Have you really done all of those programs?

 Yes.  Why? When I first started teaching, I taught in small, private schools.  These schools attracted wealthy families, but were shy on resources.  I was spending a great deal of my own money.  Additionally,  there was another Biology teacher and a Physics teacher.  I was teaching Physical Science, Life Science, Chemistry, AP Chemistry, and AP Environmental Science.  At one point I taught Earth Science, too.  Did I mention I had an undergrad in Biology with a concentration in Chemistry?  I had a lot of self doubt, which was completely justified.  How can you teach five preps well?  How can anyone be expected to be proficient in every science subject?  I also needed to get creative finding more resources so I spent less of my own money. 

Things happened gradually.  I reviewed books for NSTA and AAAS.  Teachers were recruited to review books, programs, software, etc and got to keep the media.  I continued to write for AAAS until a few years ago.  I attended conferences, such as AP Workshops and AP Summer Institutes.  I learned about programs largely through word of mouth.  When I started to teach AP Environmental Science, the local,Soil and Water Conservation District’s educational rep visited our school.  She had tons of resources and contacts.  This is how I learned about Envirothon.  Envirothon has projects.  One year, the project was to write a watershed grant.  Why not just write a real grant?  At the time, one of the Admins and a parent were experts.  They taught me how to write grants. I had some success and began delivering grant workshops.  One of the parents was a biologist at SCBI, formerly Smithsonian’s Conservation Research Center.  Writing grants, working with the Smithsonian, and delivering grant workshops led to many more contacts.  

When I changed schools, I started new programs.  I generally began with a call to the local soil and water educator.  He or she led to more contacts.  Often, local environmental groups would approach schools with programs.  I also was an AP Reader and table leader for several years.  Again, these types of opportunities lead to more contacts and more programs.  Sometimes sponsors or partners asked me to round up participants for free programs and training, such as Projects Wet, Wild, and Learning Tree.  I took several courses through NASA IV & V STEM Center, especially if I wanted to borrow equipment for a project, such as IR thermometers to study Surface Temperature.I took training for GLOBE. 

 In West Virginia, teachers with their Master’s degrees no longer need to take courses for recertification.  As a result, they don’t have an incentive to take continuing education courses.  In Virginia, with a Master’s degree, teachers can use points, such as workshops or grants, to earn credit for recertification.  While teaching in Virginia, I took programs for recertification credit.  In West Virginia, relatively few teachers took part in programs.  The science teachers at the high school where I taught did.  We got all kinds of materials through state programs by participating in week-long trainings.  

I remained certified as an insurance policy; the private schools where I taught did not require certification.  I got my Master’s when I realized recertification would be easier.  I added a Chemistry endorsement to my certification as evidence I was qualified to teach chemistry?  I was mainly teaching chemistry, by that time.  (Parents in prep schools can be demanding.)  I achieved National Board certification in Chemistry for myself.  (Okay, there was an annual stipend.) Did I really have the knowledge to teach chemistry?  (It was helpful when a disgruntled parent asked if I was even qualified to teach chemistry.)  Yes, I’ve done many, many programs, which have provided an enormously varied career.  As a bonus, I’m not afraid to try something new.