Post by samc on May 10, 2019 13:30:34 GMT -6
5/10/2019
Conversation with PJ Jacobs Middle School STEM Lab Manager Dustin
1. What is going well?
- Overall the students liked it and were on board to try every lab.
- Only 4 kids this year
2. What is not going well? Why?
- Lab started late and a lot of school weather related cancellations caused missed labs.
- The students got board with content very quickly. He felt he had to improvise frequently. Just one example was with the Radio lab. It was the few weeks when it was so cold outside the students couldn't go outside and test for frequencies for long. Would have been better to do that lab later in semester. Dustin improvised and taught the students Sketch Up and did some 3D modeling exercises. Students really liked it.
3. How is attendance compared to the beginning of the year?
- Multiple kids had basketball practice and started missing so they moved the times. They also choose to end the labs early.
4. Any behavioral issues?
- One student had lots of energy and was very fidgety. Same student seemed to know everything and would blurt out answers right or wrong constantly. Same student's parents were always 10-15 minutes late picking them up.
- FYI - He isn't a teacher and doesn't have kids. Said there were times he didn't know what to say to get the kids back on track. Passive individual.
5. Favorite Module?
- Robotics was a lot of fun. Students loved it and only issue was 2 laptops for 4 students. The student not programming on the computer got bored.
Modules that need work?
- Woodworking Module - 4 blocks of wood for 4 kids, not enough but made it work. He felt they really need to think about supplies for this lab and forget about the "junk" saw and get more wood for the kids take home and work on.
- In general some of the modules took 10 minutes and had to improvise for 1.5 hours and others could have taken 2 full meeting to cover.
- Radio Lab they had done instantly and got bored very quickly.
6. Parent support or perception?
- 2 parents involved and 2 not at all. 1 was the lab manager. Good support overall for the program and content. One parent did send in a complaint to the Counsel regarding the car/wood lab.
7. School perception and Feedback.
- No issues. School cleared him a place to keep his stuff and it was a nice lab to work in (one of the science rooms)
8. Overall
- He felt that he would come back next semester
- It was a small group, could have used larger number of students. Not to many, sweet spot between 8-12.
- He would recommend a mandatory field trip to a local business for the students. I offered our facility anytime for him to use.
- He could use an impromptu labs for times when things finished early. Something that doesn't take a lot of time or equipment that is a solid 30-45 minute lab for when he's done early. I give him a lot of credit teaching the kids Sketch Up.