Post by title1parent on Aug 10, 2011 7:06:40 GMT -5
Waubonsie Valley teacher worked in research lab at NIU this summer
BY ANGELA BENDER
For The Beacon-News
Last Modified: Aug 9, 2011 05:32PM
Some teachers spend summer finding ways to educate themselves. With new government initiatives being proposed, Waubonsie Valley High School science teacher James Donahue decided this summer he’d take the opportunity to work with research scientists at Northern Illinois University.
Donahue received an email from his department chair, Ray Hanus, about the STEM initiative. The program launched by President Barack Obama aims to create partnerships to help attract, develop, reward and retain outstanding teachers in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). The partnerships will include programs involving major companies, universities, foundations, nonprofit organizations and government agencies.
“(The STEM initiative) is going to happen,” said Donahue, “It’s just a matter of how the district implements it and how the teachers run with it.”
Hanus also believes students will benefit when teachers participate in these types of job shadowing programs, as they can bring back classroom lessons more relevant to the real world.
“Students will get a glimpse of some of the career opportunities related to the science they are studying,” said Hanus. “Our students will hear about some career pathways that they may not have otherwise learned about.”
In Donahue’s case it meant that, as a science teacher, he would be able to work alongside research scientists for a week at NIU. The Grippo Lab sponsored Donahue where he spent a week working with lab members helping to conduct experiments related to social experiences, depression and anxiety, and cardiovascular health, which is different from the anatomy and physiology that Donahue is accustomed to teaching.
“I got a chance to bounce ideas off of them,” said Donahue.
The work involved experiments on prairie voles, which look similar to mice and engage in social behaviors similar to humans. The results could lead to clinical trials for treatment of emotional disturbances such as depression. Donahue was grateful for the experience outside the classroom.
“I wanted to get my fingers wet,” he said.
BY ANGELA BENDER
For The Beacon-News
Last Modified: Aug 9, 2011 05:32PM
Some teachers spend summer finding ways to educate themselves. With new government initiatives being proposed, Waubonsie Valley High School science teacher James Donahue decided this summer he’d take the opportunity to work with research scientists at Northern Illinois University.
Donahue received an email from his department chair, Ray Hanus, about the STEM initiative. The program launched by President Barack Obama aims to create partnerships to help attract, develop, reward and retain outstanding teachers in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). The partnerships will include programs involving major companies, universities, foundations, nonprofit organizations and government agencies.
“(The STEM initiative) is going to happen,” said Donahue, “It’s just a matter of how the district implements it and how the teachers run with it.”
Hanus also believes students will benefit when teachers participate in these types of job shadowing programs, as they can bring back classroom lessons more relevant to the real world.
“Students will get a glimpse of some of the career opportunities related to the science they are studying,” said Hanus. “Our students will hear about some career pathways that they may not have otherwise learned about.”
In Donahue’s case it meant that, as a science teacher, he would be able to work alongside research scientists for a week at NIU. The Grippo Lab sponsored Donahue where he spent a week working with lab members helping to conduct experiments related to social experiences, depression and anxiety, and cardiovascular health, which is different from the anatomy and physiology that Donahue is accustomed to teaching.
“I got a chance to bounce ideas off of them,” said Donahue.
The work involved experiments on prairie voles, which look similar to mice and engage in social behaviors similar to humans. The results could lead to clinical trials for treatment of emotional disturbances such as depression. Donahue was grateful for the experience outside the classroom.
“I wanted to get my fingers wet,” he said.