Deep Roots =＞ Flowers + Fruit

As the school year winds down, do you ever feel that itch to shake things up? 🌱✨ That sense that what worked this year might need a refresh next year?

In this episode, we’re talking about curiosity as an act of service—why great teaching isn’t a “set it and forget it” career, but one that evolves with time, students, and our own growth.

I’m sharing how this time of year sparks my teaching spring cleaning mode—a time to reflect, ex...

February is all about connection—but not just in relationships. In this episode of Deep Roots, Flowers, and Fruit, we explore what it means to truly connect students to science as a practice, not just as a set of facts.

Too often, science instruction checks off the boxes—“I did a lab, so I included the science and engineering practices!”—but is that enough?

We’ll dive into the real purpose of science education: helping students do ...

This episode takes a deeply personal turn as we explore the hidden struggles educators face—especially in the darker, more challenging seasons of our careers. In keeping with our flora-focused analogy and inspired by the concept of root rot, we’ll dive into the imbalances that drain our energy and passion, from the relentless demands of teaching to the personal trials that test our resilience.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, exhau...

Collaboration is essential for student growth, but it’s not always easy!

In this episode, I reflect on a surprising groupwork success story, the challenges of fostering teamwork in my own high school chemistry classroom, and what I’ve learned from trial, error, and real teacher conversations.

Whether you’re struggling with group dynamics or rethinking your approach to collaboration, this episode will give you plenty to consider.

Le...

February is the month of love, and in this episode, we’re digging into the root of SERVICE—specifically, how our relationships with stakeholders (coworkers, administrators, special ed staff, guidance counselors, parents) shape our work as educators.

Let’s be real: Teaching is hard, especially when the very people who should be on our team don’t always feel like they are. So how do we stay grounded in our purpose? How do we show up ...

It's nearly a new month!  Each new month we'll explore a new seed from which to grow strong roots in our teaching practice.

In February, the new seed is CONNECTION.

As educators, we’re constantly forming connections—with students, colleagues, curriculum, and even ourselves. But in the rush of responsibilities, how often do we truly nurture those connections in a way that sustains us?

In this episode, I’m sharing my own journey of l...

This is the final episode of defining our ROOTS on this podcast!

In it, we're diving deep into the idea that science isn't just a collection of facts to memorize; it's an active, ever-present way of thinking and processing the world around us.

We'll consider how science is at work as one root of our professional practice and how to use it to grow strong, confident students from thoughtful, well-rounded lessons.

With personal storie...

In this episode, we explore the power of a purpose-driven mindset in teaching and its deep connection to the service-oriented nature of our profession.

I share my personal journey from pursuing a master's degree in chemistry to embracing the art and practice of education, reflecting on why academic qualifications don’t always equate to effective teaching. And, I introduce a new kind of PhD for teachers to consider growing into, one...

In this episode, I share the story of a student who found newfound confidence and skills after a shared connection over football fandom and a meaningful classroom challenge.

Using this story as a springboard, we’ll explore strategies for creating student-centered learning experiences that foster trust, relationships, and personal growth. Together, we’ll discuss how adding a thoughtful challenge to instruction can inspire critical t...

This is the first episode in a reboot of the Lab In Every Lesson podcast for 2025!

In it, we'll explore the idea that our strong roots—our core purposes as teachers—lead to abundant outcomes in student learning (our fruit).

This year, expect shorter, more interactive episodes focused on our shared roots of STUDENTS, SERVICE, and SCIENCE.

I'll also be inviting you to join and continue the conversation on LinkedIn, where we can exch...

As an Enneagram Type 3 Achiever, I thrive on setting and achieving goals, sometimes to a fault. To balance this while using student-centered teaching strategies to a foster positive classroom culture, I’ve embraced two essential core values that I believe are perfect for science teachers. 

In this video, I’ll share how these values guide my teaching practice, help me avoid burnout, and inspire my students to love learning. 

I’l...

Throw away that statement of teaching philosophy that you wrote in college or grad school!  Then, hang with me through this series where I share with you my own science classroom core values and how they connect to my unique talents and challenges when teaching science.

By defining core values for our classrooms that reflect our unique personalities, we can adopt instructional strategies in our middle school or high school classr...

Do you realize that LOW ENGAGEMENT is one of the most common signs of low self-esteem and low confidence in our middle school and high school science students?!

In this episode, I'll share 3 instructional strategies that might actually be CONTRIBUTING to those feelings and CRUSHING your students' confidence.

You’ll learn active learning strategies perfectly suited for science that you can use to leverage the psychology of learning,...

It's time for a little science teacher reflection!

We've been taught to use tools like Bloom's Taxonomy and Webb's Depth of Knowledge to think about and plan for how we'll require *our students* to make their learning visible.  But, I bet you've rarely (if ever) been encouraged to demonstrate your own mastery of TEACHING & LEARNING using the same sort of taxonomy.

If we could imagine a taxonomy like this, the lowest levels ...

Integrating *the right edtech tools* into your middle school or high school science curriculum and instruction -- everyday lesson plans for science -- can make active learning a realistic routine, enhance student-centered culture in your classroom, and make students' thinking visible by providing a means to collect regular, reliable evidence of learning.

In this episode, I'll share exactly what I mean when I say "TRADE YOUR TALK ...

Let's create a culture of curiosity in our classrooms by adding COMFORTABLE STRUGGLE to all the lesson plans in our science curriculum!

This episode will refresh what you remember about depth of knowledge and why it's important to our instructional design.   Then, I'll explain exactly how the scientific method -- especially observation and inferences in science --  perfectly complement traditional hierarchies of understanding.  

My...

The CROSS-CUTTING CONCEPTS listed in the Next Generation Science Standards aren’t our enemies!  

They make active learning possible because they create a list of basic scientific practice we can lean on to ensure our activities are designed to leverage and develop the skills related to scientific investigations and make thinking visible.  When we include them as a critical part of our instructional design process, students will be ...

By creating lesson plans for your science curriculum that focus on the beginning of all science practice -- observation and inferences -- you can increase engagement in a way that makes student thinking visible so that you know *exactly* how to support them.

Don't believe the myth that we have to separate "lab" from "lecture" in our science classrooms.

Instead, embrace the FACT that we can leave lecture behind FOREVER and still ens...

Are you seeking innovative ways to ENGAGE STUDENTS in your science classroom and elevate your science curriculum?

Join me as I share THE FIVE THINGS I NEED to plan daily, inquiry-based activities for my high school science students.

These five things, when used to strategically design activities,  form the foundation of dynamic lesson plans for science and make thinking visible.  I’m able to accurately assess learning outcomes and...