New here? Let me reintroduce myself!

 Are you new here?  Are you wondering about the number of ideas generated here?  Let me give you a bit of background.  For years, I first taught professionally at private schools.  I had as many as five different science classes and was in charge of science fair. (I had a small business which failed.  There was an outstanding loan.  I determined that, yes, I did have a calling to teach and form young minds.  Truthfully, it was five years of teaching before I realized I liked it!)  During those years, I taught Chemistry, AP Chemistry, Biology, AP Biology, Physical Science, Life Science, Human Anatomy, Earth Science and AP Environmental Science. (Add in a little French and English to this mix.)  Eventually, I taught three preps, with loads of Chemistry classes.  My undergrad is Biology with a concentration in Chemistry.  The private schools also encouraged me to lead summer, science camps.  I learned how to write grants to get money for my classes.  I attended conferences, did programs, got my Master’s, all while raising my family and teaching.  (My kiddos were at the school where I taught.  Yes, I taught them in class.  They complained I was too hard on them.  When my daughter took Chem in high school, she adopted a whip-smart eighth grader as her lab partner.  She kept telling me that her ‘bitty buddy’ would explain things.)

Friends asked me to host science camp at our church.  These children returned every year!  I needed new ideas!  Let me tell you!  Five days of science camp makes a person stretch!  By this time, I taught part-time at a small college and spent several years in a public high school.  The Chem classes worked with the Special Ed class to deliver hands-on, science experiments to the local kindergarten classes.  I continued to take part in programs, wrote grants, and delivered training sessions.  For the past several years, my husband and I have taught with the local Co-op, a passion project.  We’ve added Young Explorer classes and Apologia’s Advanced Biology; I still teach Bio, Chem, and Physical Science regularly.  Rob teaches Physics.  We still offer science camp in the summer and teach a variety of science classes for the Co-op.  As a result, I have gained quite a bit of experience and exposure to different crafts, experiments, hands-on activities, and labs!  BTW, I try to do 50 labs or activities in every science classes.  We do at least 20 activities during Science Camp.  The result is that I’ve tried my share of experiments and have a few ideas to share.  New here?  Here’s hoping my experience will help you have the courage to do more labs or try new experiments!