MSSM STEM Collaborative Camp Part 2 – Collaborating is Fun!

July 22-28th was one of the most fun weeks of my adult life. I spent it collaborating and networking (discussing, building, creating, and playing) with science, math, and technology educators! I watched amazing rockets launch into the air. I helped build dive-bombing kites. I played laser tag and tried to save the world from pandemics (just a board game, don’t worry). I gazed at the moon and stars through a telescope on clear evenings. I hiked in Aroostook State Park. I was able to do all this in five short days at the MSSM STEM Collaborative Camp.

It was fun and rewarding to support three VS Educator Leaders (aka teachers-extraordinaire). I also got to take a course and participate in daily activities. It was so hard to choose a course to take. In addition to the Vital Signs course, there were many amazing courses taught by educator leaders from Maine and beyond. The course topics included taxidermy, rocketry, making math more relevant, GIS, engineering projects, using mysteries in science, and hands-on molecular biology. When we weren’t in class we were discussing teaching and learning, and collaborating across disciplines, across schools, and across grade-levels. One outcome of this collaboration showed what happens when a taxidermy teacher meets a rocket-building physics teacher.

I walked away from the week knowing that we have a state full of FUN, inspiring, and motivating educators. I am so happy to consider them colleagues, and hope to have many more opportunities to work with them. This group of educators made grown-up STEM camp such a blast! Keep your eyes peeled for this camp next summer.