Ever since I was little, I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher. I have always been fascinated with all things school, from the organization of classrooms to the exciting lessons and ways to learn, and even just how the structure of the days at school were super predictable and something that I could count on. I was always all about school, so it was an easy decision for me to become a teacher.

So how did my childhood dream really become a reality? I'll be sharing with you my journey in education from starting out as a classroom teacher, my transition into being a K-5 STEM teacher, and what is in store for my future in education. Welcome to the Elementary STEM Coach Podcast, a show that will help you with lesson ideas, systems, and actionable tips to apply to your classroom. I am your host, Naomi Meredith, a former classroom teacher turned current STEM teacher and coach.

With over a decade of experience teaching and a master's degree in STEM leadership, I am here to coach you throughout the year to help you gain back more time to create innovative experiences for your students. Grab your earbuds and let's get started. I was a kid growing up who would go to school all day and then come home and play school.

My students were either the Barbie dolls that I had or my not-so-willing siblings. I am the oldest of five, and so there was always somebody to teach. Fun fact, I actually taught one of my brothers how to read.

So before he got to kindergarten, he was already reading, which is pretty exciting. Fast forward many years later when it was time to declare my major in college, I declared it right away going into my freshman year that I knew I was going to be an elementary teacher, and I stuck with it for four years. And the rest is history, which you're going to be hearing about in this episode.

So how did it all begin? When I was in my final year of college, when it came to student teaching, the program that I went to actually placed us in schools, and there were partnerships with my college and other schools in the area. I ended up getting hired at the school that I student taught at for a year, which was a super great experience since I already knew the layout of the building and a lot of the staff already there. I ended up teaching a second grade at this Title I school, and I had such an amazing team.

These two years in second grade really set the foundation for the rest of my teaching career. I really figured out what it meant to have strong systems and routines within your classroom. And really looking back on that, it doesn't really matter what type of classroom you have.

This is important for all classrooms and really having powerful lesson planning and being prepared for what you're going to teach. I really valued those two years and the wonderful people that I worked with. But I ended up moving somewhere else in the state and I needed to teach somewhere else that would be a bit closer to home.

I ended up landing a job at a school teaching third grade. And I think I've mentioned this before, I mentioned this quite often, I love kindergarten. They are still one of my favorite grades.

And when I applied to the school, I actually really wanted to teach kindergarten. But I ended up knowing somebody on the third grade team. And I didn't apply to the school knowing I knew them.

I just found out when I got there. So I ended up teaching third grade. And I was super nervous because to me, they seemed really old.

I did do some student teaching in it. I wasn't sure if I loved it. I loved kindergarten.

But I actually ended up loving third grade. And they are still a favorite age of mine, along with kindergarten. But I ended up teaching a third grade for four years.

And at this time in my teaching career, this was super powerful for me because I really became into my own as a teacher, figuring out my teaching style. And this is where I really discovered that I love technology and innovation, and hands on learning, which looking back even into my school years, I loved those kinds of classes back then. I even took a few STEM classes, they weren't called STEM back then.

But I've always been intrigued with this type of learning. And so I was using this with my students, and they were as obsessed as I was. And all that project based learning, hands on learning, going to conferences, taking every free and paid training that I could to really enhance my learning as a teacher, and then put that back into my classroom.

During this time, I was just so excited about this. And I could see the positive impact that it had on my little small classroom of 25 or so. But I knew that I needed to take these skills and knowledge and push myself as an educator and go bigger.

I really wanted to teach more students and try other things with them. I happened to find a job in a neighboring district that had a STEM position since we didn't have that available at my school. And it wasn't super popular in my district at the time.

So I ended up finding a K through five STEM position at a neighboring district, where I didn't know anybody, I didn't know any of the kids, but I went for it anyway. If you want to hear more about my interview and how I think it went, spoiler alert, I got the job. But if you go all the way back to episode one, I tell you exactly what happened in that interview and my thoughts about it.

So like I said, I got the job as a K through five STEM teacher. And I didn't know any of the students, any of the teachers didn't know the Wi Fi password, and didn't know what I was getting myself into, which I was ready for the challenge. I came into this K through five STEM role.

And here where I live, you actually don't need to have a STEM teaching degree to get a STEM role. And I feel like that's a bit common at the time of this recording, but I feel like that's going to change. Just like if you were to teach PE, art and music, you have to have those qualifications.

But luckily for me at the time, I had my bachelor's degree in K through six elementary education, had a valid teaching license. And eventually a few years later, I did get my master's in STEM leadership along with a STEM certificate. So if it came down to it, I'm qualified.

But really, I didn't have that specific STEM experience, just the other trainings and things that I was working on and was passionate about and helping other teachers, but landed this role. And it was way more than I knew, not in a bad way. But there are so many things that I learned, and various leadership positions that I took a hold of, and different types of committees to really create this STEM program from nothing.

So I was given a brand new classroom with limited supplies and absolutely no curriculum. And one of the things I have always loved as a teacher is designing and creating curriculum. Even back in the days when I was babysitting for my neighbor kids and all the kids at my church, I would actually create things and bring them to their houses and teach them.

So creating and designing things is also, has always been a passion of mine. So creating a curriculum was a big feat, but also very exciting for me. Now I've hinted here and there at things that I've done in this role, but I don't think I've actually talked about what I actually did in this position.

So yes, I was hired as a K-5 STEM teacher. That was the title, but there's a lot more that comes with it when you are developing a full cohesive program. So there's a whole lot of different hats that I did in this program.

So first of all, I was actually our school-wide technology point person. So we didn't have a separate tech person or whatever to manage all the school-wide technology. Now we do have some district support, but when it came to in-house situations, that was something that I had to develop and create systems and processes on my own.

And it took years to really get to a place where we were on the same page with devices. Everything was cleaned up, getting rid of old things that haven't been used in 10 years, managing ways to troubleshoot and how that's not disruptive, but also productive for not only me, but also the students and the teachers. So really figuring out that system where we could be successful with technology.

And I was teaching full-time, wasn't getting paid extra for this tech position, but figuring out those systems where it could definitely work for the building and also empower teachers to learn those things, to learn those skills, and also put that back into their classrooms for their students. Another big part of my role, especially the first few years when I got started and just with the type of schedule that I had, I would not only teach K-5 STEM as a specials, but part of my schedule was also co-planning and co-teaching with teachers. This was an awesome way for me to build relationships with teachers in my building that I didn't know.

And the kids could actually see me in another environment. So that was pretty fun seeing them in different ways. And we knew each other and got to learn all of their 500 plus names.

So that was really exciting to help teachers implement STEM and technology and even just innovative practices in their classroom to really think about the lessons that they were teaching. Are they actually the standards that should be teaching or are they things that we have always done forever? So rethinking those things and just adding in those ways that we can boost up the learning to really empower them and just have those exciting ways to learn. There's so many times when the content is actually really, really good, but the delivery could definitely be improved on or there's just ways to make it more engaging and put all the ownership on the kids.

So that was really, really fun doing that with teachers. I wish I got to do that more in the last two years in STEM. Since my schedule changed, I didn't get the chance to teach with people, but it was such a great, great time having that experience.

Also thing of interest in curriculum first semester, I also taught GT science. So I did have a cluster of kids where we worked on their science schools and a lot of project-based learning. During state testing time, I was part of the troubleshooting support.

So got a lot of steps in on those days, helping figure out headphones and computers and all of those things during that state testing time. A lot of you listening also know it was very interesting teaching during COVID. So that was interesting in my role since that was definitely unique teaching specials online, but also having this coaching support.

So when I wasn't teaching the students online, I was actually supporting the teachers in my building by hosting weekly online workshops based on attending the meetings that I went to, the grade level meetings, hearing those things that they were really needing help in, whether it was certain technology or ways to improve engagement online. And I hosted these quick 30-minute workshops so teachers could learn different strategies while they were at home and then have those workshops recorded and be able to help share those with the other staff in my building. And what was really cool too, is using those trainings and helping all my other teacher friends who were in the same situation, but using those recordings to help support them.

And then in turn, they didn't feel so lost with their students in this new to them situation teaching online. And then of course, all of that technology management that came along with it. So definitely a lot of curve balls being thrown at me in these five years.

But another thing that I've always really been passionate on, and I have a whole series that will come out in not too much longer, all about afterschool clubs. And I've always, as a teacher, even when I taught second grade, I did a science club, which was funny because now I'm a STEM teacher, science. But I've always done clubs as a classroom teacher and the value of that and having kids feeling seen and trying out new passions.

That was a big way to boost up my program and help kids understand what STEM can be and just help them discover things that they like, or maybe they don't like in STEM. If they didn't like it, then they're like, you know, this isn't for me. I'm like, that's okay.

It doesn't have to be your passion. So having things like robotics club, coding club, makerspace, one of my most favorite, which I'll even do a whole episode on this because it was my most favorite club that I ever did, but even hosting our school wide news, which was such a great way to build community in our building and really get to see the kids in a different light. When clubs weren't a possibility, I improvised and created take home STEM kits that the kids could work on STEM with their parents in actionable ways with very simple materials, but using them in innovative ways for different projects.

So a lot of different ways to help create that engagement and really bring STEM to life for the kids. And just having my little STEM buddies year after year was so much fun. I definitely ended this last school year with a bang and I will also do an episode about this, but creating a whole STEM career day experience where I brought in parents from our community and they presented on their STEM careers or ways that they support a STEM company or a STEM business and how they use those STEM skills in their current modern day roles.

So really rethinking how, yes, it's this little STEM class, but there's so many ways that you can broaden this and bring it to life even if it's not just in your specials rotation. Also, if this wasn't enough, I was on some committees. I hosted my own committee at school, my innovation and tech committee, where I could help teachers or grade level representatives be on the same page of updates that are coming in the district and things that I had planned for them and how I could best support them in their classrooms, along with collaborating with other teachers in the district, whether it was doing presentations or helping with big events that were happening for all the kids in the district.

So really trying to be involved and help STEM education grow in this elementary space so that they do want to keep going through middle school, high school, and hopefully beyond in their own way. Now back to past Naomi, the little kid who would go home and play school. There's a part about my childhood that I didn't share with you.

And that was the other side of me where I was very entrepreneurial and loved things about business. So when I was a kid, yeah, there's a typical lemonade stand, but I would take it to the next level. And I actually had a snow cone stand and made some good money for a kid, like not a few dollars here and there, like a lot of money.

Even the ice cream people would come and buy snow cones from us because they didn't serve snow cones, but doing things like that. I had one year I was collecting things from our house and asking my parents, can I sell this? Can I sell that? And then hosting a garage sale to try to make some extra cash. Of course, babysitting and nannying.

I was a cart girl doing all the things in college, but a golf cart girl in college, worked at Build-A-Bear, figuring out ways that I can make money to pay for my college. But all those different things, I've always had this side of me of like, okay, there's ways that we can make money and also help people, but I also love education. Those are just two very, I feel like different things all about helping people.

That's very much the same, but two very different sides of me that have always been me as a person. And so when I actually became a classroom teacher teaching second grade, I started up my own online shop on Teachers Pay Teachers and started selling my teaching resources because, okay, I knew this was working for my students. I could help other teachers and in turn make a little bit of money about it.

So if you go on there, my store name has changed a few times. You can't get anything that I first made. Those don't exist.

I bet the content's actually pretty good, but the fonts and everything are really, really ugly. Then when I moved into the third grade realm, when I really was starting to find my passion for STEM, innovation, hands-on learning is where my store shifted. Some of you here might actually know this.

I know that when I talked to Kelly Hogan back on the podcast, you can go check out that episode. We'll link it in the show notes. She knows this username because I knew her old username, but it used to be Marvelous Miss Meredith and that's where I started sharing my ideas out to the world.

So taking it from, okay, I have this little cute store and then, okay, let's see how we can share this with each other. And I changed that. I actually just changed it to my real name.

Well, that's my real name, Meredith, Marvelous Miss Meredith, but to Naomi Meredith because people thought Meredith was my name. So it's Naomi. That's my real name.

So it really shifted into that and really helping teachers. I was focusing a lot on technology and ways to help with tech tools. And funny enough that the website that I started then actually helped me land my K-5 STEM job.

And from there, like I said, when I got that K-5 STEM position, I walked into the space that had limited supplies and zero curriculum. And not only that, I was the only teacher in my building who had this type of role. And what I've come to find over the years being in this position, and especially to talking with you all online and in my emails, is this is a very common narrative is you're expected to do all of these really big and amazing things, but you don't have anybody else to collaborate with, or there's no training when it comes to lesson planning, or there's not any STEM specific standards yet.

There's a few, but you don't know how to implement that altogether. Not to mention, what should that progression of learning look like? How do you fit all of this in? I know because I've lived this and I've had these same questions. So through those needs, this is why I created this big shift in my teacher business to support all of you.

Past Naomi would have wanted all of these things to help me in the STEM classroom. And so this is my big way that I've been giving back over the years is supporting you with my content and all my lesson plans, this podcast, but providing you a place where you can feel seen and heard, and also have the tools that you can be successful as a teacher. And then of course, your kids can be successful.

As my K through five STEM teacher role was growing in demand, you can see all those things that I was doing. And I've loved, loved, loved teaching. I love education.

Likewise, my needs and my business has also grown in demands and just all of those connections and filling in those holes and those future holes that are needed in the elementary STEM space. And especially the past couple of years, just knowing that we all have the same 24 hours in a day. And my job is to be this most excellent, excellent teacher for my students as such a priority for me.

And also being the best teacher business owner that I can be to serve you. And there definitely has come a point where those two things require so much of my time to do them at the best of my ability. So thinking for a long time, years on this, talking about it, really contemplating the pros and cons and really thinking about, okay, I am so passionate about STEM education.

What if I can actually continue this passion and continue to help teachers and students in a bigger way, always trying to challenge myself and do the next thing. And what if I really did go all in on this? What if there are so many, oh my gosh, so many desks that I'm actually getting a little bit and I'm really not an emotional person. So if you're watching the video of this, I'm really trying not to tear up about it, but I'm the kind of person, if I'm going to do something, I'm going to do the best of my ability and put all of my energy towards that.

And with all the demands, with teaching and with the business, there really came a point where I have to choose one or the other, but also still really come down to it, make the impact that I want to make. So really trying to looking for other opportunities. There weren't any that were available for me to grow my district and also having all of this that I've built up for you guys and all the things that I wanted to do.

So after my 11 years of being in the classroom, I made the decision to take a step back and continue to support education from behind the scenes and pursue my business and collaborations with companies full-time. I love elementary STEM so much. And the things that I really realized about my business, of course, the students are the best part, but the things that I really love is the things that I've always loved in teaching.

And that is creating content and connecting with teachers. I love lesson planning and I love connecting with teachers. And that's an amazing thing that this business has definitely brought opportunities where I get to do those things and have the mental capacity and have the time to really, really full-fledged support you where you are at.

So if we haven't connected in these ways before, you're here on the podcast or you're watching here on YouTube, but definitely connect with me over on Instagram at Naomi Meredith underscore, but there's so many ways that already have created for you and continuing to grow so that elementary STEM can be the meaningful place that it is and that your admin really sees value in it, but also you see value in it and your students do as well. So different ways that we can support. I have that, my K through five STEM year long plan where you don't have to worry about what you're teaching.

And again, there's some fun updates that are going to be coming this next year that I have been planning out and figuring that out for you. So if you get it now, you get updates for free. I also have coaching spots available.

So maybe think about talking with your admin. Um, if that's a possibility that, um, getting that support where it, maybe you need help with your systems and routines. Maybe it's your classroom setup.

Maybe you want to work on a lesson plan together. We can work together for a week, four weeks or a few months if you want to, but we can definitely set up, set aside time so that you don't have to do this alone because it's hard. It's a really hard position to bring alone.

And of course, fun workshops along the way on demand ones that are live. And also my current course, the STEM teacher one-on-one to help you set up your whole systems and routines. So everything's linked in the show notes for you.

But my goal is definitely to be here for you, um, from being your cheerleader, being your support system, somebody that you can look on. I am still involved in education. I have some ways that I actually can get into classrooms.

So I'm not currently going to be in the classroom with students every day. My goal is to be here, involved here in education, to be supporting you with my resources and content and all the things up and coming so that you can feel success and really thrive in elementary STEM. Thank you so much for being here.

This was definitely an episode that I've been putting off, um, holding on to since I've known for a while about this. I've been really nervous about saying all of this that I just said. I'm really, really sweaty and I'm trying not to cry.

Um, but I'm just super passionate about this and definitely am excited. Oh my gosh, I'm getting emotional. I'm definitely excited for the future and what that holds and how I can continue support and give it all my all.

So thank you again. And I will, you can definitely reach out and I will see you all in the next episode. Thank you so much for listening to today's episode of the elementary STEM coach podcast.

I would love to connect with you over on Instagram at Naomi Meredith underscore, or send me an email to elementary STEM coach podcast at gmail.com. Also make sure to check out my website, Naomi Meredith.com to see all the show notes from today's episode and shop my K through five STEM resources. Any questions you have needs for resources or ideas for episodes, get in touch. I'll talk to you soon.