This Saturday in Science (Education)

Blogger's Note: Pottstown Schools Information Minister John Armato pointed this one out to us,from our sister paper, The Times-Herald.

Several Potrstown elementary school teachers are in the midst of receiving direct, hands-on training from scientists with Arkema Inc. in how to teach certain scientific principles in the classroom this year.

For the 18th year, Arkema, a chemical company with research centers spread across the world, will hold its “Science Teacher Program” to combat deficiencies in teaching.

“Arkema developed the Science Teacher Program in 1996 to address a negative trend discovered while interviewing teachers in elementary and secondary education: teachers did not enjoy teaching and were not adequately equipped to teach hands-on science,” a release from the company said.

Teachers choose kits focusing on different science subjects that they will want to teach about in the fall and receive training in those specific areas.

From Thursday through Sunday, the first set of teachers are going through the specific kits they chose at the Arkema King of Prussia Research Center.

Andrea Hunsberger and Nicola Alutius, from Pottstown School District’s Barth Elementary School, are working on a variables science kit, Jamie Fazekas and Allen Ferster, of Pottstown’s Rupert Elementary School, are going through animal studies, and Patti Grzywacz and Donna Kehs, from New Hanover Elementary School in the Boyertown Area School District, are going over motion and design.

Also from Rupert Elementary, Rebecca Wyatt is going over a measurement kit with Sally Jenkins, of Pottstown’s Lincoln Elementary School.

Starting Aug. 5, John Slichter, from Upper Providence Elementary School of the Spring-Ford Area School District, will also receive training from Arkema scientists.

His training will end Aug. 8.

“Arkema’s Science Teacher Program is all about empowering teachers in an age where strict school budgets and curriculum often deny access to the world of science, said Arkema Vice President of Research and Development Ryan Dirkx.

More than 800 teachers took part in the program since it began in 1996, benfefitting more than 50,000 students across the country, according to Arkema.