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ChangED
ChangED is an educator based podcast for Pennsylvania teachers to learn more about the PA STEELS Standards and science in general. It is hosted by Andrew Kuhn and Patrice Semicek.
ChangED
Stickers Don't Cut It: The Real Deal on Science Education Reform
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The transformation of science education is happening right now in Pennsylvania classrooms, and middle school teacher Tom Leeds is on the frontlines. In this enlightening conversation, Tom pulls back the curtain on the real differences between curriculum that merely displays a STEELS "sticker" versus materials that authentically embody these new science standards.
Tom shares how his classroom dynamics have fundamentally shifted as students move from passive recipients of information to active participants with genuine agency in their learning journey. The results speak volumes – not only are students more engaged with scientific concepts, but behavior problems have decreased significantly. "The kids are talking about science and we can see that they care more," Tom observes, "and that just warms my heart because it's working."
As a PennSEL Network participant, Tom benefits from collaboration with science educators across Pennsylvania, preparing for upcoming changes to state assessments while implementing best practices in his classroom. He offers advice for teachers just beginning to implement STEELS.
Whether you're a veteran science teacher or just beginning your STEELS implementation journey, this episode offers practical wisdom, honest reflections, and the inspiration to take that next step toward transforming your classroom. Listen now to discover how putting students "in a position of power" might revolutionize learning in your own educational setting.
Want to learn more about ChangED? Check out our website at: learn.mciu.org/changed
Welcome back to Change Ed Changed Changed. Super glad to be here with all of you for this episode of Pennsylvania's number one rated education podcast, a podcast for educators by educators. I am your host, andrew Kuhn, education consultant from Montgomery County Intermediate Unit, and here with me, patrice Semacek, an educational consultant from Montgomery County Intermediate Unit and here with me Patrice Semacek, an Educational Consultant from Montgomery County Intermediate Unit.
Speaker 3:And the man the myth the legend Tony Marabito from Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit, and I would love if Andrew would allow me to speak to introduce our guest today, famous in the Lehigh Valley area, Mr Tom Leeds from Catasauqua Middle School. Tom, welcome.
Speaker 4:Thank you so much, everybody. I'm so excited to be on this is awesome.
Speaker 1:Thanks, tom. Tom, great to have you on the podcast. Tony has been sharing all the work that you are part of and you're very instrumental in the implementing of STEALS. He tells us that you're on a number of different teams that are helping to bring things together to empower educators. But we want to hear from you not only all these great things that you're doing, but you're doing the work right. All these things that we're talking about the podcast, we're trying to let educators know all these things are happening. You're actually doing the work. So we'd love to hear from you maybe just a little bit about where are you at in your educational journey and then, how is it going for you? What is happening with your Steel Summit invitation? What are some of the things that you're doing?
Speaker 4:So this is my third year teaching science in a middle school.
Speaker 4:These three years have been not only a transition for me but across the whole entire state as well, and when I first started here I don't want to besmirch some curriculum creators, but the one that we had when I first came here had the steel aligned, not STEAL at the time NGSS was the acronym at the time had all the stickers all over it to make it look like it was real, and I started to really get into it and immediately there were some problems.
Speaker 4:And so right now in Catasauqua we are working towards looking towards other options, curriculums and units that better align to STEALs and the skills that the kids will need to be successful in a Steeles classroom. So that's what we're doing right now. We are piloting some OpenSciEd units. I did one last year and starting to spread. I got the eighth grade. Our eighth grade team is starting theirs as well and so far it's been very, very good. We noticed the difference between a curriculum that just has the NGSS sticker on it and one that is truly aligned to the spirit of steals and the skills and the content that all the kids need.
Speaker 1:Steals and the sticker.
Speaker 4:I'm looking for the word stamp Stamp of approval.
Speaker 2:Stamp sticker. They're all the same.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:How are you noticing the kids responding to the open side or the new? It doesn't have to be open side, but like the new standards and the shift in thinking if you ask the kids, they wouldn't realize it, but I see it.
Speaker 4:They like it more because it puts them in a position, position of power. But they have much more say what we're learning and talking about and it's more active for them as opposed to me being up there going through an outline of notes, looking at a textbook, maybe thinking about some ideas critically. The new way is flipped a little bit in that the kids are the really active participants in learning, which they always should have been.
Speaker 4:So one great thing that I've noticed is behaviors have gotten better, because what I have is I have one unit that we're using as we're piloting and transitioning to OpenSciEd material, so we have the old curriculum that we use and that unit actual behaviors, or worse is the way that it's set up, and now that we are doing this newer unit, openscied materials, it's easier. It's not like the content is easier, it's not that anything is dumbed down, it's just it's better suited for a seventh grade.
Speaker 1:And that's just wonderful to see. That's awesome.
Speaker 1:It also sounds like what you're saying is the vehicle of delivery involves students from the beginning, not getting them involved after they have all the background knowledge. You're getting them involved right away, so you're still able to eventually provide all that background knowledge, but in a different way, where they're already interested and they're leaning forward in their seats, not leaning back, chewing their gum or causing different behavioral problems. So it sounds like that there's an unintentional byproduct of a different classroom management techniques that are being used because you're engaging in the steel standards and instructional implementation.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I agree there's a much more focus on the hooks, getting kids hooked, and we don't want to silo the kids into one way of thinking. It's really opening up to them and their own thoughts and their own prior knowledge and for them, bringing that into the class. None of this is brand new thinking. This has kind of been the way that education has been moving over the past decade or so since I took my first college class to become a teacher. These ideas certainly have been there and the new steals and the better aligned curriculums really embrace these ideas.
Speaker 3:Tom, we talked about how the kids feel. How do you feel as the teacher, going from okay, my scripted kit or whatever you were using prior and whatever investigation you were using, to more of guide on the side? There we go guide on the side.
Speaker 4:So there are pluses and minuses to it, because the students have more of a say in the class, really have to work on modeling appropriate behavior, on how to have a good, productive discussion, how to find these like, I guess, like soft skills that the kids need in life. This is really also incorporating teaching of soft skills in the classroom. So for some classes, some kids, they get it, it's easy. Other kids have a lot of growth in that area. So that is a challenge as a teacher to do that. But the good side is the kids are talking about science and they can see that they care more, and that just warms my heart because it's working. So there's more work for me in some regards, but I see it clicks for the kids and that's what's really important.
Speaker 2:I can imagine too, if kids have experienced this coming up to the grade that you're in. The more experience they have in this way of thinking, the less work it would be on your part to get them ready for it. I mean, I can imagine the shift from although, knowing you for the whole five minutes that I've known you, I don't feel like prior to these standards you would have been more of a stand and deliver kind of teacher.
Speaker 4:But I can imagine, like I said, as they come up to you, the work will be a little bit less in terms of, like, shifting the way they interact with the materials. Yeah, I'm looking forward to that. Once our elementary school and the grades below me start to really click into this new philosophy here, that will iron itself out for everybody.
Speaker 2:Tony also said you're a part of Pencel. First of all, what is Pencel and what kinds of things are you guys doing in that network?
Speaker 4:Sure, well, I'm terrible at acronyms.
Speaker 2:We don't need to know all of the words, science, education, leaders.
Speaker 4:No, I got there and I wanted to brag. So, yes, Pencil, no, I lost it, but anyway, the collection of science-geared thinkers and, adjacent to education, even. We have representatives from colleges, universities, from the IUs, admin, teachers, community partners, like museums, and there are several different cohorts throughout the state. Each cohort meets every, seems like every four, six months. We get back together and it's a process of how best to situate individual schools and individual IUs to roll out and be ready for what's happening. What's happening is state tests are changing, the CDTs are changing, the PSSAs, the keystones are changing, and just trying to put everyone in the best position so we can make this pivot all together. And that's what the Pencil Network is all about.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. How is your work with the Pencil? Network how has that informed your work in the classroom? I could see those two kind of informing one another right. Working on one helps to inform the other. How has it impacted you as an educator?
Speaker 4:For me as an educator. As a teacher, because there's so many different perspectives of education as I'm starting to learn. When I'm in a room with people from all different levels, I see there's so many different perspectives on the same thing. With people from all different levels, I see there's so many different perspectives on the same thing. This gives me a better understanding of the larger why. And to connect all the pieces, education is while I'm surrounded by individuals, it's a lonely profession. I'm the only adult in the room. If I can meet my co-workers for lunch for 30 minutes, sure. So being able to coordinate with people and see the bigger picture of where this is all going has given me the courage in the classroom to just dive in and just go for it. And that's something that's interesting.
Speaker 4:When I speak to other teachers who haven't just because they are not part of the pencil network and haven't heard about these changes coming, or they haven't gone to trainings, there's so much hesitation by many teachers because it's a change. They're scared, they're like well, what if this doesn't work? What if this doesn't work? What if I do a discussion and that fails? And what I'm trying to convince everybody? Just dive in, go for it. That's the only way we're going to figure out what works, what works for you and your style of teaching and what works for your kids. Every situation is going to be different, so this is giving me the courage to just go for it. We're all learning together and the only way we're going to learn is just by learn, by doing and reflecting.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was actually talking to a mentor of mine a few days ago. He was an educator. One of the things that he said that really stuck with me is that most of the time, as a teacher, you don't know, and it's about navigating through the unknown, which we're doing every day, and at some point we have enough experience where we're like, okay, I've been here before, I have an idea of how this might play out, but we still actually don't know. We have different kids, there's different scenarios, there's different administration, the window colors could be different, right, like anything. Any number of things could be different than they were before. So we might have an idea, we might have a guess, but we don't actually know. And that's the powerful thing about steals and what we're doing is it's empowering us to admit that we don't know, and then we might not always be the smartest person in the room you know, for any number of topics, any number of things that we do, that there are different scenarios.
Speaker 1:Now I actually want to switch gears with you and reference something we were talking about earlier. Obviously, you know you're a younger gentleman and before we started you said that Tony is like a grandfather to you. So I'm curious you know what his advice was to you getting into education? How did he steer you in the right way and how do you feel like now these new instructional practices are differing from kind of his traditional background on education?
Speaker 2:Tony is the youngest one of all of us and every time he goes there.
Speaker 4:The ancient wisdom of Tony, are you asking about? How did I end up here as a middle school teacher?
Speaker 2:No, he just wanted to throw a jab at Tony.
Speaker 4:He just wanted to throw a jab at Tony. I think that's what it was.
Speaker 1:Yeah, oh, okay I felt good about it, though, tony was smiling, yeah, okay, I felt good about it though Tony was smiling.
Speaker 3:You pulled me. Yeah, thank you. I actually have a real question. Thank you, tony. That's right. There's a ton of teachers out there either just dipping their toe in this we're brand new to this or not even hopped into the steel standards yet because they're doing some other initiative from their school district. So if you had to give one piece of advice to a teacher that's just starting out what would you tell them?
Speaker 4:And I would say just work on something small. It could be so tiny. The one thing because I'm early in my transition to the one thing that I did this year is I found posters of the cross cutting concepts and science and engineering practices and I put them up in my room and I try to refer them as much as I can can. Whenever something pops up, I'm like just start making them like a talking point and encouraging the kids to make the connection. Oh, this thing that I'm doing is this actual defined skill that I can do in science, not only in science but like in life, like computational thinking or identifying patterns. That has been very helpful for me because it also provides a little framework and just like a jumping off point. So binding ways to start putting steals or NGSS posters and ideas in your room and referencing them when they come up is, I think, a great place to start.
Speaker 2:I love that idea, and it's also like a nice reminder for yourself. Like oh yeah, those are there. I think about it. Yeah, I like I really like that, and it's small enough that it's not overwhelming but it's a nice direction to go.
Speaker 4:I really like that and it's really nice when the kids will raise their hand and they'll point to it Like that's what we're doing. Yeah, yes, that is what we're doing. That's awesome. We're in connection.
Speaker 3:Actual connection.
Speaker 4:They're making the connection to an actual skill that they'll need Whether it's a soft skill or just critical thinking as they move through life, whether they do anything in science or not. These are all good things that we want functioning adults to have. That's the plan.
Speaker 1:Very true, tom. I have to say that you represent the exact reason and fabric why we created this podcast, because you even had mentioned it yourself that you know if people don't know about Pencel, like if they don't have that experience and one of the things we found is that there are so many great people doing so many wonderful things and making such a big impact and difference all across Pennsylvania, but really all across the nation, even globally. But a lot of times we're so busy doing the work we don't have time to talk to each other about it, right? Or, like you said, I got 30 minutes to get my lunch, warm it up, have a quick conversation and then get right back to it.
Speaker 1:So we wanted to create this podcast, keep it to 15-ish minutes so it's easy to listen to, but we can start to share out this message and start to share out these inspiring and hopeful things, but also this great impact that we're having through Steels and through all of the instructional implementation practices and how they're changing. So thank you so much for taking time to meet with us and share this, so that we can share this out with the ChangeEd Nation.
Speaker 4:Do you?
Speaker 1:have any closing thoughts or inspiring things that you want to share with us?
Speaker 4:as we wrap up oh man, you got me good An inspiring thing. I hate to be corny. People always say remember your, why. You know this job can be very stressful. We're being pulled in as a teacher, being pulled in a million directions, whether it's our students or admin or these changes from the state, and sometimes it gets very, very frustrating. But what was so nice is I? A week ago I got sick and I just had to stay home for a day and I came back and the kids were like we missed science and we miss you and all that other stuff that's pulling me aside. That's just remember your why. Remember why you're here with the kids and even if a kid isn't showing appreciation towards you in their own way.
Speaker 2:They are.
Speaker 4:They may not even know how to do it. They're not there yet.
Speaker 2:That's impressive to get middle schoolers to like you as a human.
Speaker 4:Yes, it's so yeah.
Speaker 2:It's really impressive, like they should make a little plaque for you, because I don't know how often that happens.
Speaker 4:I do have a.
Speaker 2:I see your wall of art. That is very awesome.
Speaker 4:It can draw me in many different ways. How odd I can look.
Speaker 2:I like the anime one. That one's really cool.
Speaker 4:Yeah, that's definitely not me, but I put it up anyway.
Speaker 1:Tom, usually on this podcast, I give the guests the second to last final thought. I actually change ad history first. I can't top what you just said. That's a really awesome, powerful moment as an educator. Remember your why, which is a big reason why we started this podcast as well, but also what you just said about the impact on students. This is why we do the work that we do. So thank you, sir, for all that you do. Thank you, tony, for making this connection. You said that Tom was an all-star, and you were right, and so, on behalf of the entire ChangeAd team, thank you for tuning in. Thank you, tom, for giving us your time and being here.
Speaker 1:And we encourage you to get out there and find your ways to embrace your steals.
Speaker 2:And subscribe.
Speaker 4:And subscribe Again.
Speaker 2:I can't Subscribe please.
Speaker 4:Keep subscribing. Get a new account and subscribe with that account. There's no reason why you can't have two, three, four accounts. You totally should.
Speaker 1:If you have a twin, tell your twin. If you're a triplet tell everyone. See here he is.
Speaker 2:He can't let anyone else have the last word. Did you hear that?
Speaker 1:That's not true.
Speaker 2:He was like Tom, you had great last words, but I'm going to repeat it in my own way so I can end the podcast.
Speaker 1:It's called a dramatic retelling.
Speaker 2:It was dramatic Oli.
Speaker 4:And not just silo, siloing, silo them, siloing them into one. That's for the editing you guys have to do. Thank you, you're welcome.
Speaker 1:Siloing.
Speaker 2:Siloing. Oh good, more singing. I love when he sings. I've got like four different songs from him. Sorry, tom, more singing. I love when he sings, I've got like four different songs from him. Sorry, Tom Continue.
Speaker 1:You're right, silo me Go.
Speaker 4:We don't want to silo the kids into one way of thinking. It's really opening up to them and their own thoughts and their own prior knowledge and for them, bringing that into the class Bye.