A seventh grade physical science teacher at William Floyd Middle School has earned a prestigious education fellowship this summer in the nation’s capital, one that she can bring back and help her students learn more about STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) learning.
Lauryl Byrnes and 80 other teachers from around the country will attend the Teacher Innovator Institute (TII) at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
At TII, middle school educators will learn how to bring the museum experience into their classrooms by exploring connections between informal STEAM education and authentic learning.
Almost 200 teachers applied to be a part of the summer program. Mrs.Byrnes will be the first teacher from Long Island to participate.
“This program is an opportunity for me to learn new teaching strategies and science content from experts within the science and aerospace field, while also collaborating and learning from other educators from all over the country,” said Byrnes.
The program will include hands-on activities, museum tours, behind-the-scenes museum experiences, visits to other museums and group work. Teachers will benefit from the expertise of museum educators and content experts and be able to use aerospace science, history and technology to shape their ideas about authentic learning and bring informal education techniques to their classrooms. Educators in the program have committed two weeks each summer for two summers. During those two weeks, they will actively participate in sessions led by Smithsonian staff and guests and propose and complete a professional development plan.
“I am always looking for new ways to make science more fun and enriching for students,” concluded Ms. Byrnes.