The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) announced that Christine Herald, STEM project coordinator for Manhattan-Ogden USD in Manhattan, Kansas, was one of 10 math and science teacher leaders selected to serve as a 2017 STEM Teacher Ambassador. The program aims to empower teacher leaders to develop the necessary skills to effectively communicate the realities of their classrooms to stakeholders.
“Many of the policies and practices that shape K–12 STEM education today have resulted with little or no input from classroom teachers,” said Dr. David Evans, NSTA Executive Director. “Throughout the year, the STEM Teacher Ambassadors will be taking on additional responsibilities and leadership positions which will create new roles and a greater voice for teachers and for STEM education.”
Herald joined colleagues—all recipients of the Presidential Awardee for Math and Science Teaching (PAEMST)—for an intensive communications, media, and policy training created by NSTA and NCTM designed to expand the classroom teacher voice at the local, state, and national levels.
During the weeklong training the ambassadors met with inside-the-beltway leaders to discuss major issues including key federal STEM programs, professional learning and growth, equity, standards, and assessments. They received rigorous media training and learned how to conduct media interviews and write op-eds; communicate more effectively and deliver key messages to the public; communicate new research results in STEM education; engage with local and state officials; and use social media to amplify messaging.
In addition to the training, NSTA and NCTM will provide ongoing organizational and professional support via the NSTA Learning Center. Through the NSTA Learning Center, the STEM Ambassadors will share work, track speaking engagements, and access important materials, including NSTA and NCTM white papers, policy information, news clips, articles, and research studies of importance.
“We’re very pleased with this year’s STEM Teacher Ambassadors,” said Ken Krehbiel, Executive Director of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. “They are motivated, they are passionate about STEM education, and they are deeply committed to developing their skills as teacher leaders.”
In her current role as the STEM project coordinator, Herald researches and models how to integrate STEM into 5th and 8th grade classrooms. She also facilitates the STEM Summer Institute at Kansas State University, offering over 20 classes to more than 300 students throughout the month of June. Prior to her current position with the school district, Herald taught science, math, and computer science for more than 30 years in Kansas and Michigan.
Herald has received several state and national awards throughout her career, including 2002 Kansas Master Teacher, the 2005 Presidential Awardee for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching, and the 2013 Vernier/NSTA Technology Award. She had the opportunity to participate in several National Science Foundation-funded projects such as ITSI, Quark Net, and Fermi Lab Data Camp.
Herald serves on NSTA’s middle level science teaching committee. She is also extremely active with other state and national organizations. She has been a member of the Kansas Association of Science Teachers since 1999 and served on the association’s board of directors from 2007-2010. She is also a member of the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) Division of Chemical Education, the American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AACT), and Quark Net.
This year’s cohort of teacher leaders was chosen from a pool of more than 130 PAEMST winners. The STEM Ambassadors were selected on the basis of several criteria, including showing evidence of teacher leadership; a solid background in science, math, and STEM education; and displaying a strong interest in growing as a professional STEM educator.
More information about the program and a complete list of the 2017 STEM Teacher Ambassadors can be found here.
This program is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1554059. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.”