Teacher Tales #17 – Coaching, encouraging, problem solving and painting a bigger picture in education: Ginger – Science, teacher consultant and co-founder of a science non-profit

In this episode, we hear from Ginger who tells us that she has been associated with teaching many different subjects like drama, P.E. and science, but that really, she considers herself a teacher of people and that in this role, it was her job to coach and encourage. Ginger says that every subject is important to enriching someone’s life, and that curiosity is key and at the core of learning any subject. We need to give students a learning experience first, and then, the subject or book knowledge. She goes on to explain that STEM is just a way of giving students tools to solve real-world problems, but that those problems can also be solved through the arts as well. Ginger uses a beautiful art metaphor to describe teaching. She says that planning for a learning experience is where we are in our flow as teachers. The classroom is where we have the time and space, which are like our canvas and brush. The different students who come to our classroom are the beautiful paints that we can use to create our work of art, which manifests as their learning. Ginger believes that ALL teachers want to be good teachers, but that we don’t give them enough time and space to reflect and apply their teaching arts and crafts. Teachers give so much to the world, and Ginger is no exception. Check out the non-profit that she co-founded to recognize science teachers and the sacrifices their families make to support the cause of learning and to provide a better education for all children. https://spacecoastscience.org/