NancyLynn Lysik
Grade 2
Nashua, NH
December, 2010

Note on Participation

"... I did want to be sure you and Fiona knew how much I enjoyed the program. I still can't find words to clearly explain what I learned, but let me try. To me, teaching science means letting go of the control that as a teacher in training I was told I had to hold supreme. It means giving kids time to make sense of what the are learning. It isn't a rule of language or a math fact to simply memorize, it is understanding concepts and ideas too complex to rush. It is letting them choose what they want to learn, too. I try to keep these ideas at the front of my mind every day. So, today, with Randy's help, we smashed our rocks with hammers! The kids really wanted to see if they were the same on the inside...you should have heard the 'ooohs' and 'aaahhs' from the kids (and teachers) in the room! The others were working on mineral tests from the kit I got from the summer program and marveling at how some could be scratched with a penny and others not even with a nail! It was great!"

"Thank you for allowing me to join such a wonderful and inspiring group of professionals. I will miss the stimulating conversation and multitude of ideas I came away with each week."