At the training workshop, teachers and astronomers met separately in small
groups to discuss their concerns and apprehensions about the impending
partnerships. The results of the breakout sessions are summarized below, with
teachers' and astronomers'
concerns listed separately:
Teachers felt they should prep students in advance, deal with discipline and
also plan a thank you activity for the astronomer. They had this advice for
astronomer partners coming into their classrooms:
Don't hand out materials until you're done talking
Learn teacher's "tricks" to get students' attentions; learn what teacher
expects of students (rules, etc.)
Expect students' attention; wait till they are quiet
Have materials ready ahead of time
Plan together; walk through what will happen in class
Discuss vocabulary with your teacher before hand (make list of terms that
students will need to know
Listen to your teacher in terms of what may/may not work
Let teacher know what you want to do but understand that not everything
will work
Discuss materials need and who will be responsible and how to modify
"Debrief" after each visit
Pay attention - are you losing the kids?
Bring children in - relate to their own experiences
Ask questions ("who can tell me...?")
Use analogies
Establish cue with teacher about time limits/constraints
Get comfortable with students
Tell students about yourself personally
Do an icebreaker
Learn who the students are (THEIR NAMES) and their learning needs; learn
about them
The astronomers ranged from very experienced in classroom participation to
novices. They had similar apprehensions about the upcoming experiences and
shared advice within the group:
What's it going to be like in a classroom?
Will they be an interactive or quiet classroom?
Expect odd questions
Try to be entertaining, not dry
Have planning/coordination prep time with the teacher
Astronomers should ask questions of kids
Expect students to be fascinated by black holes
You don't have to know all the answers - "I don't know but we can
find out"
How effective am I going to be?
Take signals from kids to gauge their interest
Take signals from teacher for classroom management help
How to start out, what to say first?
Make a connection with Star Trek, X-files
Lead in with importance of science education
Icebreaker: what does a scientist look like?
Point out how amateur astronomers make important contributions
Emphasize astronomy related careers
Wow! We can help with:
WWW access
robotic telescopes
Real data
Image processing
"Net day"
But wait, do teachers really want all this electronic help? Find out first.
Page created and maintained by Suzanne H. Jacoby
(outreach@noao.edu) Last Updated: 27 December 1996
Artwork by students of the Satori School and Miles Exploratory Learning
Center, Tucson, Arizona
Return to the Project ASTRO-Tucson Workshop Agenda Page