76 | Teaching Teachers in 2020: Inside Ohio University’s STEM+ for All Program | with Mary Schneider, Sorpresa Jones, and Bailey Lohr

Today we’re talking to a few of the people who participated in one of The Ohio University’s most unique teaching programs: the STEM+ for All Teaching Fellowship. STEM+ is focused on supporting individuals  with science, technology, engineering, and math backgrounds — so people who do not already have a background in education — who seek to change their careers to become intervention specialist teachers. Part of the program involves hands-on training with a mentor teacher, and we’re lucky enough to be able to sit down with both two pre-service teachers currently going through the program and the mentor who has guided them throughout the year.

Our pre-service teacher guests are Sorpresa Jones and Bailey Lohr, who are both in their third term in the STEM+ for All teaching fellowship, and our mentor teacher guest is Mary Schneider, a master teacher and PAST’s School Design Coordinator.

If you are in school or have a kid, you are probably painfully aware that 2020 has been a weird year for schooling, to say the least. Some programs across the country just hit pause when everything happened, but fortunately, Sopresa and Bailey were able to use this as a learning opportunity.

We unbox:

• Why someone with a music background decides to start teaching STEM
• Succeeding in spite of COVID-19
• Teaching is like walking a dog
• Training intervention specialists
• You don’t have to be a teacher to be an educator
• Helping reluctant learners engage
• Building relationships with learners over the internet, even when you can’t see them
• The value of giving teachers diverse experiences
• Advice if you’re contemplating getting into teaching, even if you already have a different career or educational background

Resources:

• Learn more about STEM+ Teaching for All
• Connect with Mary on LinkedIn
• Listen: 044 | How to Train Teachers to Let Students Lead | with Erika Reeves & Mary Schneider