." So really seeing, "Nope. You know what? A lot of people can succeed in a lot of different ways." Sometimes I have some of the kids that are the super high-flyer academic students that struggle with some of our lab work, and then other students are able to step in and be like, "Oh, nope, I got this. I can handle this procedure," or whatnot. And it just shows that there's huge value in everybody working together. There's huge value in everybody having access to these classes. And I think it opens everybody's eyes a little bit in terms of working with all kinds of different kids. Jon Eckert: Well, and again, going back to middle school science. In the lab, I felt like the lab was the grade equalizer because you had some high-flying students that never want to be wrong because that's identity threat to them. And so they don't want to take risks in labs because they don't want to look like they don't know what they're doing. And you can't fake your way through a lab very easily. And so I felt like getting kids partnered up of different abilities was gold because sometimes the kid that you thought would be leading in the lab is not. It's the kid who's like, "Oh, I'm willing to jump in and try this and we don't know what's going to happen and we're going to do this and we're going to track the procedure and we're going to do it safely." But I think that's a great point that I think science has some nice advantages when you have those labs because it's a vulnerable thing, especially for those high-flying kids that never want to be wrong. And that's really problematic for learning if you're not willing to acknowledge, "Hey, I don't know how to do this." That's the whole reason why you're in class. So it's good. So love that you came up with that. I also like... We've talked earlier about how you see building the profession. So we've talked about students, but where are your passions for the profession? Because you don't get to be teacher of the year in a state like Texas if you're only focused on kids. I mean, that's always our primary focus, but what's your hope for other educators in Texas and beyond? Chris Mihealsick: So I really, really care about good teacher leadership. I want every teacher to work in a department or a learning team that has a really competent, caring teacher leader. I want everybody to have a department chair that's a competent, caring department chair. I want people to be able to be mentored. I've been mentored five different times in my career and I'm getting mentored right now by the 2024 Texas Teacher of the Year for my next role. And just that ability for somebody that's there with you in the trenches. We're still in the classroom. I'm still teaching full-time. Teacher leaders are still there. They know the struggle, but they also can help guide you in really great ways that help you grow. I would not be where I am right now without mentorship I got when I first started teaching AP I didn't know what I was doing, Holy cats. And I had two AP teachers that kind of took me under their wing. They weren't even AP environmental science teachers at my school and really helped me learn what it was to help kids learn how to write for AP and how to do the more advanced lab skills. So I think teacher leadership is so important, especially right now when we're talking about, "How do we keep good teachers in the classroom?" Well, it's having people that support them that can help you grow to the next level. Really helping set that culture of your department is so important as well, that support system that... I am very, very fortunate I work for an amazing principal and I'm so grateful to have her support, but at the end of the day, there's one principal, right? But there's 200 of us in our building, and having those teacher leaders in the departments or in the learning communities is just really, really important in smoothing over the day to day, when you have questions about different strategies for working with a kid or how do I teach this in a more engaging way? Those teacher leaders can grow the staff and there's a lot more job satisfaction and working with people that are invested in you staying. Jon Eckert: And I think what you're saying is more important now than ever that the session that I met you in, they had put up a slide... This is from Raise Your Hand Texas, that 56% of new teachers in 2024 were uncertified. So this need for mentoring has never been greater because you have... And there's some great people who have come into the profession without certification, but the only way they're going to succeed is with great coaching and mentoring from people that have done this before because those uncertified people, for the most part, will not have gone through a teacher training program, they won't have done student teaching, they won't have had all those pieces, and now they're in your building. And over half of new teachers in Texas, that's their story. Have you seen an increased need for mentoring, or is this just kind of more of the same? Chris Mihealsick: No, we've seen a huge increase in the need for mentoring. There's a huge difference in getting a pre-service teacher that's gone through student teaching and has had some courses and knows the lingo, right? 504, IEP, all the acronyms. And somebody that has a good heart for kids and knows the content, but knows none of the management skills. So mentoring has been hugely critical. I've noticed a huge uptick in the mentoring that we've done on our campus in the last two to three years, for sure. Jon Eckert: Well, and it feels kind of crazy that we will turn kids over to someone who has no certification to teach when... My favorite statistic on this, I think this is right. In Ohio, to become a barber, you need 1500 hours of supervision. And I'm grateful. I don't want somebody coming in and hacking my hair up. But if you're requiring 1500 hours to cut somebody's hair and then nothing to be responsible, to be the teacher of record for children who are only going to get one shot at environmental science, who are only going to get one shot in third grade to increase their reading or to become a better human in first grade, to be... No certification. In some states it's even worse than in Texas where we're now... In some states, we're not even requiring a bachelor's degree. It's like we're having college students come in and be teacher of record because we're hurting in the profession so much. So my question for you... Obviously, when we have those teachers in our building, we're going to do everything we can to serve those teachers, but I do not want to burn out teachers like you who feel this burden not only for their students, but then for teachers who are coming in who are underprepared and who might be good in two or three years, but in those first couple of years, that's a lot of intensive work for you. What do we do to make sure we don't add more to plates that are already overflowing so that those teacher leaders don't burn out and leave? Chris Mihealsick: That is a really, really important question because I've seen that happen at our school where we've had good teachers leave because they've had two uncertified teachers they've needed to work with. And it's just overwhelming because you have all of your regular day-to-day responsibilities. You're maybe the team lead, so you're also working with your team, plus you also have to support the people that are working on training and getting into teaching. So it's really, really, really challenging. Our school tries to be really judicious about who we assign as mentors. So somebody isn't mentoring... Like for example, we had a biology teacher last year mentoring a brand brand new teacher, and this year we took her off mentoring. She's the team lead for our bio team, but we're like, "Nope, we're not going to have her mentor anybody else this year," because it was a lot last year. It was a lot. And you don't want to burn people that you know are effective and are doing good things for kids and really helping them grow. You don't want them leaving either. Jon Eckert: That's right. Well, I love that rotation idea, and that just means you have to develop a wide, wide range of teacher leaders because you have all different disciplines, especially in a comprehensive high school like you're in. You have all different disciplines. You have department chairs, but you just can't keep putting more on department chairs. Administrators, if they don't have background... If you've never been a science teacher, it's very difficult to give very specific feedback for how to get better if you've never run a lab. You can give general classroom management practices and think about student engagement, but you've got to have people with a lot of different kinds of expertise to give the mentoring just in time for people that are really needing that kind of feedback. So as you look around Texas, are there any real bright spots you see where you're really encouraged by some of the things that you've come across, maybe through the teacher of the year process or just people that you've worked with? I'm sure you're in networks of educators, but is there anything that has been really encouraging to you as you step into this role as teacher of the year? Chris Mihealsick: So I was really fortunate to do two different kind of talks. I did one in late February at Weatherford College with the Jack Harvey Awardee teachers. And first of all, I love, love, love hearing the good work that teachers are doing across the state because it just fills my bucket to hear how much teachers around the state truly care about the kids that they're in charge of. And Weatherford College is a two-year college, but they have some four year degrees and they have a teaching program, and their teaching program is growing. So that was really exciting. They're in North Texas. And I am a University of Texas grad. I will always be proud that I'm a UTeach teaching program graduates. They are doing some really, really... They've done historically since 1998... '99 I think is when they started. And they do some really great work at teacher prep. We consistently try to hire their graduates if we can because we know their graduates have the content knowledge, but also they've had a lot of field experience so they really know how to work with kids. So I think there's some really good stuff still happening all over the state in our teacher prep work. And that's something... Obviously, I want more people to join those programs. Lower enrollment is an issue that both of the schools have talked to me about, but I think that there's some really good work preparing some of our university students. And that's for sure. Besides all the great work from the teachers that I've just kind of talked to anecdotally as I've been kind of tootling about with my work is good. Jon Eckert: And I think why I love talking to educators like you is we have to stop cannibalizing our profession. So we have administrators making administration look so miserable that no teacher wants to step into it. And we have teachers making teaching sound so miserable that students don't want to step into it. And teachers told my own children, I've heard it said multiple times to their children, "Don't go into teaching right now." And what they don't understand is they're looking out for that person. They're saying it in love, but what they're doing is, is they're cannibalizing the profession. And if we don't have a strong teaching profession, we don't have other professions. And so that is really troubling to me. So I really respect what University of Texas does. Good to hear about Weatherford. When I came to Baylor six years ago and saw the program that they run for... I don't get to work in the pre-service teacher program, but they've done six different placements in a full year student teaching internship. Now in many districts, it's a paid internship if they're in high need districts. That is amazing. That is blowing away what we were doing in Illinois with our teacher preparation program where they had a 12-week student teaching placement and they had four practicum placements. That experience is gold when you're in with good teachers like you, and they can see, "Here's how I set this lab up and here's what it looks like at the beginning of the year, and here's what it looks like at the end of the year. That is powerful. And I am not a big fan of bureaucratic requirements that are unnecessary, but I certainly want good preparation for my kids' teachers, which means I want it for every kid in the state of Texas. And so really grateful for the way you're representing education. So let's shift into our lightning round here. I usually have three or four kind of common questions that I go across, and these are just pretty brief answers, if you have them. So best and worst advice you've ever given or received, you can start with either best or worst, but let's start with those two. Chris Mihealsick: Okay. Worst advice for sure was, "Don't smile till Christmas." Who thinks that's a good idea? You don't build relationships with your students by being a jerk. So worst advice for sure. Best advice was from my mentor who helped me when I was first teaching AP, Joy [inaudible 00:20:00]. She said, "You only have so much life energy, so decide what you're really passionate about and what you feel really skilled at, and just work to be really, really great at that." And I thought that was amazing because you get asked to do so many things as an educator, I am not great at facilities. I probably shouldn't sit on the facilities committee. So focus on what you're really good at and use your energy and your passion to get better at that, to make a bigger difference. Jon Eckert: Yeah, that's really, really helpful advice. So follow up on that, what is the most life-giving part of your job and what is the most soul sucking part of your job? Chris Mihealsick: For sure, working with the students. Even with all of amazing things I've gotten to do as Texas Teacher of the Year so far. And I love working with teachers. When I'm back in my classroom, which is most of the time, and just working with the teenagers and seeing them grow. I could teach for another 15, 20 years probably. We'll see how that all works out. But... Because I'm 23 years into my career, but for sure life-giving is just... I love working with the teenagers. Every single day is a little different. They'll say something funny or unique or they'll make a new discovery. Soul sucking, I would say probably paperwork. Not a fan. I'll do it because it's all the laws and all the things and I like my job. I'll do all the paperwork, but not my fave. Jon Eckert: Yeah, there's always some component of the job that is the reason why you need to get paid for the job. And I say paperwork for most of us is there because that's always going to be part of it. But all right. Best book that you've read in the last year. This could be education-related or just a fun read. Anything that jumps out at you as a good book you've read. I'm always looking for recommendations. Chris Mihealsick: So I read a mix of science and historical fiction and kind of leadership books. So my favorite that I've read lately is Armadillo's to Ziziphus by David Hillis. He is a professor at UT in biology. He actually discovered the Barton Springs Salamander. And it's just a whole bunch of short essays about natural history in Central Texas. And I am currently in the middle of reading Courage is Calling by Ryan Holiday. I like his work too. He's a stoic, so he kind of talks about when things happen in life, we can't control that, but we can always control how we react to things. And I think his book right now has a whole bunch of little anecdotes about historical figures and their courage in different things. And I think it's just really relevant right now. I think being a teacher takes courage always, but I think especially right now, it's good to hear about other people's struggles and things they've overcome to make the world a better place. Jon Eckert: No, it's beautiful. I love those two. I have not read either of them, so I've got them written down. So thank you for that. Last two questions. What do you think is the greatest obstacle facing teachers right now? And then the second, the follow-up is what gives you the most hope? As you look around the state of Texas, what gives you most hope about what's happening in education? Chris Mihealsick: So challenging... I'm just going to be honest. I think the budget situation is really challenging right now. I'm hoping that changes for us because I'd like to see smaller class sizes for all of my colleagues and me so that we could give students the more individual attention that they deserve. But what gives me hope is two things. First of all, the students that I work with... I just... Every single year, I think, "You guys are going to change the world. You're going to go out, you're going to do something amazing for Texas and it's going to be phenomenal." So just seeing the potential and the energy that... I love working with juniors and seniors, they're my jam. Seeing them kind of grow and change and get ready to go off and then go off into the world and... That energy and that passion. Texas is in good hands with the teenagers that are continuing to graduate from our public schools. Yeah. Also hope the teachers that I've been meeting across the state... As a teacher in Central Texas, I'm a little bit insular and this is my world, but being able to get to travel a little bit and talk to people in other parts of the state has been really phenomenal. And I have a lot of hope for the kids of Texas because of the people I've been meeting. And I hope to meet a whole bunch more. So my hope for the next year is just to get to meet some more folks and to be able to start highlighting some of their good work as part of what I do. Jon Eckert: I love that. Well, Chris, thank you for what you do. And Round Rock, thank you for what you're going to do for the state of Texas. Thanks for your heart, for students and for educators. So grateful to be able to highlight your good work, and hope this year is amazing and we'll have to catch up with you at the end of your year. So thank you for joining us. Chris Mihealsick: Thank you so much for having me. This has been delightful.

Francesca, Miirah and Blythe, students in the AP Environmental Science class at Harbor City International School in Duluth, talk about class projects and future goals

I am a science teacher. I currently teach Honors Biology and AP Environmental Science. I am an Ambassador for Pear Deck Learning and Edpuzzle. I am an expert mentor for the Modern Classroom Project. I love all things STEM and teaching students through real-world relevant experiences. I teach students how to think like a scientist. Support the show

Violet Hart, Emmet Brick, and Milcha-Hulen Posnak are all former students from Fayetteville High School in Arkansas, while Sylvia Smith is headed into her senior year. Each of them had Mr. Clay Morton as an AP Environmental Science teacher. Listen their journey of finding a solution for school food waste not only in their school, but their entire school district.

As teachers, we know how hard it is to manage and balance our work and personal lives. But when you add being a new mom and an AP teacher to the mix, it makes that even harder. We're always looking for tips and secrets to find that balance. My guest on today's episode, Kimberly Leary, just might have figured it out! In today's episode, Kimberly is sharing her knowledge and experience on a variety of topics, including how to prepare for maternity leave as an AP teacher, advice for teaching AP Environmental Science, and how to achieve a work/life balance as a new mom. Being an AP teacher, especially in the discipline of Environmental Science, which covers a wide variety of topics, has its challenges, and Kimberly has faced them all. She credits her detailed personality for keeping pace and not deviating while teaching and how she handled substitute plans during her maternity leave. Teaching a discipline that most people aren't familiar with required her to be thoughtful, intentional, and detailed with the plans she left while she was on leave. She shares how this helped the many teachers covering her classes and how that impacted her students once she returned. Once Kimberly became a mom, she knew setting boundaries that created a better work/life balance was necessary. Even though this required her to change her mindset and set realistic expectations for herself as it pertained to her workload and grading, she eventually found the right balance. She shares how she did it and the priority shift she had to make. It's very natural to want to be the best mom you can be while still being passionate about your teaching career. That's why creating a work/life balance the best you can is critical to your success at both. So take a listen and get advice from Kimberly, a first-time mom and AP teacher, on how to have it all! Resources Mentioned: National APES teachers Facebook groupAPES Teachers Unleashed Facebook groupMr. Smedes - APESvsEVERYBODYDownload your FREE Classroom Reset ChallengeSend me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.comFollow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts Show Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode137

I've had so much fun and really enjoyed listening to my guest science teachers during my AP science teacher interview series. Each guest has given incredible insight about the AP exam and helpful tips for other teachers in their respective science disciplines. But out of all the AP science courses, I received the most questions about teaching AP Environmental Science. My guest on today's episode, Ashton Allgood, is the perfect person to answer all of your questions while also sharing how she manages to teach the content in a short amount of time while still preparing her students for their final exams. According to Ashton, AP Environmental Science, or APES as it's commonly referred to, is truly the science course that meshes all the other science branches together. She loves how it's relatable to her students and their ability to apply real-world scenarios and experiences to their everyday activities and discussions. With her class only a semester long, Ashton has come up with creative and engaging ways to make sure her students retain the information necessary to take the AP exam at the end of the year. She also shares how her experience as an AP reader helped prepare her students for the exam. I loved my conversation with Ashton because she has such a profound and realistic perspective when it comes to her student's preparation and work ethic in her class. She sets clear expectations for them and is upfront about the hard work that's ahead of them for the semester. However, she believes in meeting her students halfway, along with honesty and communication. I learned so much about AP Environmental Science but also engaging ways to run a classroom, and I know you will, too! Resources Mentioned: APES School of ShapTeaching AP ScienceAP Credit SearchNational APES Teachers Facebook Download your FREE Classroom Reset ChallengeSend me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.scienceSend me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.comFollow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts Show Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode126

About Sharon Camp: BS degree from The University of Georgia in 1978 in Geology Taught public high school for six years Ph.D. degree from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1989 Analytical Chemistry Worked in telephone industry for one year, worked for the EPA for two years Stayed home with my daughter until she was six, then got involved in her school Hired as a supplemental educator for my daughter's elementary school Returned to teaching as a high school teacher, teaching AP Environmental Science and Chemistry for 15 years Retired in 2019 00:00 Introduction 00:32 Presentation starts 22:38 Kicked out of Nat'l Science Teachers convention 48:51 Q and A Slides for this podcast: https://tomn.substack.com/p/the-state-of-science-education-in https://co2coalition.org/teammember/sharon-camp-senior-education-advisor/ https://www.federationforchildren.org/ https://parentingmode.com/homeschooling/ https://www.cyprus-ceo.com/22664/how-to-beat-bad-science/ https://static.nsta.org/pdfs/PositionStatement_ClimateScience.pdf https://co2coalition.org/publications/challenging-the-nsta-position-on-climate-change/ https://co2coalition.org/ https://co2learningcenter.com/ Next Generation Science standards site on “Earth and Human Activity”: https://www.nextgenscience.org/pe/hs-ess3-5-earth-and-human-activity ========= AI summaries of all of my podcasts: https://tomn.substack.com/p/podcast-summaries About Tom Nelson: https://linktr.ee/tomanelson1 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL89cj_OtPeenLkWMmdwcT8Dt0DGMb8RGR Twitter: https://twitter.com/tan123 Substack: https://tomn.substack.com/ About Tom: https://tomn.substack.com/about

Editor-in-Chief Taylor Aubry interviews AP Microeconomics teacher Mark Hardy and AP Environmental Science teacher Billy Kimmel on the economic and ecological benefits and drawbacks of The Willow Project. This is a Rocklin High School Media Production: ⁠https://rocklinhsflash.net/⁠ - Rocklin High School's online news website. ⁠bit.ly/rhs-pubs⁠ - an overview of Rocklin High School's publications program.

Staff Reporter Trey Spencer interviews Rocklin High's own AP Environmental Science teacher Mr.Kimmel, about the histroy of Rocklin High's garden and how it came to be. This is a Rocklin High School Media Production: https://rocklinhsflash.net/ - Rocklin High School's online news website. bit.ly/rhs-pubs - an overview of Rocklin High School's publications program.

Ready to learn the history, philosophy, and practice of an experienced professional in the test prep industry? MEET OUR GUEST John Henrikson, founder of Monmouth Test Prep, lives in Fair Haven, NJ with his wife and three children. John holds a BS in Biology and MS in Evolutionary Biology. He is the Chair of the Science Department at Seton Hall Preparatory School in northern NJ where he has been teaching AP Biology and AP Environmental Science for twenty four years. John has been working in the test prep industry for more than 25 years. First employed by two of the leading test prep companies in the nation, John struck out on his own more than twenty years ago to develop a broad array of strategies for the PSAT, SAT, and ACT exams. He founded Monmouth Test Prep in 2011 and moved them to their current location in Fair Haven in 2018.   Find John at https://monmouthtestprep.com. ABOUT THIS PODCAST Tests and the Rest is THE college admissions industry podcast. Explore all of our episodes on the show page. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Mike Bergin is the president of Chariot Learning and founder of TestBright. Amy Seeley is the president of Seeley Test Pros. If you're interested in working with Mike and/or Amy for test preparation, training, or consulting, feel free to get in touch through our contact page.  

For this week's episode, we talk (and complain) with our AP Environmental Science tablemates, Emma and Ethan, about the class, the teacher, and a lot more. We also reflect on our regrets, our Asian vs our American identity, the legitimacy of environmental education, and traveling the world.

We welcome a returning guest this week, Brant Reif, an AP Environmental Science and Biology teacher at Valley High School in West Des Moines, IA.

This week, we are breaking out our debate skills from AP Environmental Science to discuss the newest trend in wine: Clean Wines.  These wines evoke the idea that they are made better and are better for you.  But does the term hold any weight?  And what does a wine have to do- if anything- to be labeled as clean?  

Patrick Matous is a Biomedical Sciences Academy teacher at Byron Nelson High School in Trophy Club, Texas. Matous has taught for more than twenty years, including AP Biology, AP Environmental Science and AP Chemistry.  In addition to teaching College Board courses he has had the opportunity to teach International Baccalaureate classes. Matous has also coached boys and girls cross country, track, and girls basketball. Coaching gave Mr. Matous the experience of working with students in an environment different from that of his classroom. Matous has enjoyed working hard with his peers and students to learn and understand the ever-changing world of biology. He takes his job seriously and works diligently to help students recognize their passion and  potential. Intro and Outro music "Vicious Pen" courtesy of Moby Gratis https://mobygratis.com/

Stanley Richards - Digital Curriculum Manager at PBLWorks - The Effectiveness of PBL within the AP Environment. This is episode 395 of Teaching Learning Leading K12, an audio podcast. Stanley Richards is the Digital Curriculum Manager at PBLWorks. Stanley joined PBLWorks as the program manager for an ongoing partnership between PBLWorks and Lucas Education Research (LER) to study the effectiveness of PBL within a high stakes AP environment. He supports the professional development and coaching of teachers to implement AP Environmental Science and AP Government curricula in school districts all over the country. Previous to his work at PBLWorks, Stanley implemented PBL practices as a high school science teacher for 10 years, both in Colorado at Eagle Rock School and Professional Development Center, a residential school for "at risk" youth in the mountains of Colorado, and City Arts and Technology, a small urban high school in San Francisco, where he was a founding teacher. Stanley was also an instructional coach in the subjects of science and math for 5 years. Stanley has a BS in Environmental Science (with a focus on biology and chemistry) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Today, we're talking about teaching AP, recent research, and supporting AP teachers. Thanks for listening! Enjoy. But wait... Could you do me a favor? Please go to my website at https://www.stevenmiletto.com/reviews/ or open the podcast app that you are listening to me on and would you rate and review the podcast? That would be Awesome. Thanks! Ready to start your own podcast? Podbean is an awesome host. I have been with them since 2013. Go to https://www.podbean.com/TLLK12 to get 1 month free of unlimited hosting for your new podcast.  Remember to take a look at NVTA (National Virtual Teacher Association) The NVTA Certification Process was created to establish a valid and reliable research-based teacher qualification training process for virtual teachers to enhance their teaching and develop their ongoing reflective skills to improve teaching capacity. NVTA is an affiliate sponsor of Teaching Learning Leading K12, by following the link above if you purchase a program, Teaching Learning Leading K12 will get a commission and you will help the show continue to grow.  By the way, don't forget to go to my other affiliate sponsor Boone's Titanium Rings at www.boonerings.com. When you order a ring use my code - TLLK12 - at checkout to get 10% off and help the podcast get a commission. Thanks!!! Oh by the way, you can help support Teaching Learning Leading K12 by buying me a soft drink (actually making a donation to Teaching Learning Leading K12.) That would be awesome! You would be helping expand the show with equipment and other resources to keep the show moving upward. Just go to https://www.buymeacoffee.com/stevenmiletto Thanks! Have an awesome day!   Connect & Learn More: https://www.pblworks.org/blog/new-research-power-pbl-and-new-program-ap-teachers https://www.pblworks.org/ https://www.pblworks.org/author/stanley-richards https://twitter.com/pblworks https://www.instagram.com/pblworks/ https://www.facebook.com/PBLWorks/ Length - 01:08:16

In this episode of APES vs, we discuss the issues related to urbanization and evaluate the question "Does urbanization pose a concerning negative impact on our environment?" Disclaimer: we are playing the roles of the experts and are really high school students taking AP Environmental Science. Citations: McKinney, M. L. (2008). Effects of urbanization on species richness: a review of plants and animals. Urban ecosystems, 11(2), 161-176. Bonnet-Lebrun, A. S., Manica, A., & Rodrigues, A. S. (2020). Effects of urbanization on bird migration. Biological Conservation, 244, 108423. Friedland, A., & Relyea, R. (2019). Environmental Science for the AP® Course (Third ed.). BFW High School Publishers. Moore, M., Gould, P., & Keary, B. S. (2003). Global urbanization and impact on health. International journal of hygiene and environmental health, 206(4-5), 269-278. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1438463904702230 Bradley, C. A., & Altizer, S. (2007). Urbanization and the ecology of wildlife diseases. Trends in ecology & evolution, 22(2), 95-102. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0169534706003648 Williams, D. S., Manez Costa, M., Sutherland, C., Celliers, L., & Scheffran, J. (2019). Vulnerability of informal settlements in the context of rapid urbanization and climate change. Environment and Urbanization, 31(1), 157-176. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0956247818819694#_i14 Garschagen, M., & Romero-Lankao, P. (2015). Exploring the relationships between urbanization trends and climate change vulnerability. Climatic Change, 133(1), 37-52. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10584-013-0812-6 Music: https://www.bensound.com

AP Environmental Science teacher, Andrew Bonsignore, joins the show on the 50th celebration of Earth Day to speak about the progress and step backs we've made as a society when it comes to climate, the effects Covid-19 will have on the environment and the path to creating an eco-friendly society.

Daniel S & Sri D Disclaimer: This episode was made by students of Research Triangle High School (Daniel Saltsgaver and Srinath Dittakavi) for a project in AP Environmental Science. Sources: Dincer, I. (2000). Renewable energy and sustainable development: A crucial review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 4(2), 157-175. doi:10.1016/s1364-0321(99)00011-8 US Department of Commerce, & National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2013, June 01). What percentage of the American population lives near the coast? Retrieved from https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/population.html Likens, G. E. (2013). Acid Rain. Fundamentals of Ecosystem Science, 259-264. doi:10.1016/b978-0-08-091680-4.00015-9 Barbir, F., Veziroglu, T., & Plassjr, H. (1990). Environmental damage due to fossil fuels use. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 15(10), 739-749. doi:10.1016/0360-3199(90)90005-j Ibrahim, H., Ilinca, A., & Perron, J. (2008). Energy storage systems—Characteristics and comparisons. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 12(5), 1221-1250. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2007.01.023 Mr S Boyle. (1994). Renewable Energy, 4(6), 755-756. doi:10.1016/0960-1481(94)90319-0 Lund, H., & Mathiesen, B. (2009). Energy system analysis of 100% renewable energy systems—The case of Denmark in years 2030 and 2050. Energy, 34(5), 524-531. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2008.04.003 Pollution from Fossil-Fuel Combustion is the Leading Environmental Threat to Global Pediatric Health and Equity: Solutions Exist. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5800116/ “15. World Energy Council . World Energy Resources 2013 Survey: Summary. World Energy Council; London, UK: 2013. p. 29. [Google Scholar] 16. U.S. Energy Information Administration . Primary Energy Consumption by Source and Sector, 2014. U.S. Energy Information Administration; Washington, DC, USA: 2014. [Google Scholar]”

Disclaimer: This podcast is created by students at Research Triangle High School, Rubi R. and Charanya S., for a project in AP Environmental Science. All the experts in the podcast are played by students; however, all the information is taken from studies written by the experts named. Sources: A. Martyn, personal communication, January 23, 2019 Craig, A. T., Kasai, T., Li, A., Otsu, S., & Khut, Q. Y. (2010). Getting back to basics during a public health emergency: a framework to prepare and respond to infectious disease public health emergencies. Public Health, 124(1), 10–13. Fox-Skelly, J. (2017, May 4). There are diseases hidden in ice, and they are waking up. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20170504-there-are-diseases-hidden-in-ice-and-they-are-waking-up Giant DNA virus revived from the late Pleistocene. Matthieu Legendre, Julia Bartoli, Lyubov Shmakova, Sandra Jeudy, KarineLabadie, Annie Adrait, Magali Lescot, Olivier Poirot, Lionel Bertaux, Christophe Bruley, Yohann Couté, Elizaveta Rivkina, Chantal Abergel, Jean-Michel Claverie. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Mar 2014, 111 (11) 4274-4279; DOI:10.1073/pnas.1320670111 Mayo Clinic New Network. (2016, March 23). Pandemic vs.endemic vs. outbreak: Terms to know. Retrieved from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-03-pandemic-endemic-outbreak-terms.html Mock, M., & Fouet, A. (2001). Anthrax. Annual Reviews in Microbiology, 55(1), 647-671. Nasidi, A., Monath, T. P., DeCock, K., Tomori, O., Cordellier, R., Olaleye, O. D., ... & van Der Laan, G. (1989). Urban yellow fever epidemic in western Nigeria, 1987. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 83(3), 401-406. Pikuta, E. V., Marsic, D., Bej, A., Tang, J., Krader, P. & Hoover, R. B. ( 2005; ). Carnobacterium pleistocenium sp. nov., a novel psychrotolerant, facultative anaerobe isolated from permafrost of the Fox Tunnel in Alaska. Int J Syst Evol Microbiol 55, 473–478. Revich, B. A., & Podolnaya, M. A. (2011). Thawing of permafrost may disturb historic cattle burial grounds in East Siberia. Global Health Action, 4(1). Sobel, J. (2005). Botulism. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 41(8), 1167-1173. Wade, H. W., & Ledowsky, V. (1952). The Leprosy Epidemic at Nauru; a Review with Data on the Status since 1937. International Journal of Leprosy, 20(1), 1-29. Weed, D. L. (2002). Environmental epidemiology: Basics and proof of cause-effect. Toxicology, 181-182, 399–403. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0300483X02004766

Justin Zimmerman joined the Linsly family as Headmaster in 2014, bringing a wide range of experience in the independent school world. After attending boarding school at The Culver Academies in Indiana, he continued on to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where he played DIII ice hockey and earned his BS in Natural Science and Biology. He later earned his Master’s Degree in Education from Indiana University.  Previously, Mr. Zimmerman worked as Dean of Studies and Student Life at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, OH. He also taught AP Environmental Science and Biology at WRA and Culver and coached ice hockey and lacrosse.      Jay McTighe  JayMcTighe.com Grant Wiggins "Understanding by Design" www.authenticeducation.org Ted Dintersmith - "What School Could Be", "Most Likely to Succeed"  Grant Lichtman - Listen to our previous episode   Produced by Shoop Media for Kay-Twelve.com If you are interested in being on the show or know someone who would be a great guest, please connect with Kevin Stoller

Matt Hinkley has been a teacher for 13 years and grew up hiking the Cascades. He loves spending time in nature and has a passion for outdoor field science education that gives learners the tools to discover their own passion for the natural world. He's taught science in grades 7-12 in middle and high schools in Berkeley and Seattle. He added AP Environmental Science to the Seattle Public Schools' catalog in 2008 and taught it at Nathan Hale High School, and was honored as the 2017 Distinguished Educator of the Year in Berkeley schools. He has presented at the meeting of the North American Association of Environmental Education and has written teaching guides for the American Federation of Teachers' science cadre. Hinkley has taught nature journaling in the schoolyard and on field trips for his students, and he has facilitated professional development for K-8 teachers about nature journaling and other science teaching topics. He works to include all of his students and to promote the abilities of students from underserved populations, and is an activist for social justice through his union. Most of all, he loves being outdoors with a bunch of students – whether they're children, adults, colleagues, clients, and whether they feel brand new to nature or are seasoned naturalists – he loves being outdoors and seeing his students discover their own passion for the natural world. To learn more about Holden Village, visit: www.holdenvillage.org or to listen to more audio recordings visit: http://audio.holdenvillage.org

In this episode, Sherry Lim, Science Department Teacher and Outdoor Education Program Coordinator, shared her story of going to school to become a researcher and how working with UTeach in college helped her discover her love for teaching. Following her dreams and passions, she taught abroad in Korea and attended culinary school at the same time. She returned to the states and began working for JW Marriott, completed her master’s degree, and then heard about an opening at TMI in 2016 that offered her everything she was looking for. Sherry talks about the TMI garden and its part in the Middle School Life Sciences curriculum, raising chickens, composting and running the TMI food-waste program in the AP Environmental Science classes, and how Upper School students get hands-on learning through sampling soil and water testing. The senior students also work to solve problems in the garden, such as flooding. The entire TMI community is always invited to come experience and volunteer in the garden on Fridays after school from 4pm-6pm or during the Dig-In Days throughout the year. In addition to supporting the garden and Outdoor Education Program through volunteer days, the entire community is invited to participate in the Box Tops for Education program. Contests throughout the year for collecting Box Tops help fund projects for the outdoor space. Following another of her passions and searching for ways to support the Outdoor Education Program, Sherry started the TMI Baking Club. Her 7th grade students created the club about a year and a half ago with the purpose of raising funds for the Outdoor Education Program; at the time, the chicken coop was in need of a new roof and this served as the perfect opportunity to raise money. Winners of the Box Tops collections contests always receive a sweet treat bag from the Baking Club. The goal this year is to raise $1,000. Finally, Sherry shares a few funny stories about the animals and tells us what inspires her to teach. BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION:https://www.boxtops4education.com/  BONUS APP: https://www.boxtops4education.com/bonusapp  

“The only person that you need to give you a chance is yourself” – Sev Ohanian Sev Ohanian’s latest film is Searching, a modern thriller about a father searching for his missing daughter. The entire movie takes place on technology devices. It was an official selection at the Sundance Film Festival and started playing in theater’s everywhere August 31, 2018. Thirteen years ago, his first film had one screening location: the TV in his teacher’s AP Environmental Science class at Glendale’s Hoover High School. His reward was an ‘A’ in the class, and the start of a lifelong passion for filmmaking. Since then, Ohanian has gone on to write, direct, and produce several films. During the episode, he discusses the diversity on display on both sides of the camera, the basics of good storytelling, the shifting entertainment industry, and the thrilling story of how his team made Searching. Oh, and he really loves Glendale. “This City has always held a really special place in my heart,” Ohanian told the Glendale Tech on Tap podcast. Ohanian is on Twitter @SevOhanian. Searching is on Twitter @SearchingMovie. Editor’s note: This host saw the film in Glendale a few short days after this interview.

Katie Grams is a NEW TEACHER in her first year! She teaches at Olympic High School in North Carolina. She teaches AP Environmental Science and Biology. She is honest and real in this episode from a real new teacher!  In the episode:  Katie's favorite failure How preparation is KEY Tips & Tools for new teachers The resource she endorses and loves   Quote of the Week:  "Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn." Benjamin Franklin  FOLLOW Katie Grams TWITTER:@squirrel_scouts   FOLLOW TEACHER TUNNEL INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/2fqoe8k TWITTER:http://bit.ly/2xoORl1 FACEBOOK:http://bit.ly/2wQqSab WEBSITE: http://bit.ly/2lIbKaI   FOLLOW JON BELT INSTAGRAM:http://bit.ly/2wQqSab TWITTER:http://bit.ly/ICFCzV FACEBOOK:http://bit.ly/2fkdlBp WEBSITE:http://bit.ly/2lIbKaI   Thank you for checking out this episode of the Teacher Tunnel Podcast. Please share these free episodes with friends and colleagues to connect a wider audience. Click HERE to subscribe via Apple Podcasts Click HERE to subscribe via Stitcher Click HERE for TuneIn Radio Click HERE for RSS FEED via Libsyn

(https://www.theh2duo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/1074-x-366-podcast-template-5.png) Dr. Ruthanne “Rudi” Thompson is a UNT Distinguished Teaching Professor, Director of the Science Education Research Laboratory, and Director of the Dallas Environmental Education Initiative (EEI). Rudi worked as a high school Biology teacher, created and taught an AP Environmental Science course and co-developed the Elm Fork Environmental Education Center on the Campus of the University of North Texas.  All of these experiences culminated twelve years ago when the City of Dallas Water Conservation and Recycling divisions put out a Request for Proposals for the design, development, and implementation of an Environmental Education Initiative. UNT’s proposal was selected and in these 12 years since, the EEI science educators have provided direct, inquiry-based, resource conservation instruction to more than 229,200 learners, pre-k through 12th grade, within the City of Dallas.   We met Dr. Thompson when she presented about the Dallas EEI program at a WENNT meeting earlier this year. WENNT is the Water Educator Network of North Texas meetings we attend monthly. We loved how she was able to show real impact for the program, both in dollars and gallons. She is looking for partners to spread her research! We’re hoping that by spreading the word about the success of the Dallas EEI program that she is able to gain new partners across the state, the country, and even the globe. Top Takeaways: Intergenerational transfer multiples the impacts of children learning about water conservation (Dr. Thompson says that’s just a fancy way to say kids guilt their family members into conserving water). Learn how Dr. Thompson used quantifiable data to show that commitment to saving water was translating into actual water savings. Research doesn’t always needs to be complicated. Sometimes all you need are some water bills and an Excel spreadsheet. Resources Mentioned: Social Marketing: Why Should the Devil have All the Best Tunes (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0750683503/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0750683503&linkCode=as2&tag=theh2duo-20&linkId=750c19ded756dfe3f4f20523f8866d2e) by Gerard Hastings: Hands on Social Marketing: a Step by Step Guide (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1412953693/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1412953693&linkCode=as2&tag=theh2duo-20&linkId=761b101391269d4d40c5ef1dc2f1f19e) by Nedra Kline Weinreich Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a one- or two-sentence review in iTunes or on Stitcher.  This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. We give a shoutout to everyone who rates the podcast with 5 stars in future episodes. Give us some love on Twitter by tagging us (https://twitter.com/the_h2duo) or by using the #WaterInRealLifePodcast If you know someone you think would benefit, please spread the word by using the share buttons on this page. Thank you for sharing some of your time with us. We know how precious those minutes are. Share your story, you never know who needs to hear it and remember, “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.” Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s (http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html) : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Mark Little is a science teacher at Broomfield High School in Broomfield, Colorado. In addition to teaching AP Biology for more than 15 years, Mark was very involved with the AP Biology community. This includes being active in the AP re-design and serving as an AP Reader, a Table Leader at the reading, and being an item writer for the exam. Additionally, Mark started the AP Environmental Science program at his school. Mark was a member of the first cohort of the BSCS/NABT AP Leadership Academy, works for National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI), the Colorado Science Initiative and as a College Board Consultant, all programs focussed on helping students and teachers prepare for AP science exams. Mark was President of the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) in 2013. In 2005, Mark was recognized as the Outstanding Biology Teacher Award for the state of Colorado.

Jabin Burnworth is a science teacher Manchester Junior Senior High School in North Manchester, Indiana. He currently teaches Biology 1, Anatomy & Physiology, and AP Environmental Science. Jabin is known for extending his teaching beyond the classroom, as he regularly leads a group of AP Environmental Science students on a trip to the Florida Everglades. He has also been very involved in the North Manchester community by serving on the Public Library Strategic Planning Committee, North Manchester Tree Commission, North Manchester Community Trail Network, and as President and Board Member at Large for the Environmental Education Association of Indiana. Some of his past awards include, the 1999 Indiana Association of Biology Teachers “Creative Teacher of the Year” award and the Manchester Community Schools 2016-17 Outstanding Teacher.

In this episode, Doris speaks with Katy Yan, instructor of AP Environmental Science and Honors Biology at The College Preparatory School and former Science Teacher at The Bentley School. Katy explains the shift from research papers to real world problem solving that resulted in meaningful learning about food systems and climate change. She also shares how this led to students developing better research techniques and critical thinking skills in her science courses.

In this episode I have a chat with Christine Brothers. Chris is the science department head at Falmouth High Schools in Falmouth, MA. She has taught a wide variety of life science courses, most recently beginning an AP Environmental Science course at Falmouth High. Chris has received many awards for her work in the classroom, including the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching, the Outstanding Biology Teacher Award from the National Association of Biology Teachers, and the Amgen Foundation Science Teaching Excellence Award. Chris was also the winner of the Entomological Foundation's 2015 President's Prize in Secondary Education. In 2014, Chris participated in the Siemens Teachers as Researchers (STARS) fellowship program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. She co-authored the 2010 journal article “Using the Wolbachia Bacterial Symbiont to Teach Inquiry-Based Science: A High School Laboratory Series” with Seth R. Bordenstein and others in The American Biology Teacher. Chris earned her BS in environmental science from Cornell University and her MS in Environmental Education from The Ohio State University.

Wilson head football coach Doug Dahms talks about the remarkable multiplicity of his coaching, educational and humanitarian endeavors outside of football with Zeke. Dahms also is the head boys and girls indoor and outdoor track coach at Wilson and runs the Wilson High School Ski Club. Dahms shares with the Zeke the differences and similarities between coaching football and track. Dahms also talks about his teaching career at Wilson. He designed and is teaching AP Biology, Honors Biology and AP Environmental Science. In addition, he leads the Wallops Island Marine Science Consortium Field Trip to Virginia each year and is the director of the Jamaica Marine Studies Field Trip to St. Ann’s Bay, which also has a humanitarian outreach to impoverished people. Dahms tells Zeke he manages to do all this because he is good at multitasking, gets great support from his wife and coaching staffs, and sleeps only 4-5 hours a night.

In this segment, we explore the chasm between the professional development teachers want and the training teachers often get. Follow: @tomwhitby @blairteach @JeremeyWilder @bamradionetwork Ed Chat Archive: http://edchat.pbworks.com/ Jeremey Wilder has been teaching life science classes at Grand Haven High School for 17 years. He is teaching Biology and AP Environmental Science. Nancy Blair is a school improvement consultant who frequently worked with the High Schools That Work. Tom Whitby is contributing Editor at SmartBrief, founder of #Edchat,Twitter-Using Educators, and NYSCATE Network.

Have you ever wondered what a teacher was like when they went to high school? Well, now you have the chance. BNC Radio will be releasing radio profiles of different Blair teachers so students can get to know they staff. Take a listen if you want to know Biology and AP Environmental Science teacher Mr. Brown a little better.