Naomi Meredith  00:00

The elementary STEM coach podcast is almost a year old and this coach is coming out of the podcast and is here to personally help you. Well, this podcast is a great resource to help you learn and grow on the go. There are times when you need more personalized attention. What does it actually mean to have a STEM coaching session with me, Naomi? Well, I'm taking you behind the scenes in part two of this type of episode, where I actually recorded another coaching session with a teacher in the STEM Into Summer Group Coaching Program. As one of the bonuses in this group coaching program, you receive a free one on one 30 minute video coaching call with me, where we get to know one another, your STEM program, and the goals that you have for it to set you up for success for back to school. If you go back to Episode 93, you can hear a different coaching session that I had with a member of my program. In this session, I'm talking with Miranda and she teaches pre K through fifth grade STEM in her building. She teaches two days a week and sees all the students in her school within those two days. I know many of you listening can relate since you also see the whole school within a week. This is a very common schedule. Miranda has many years of experience teaching and is in fact retired but found this awesome STEM role. She has a few great units already in place that were really successful, but wants to nail down her whole year long plan so that it can go smoothly, and she can adjust as needed. She has also noticed that her students have been needing support in specific tech skills and wants to integrate that content into her curriculum. Together, Miranda and I set up a plan of action of next steps to take now and what to expect going into the STEM Into Summer group coaching program. During this session, I'm sure you're going to find similarities in her program and the struggles that she is facing to what you're experiencing in your STEM space. If you're interested in joining forces with me and other teachers who are building their STEM programs, there's still a few spots available, you can jump in at Naomimeredith.com/stemintosummer, our kickoff call was recorded for June and you can still catch up and access all the pre-work you'll need to complete as you set up the foundation that will build up your success for July through September. Likewise, if you are unsure about this program, and if it's a right fit for you, let's talk about it face-to-face. Schedule a free live call with me at Naomimeredith.com/call spots are limited in June, but more times will open up in July. Now let's get into this coaching session. 

Naomi Meredith  02:45

I'm so glad that you signed up. I remember I saw your email when I was driving to the airport and it pops up on my watch. Like, oh my gosh, I'm so happy to work with you this summer. 

Miranda B.  03:29

Yeah, me too. I'm excited.

Naomi Meredith  03:31

Yeah. So remind me your schedule. So you teach STEM twice a week. All the kids in this school. So you have small class sizes. 

Miranda B.  03:39

Only once a week, I only see them once a week. 

Naomi Meredith  03:42

You see them once a week, but you teach twice a week.

Miranda B.  03:45

I teach two days. Yeah. 

Naomi Meredith  03:46

Okay. 

Miranda B.  03:46

Tuesdays and Wednesdays. And yeah, I see preschool, Kindergarten, fourth and second on one day, and the other day is first grade, third, and fifth.

Naomi Meredith  03:57

Okay. And then you just got that which and then you see him again. You said there's one of each class, right one of each grade level. Yes. That's so crazy. So how did it go? So last year was your first year so you're telling me a little bit when we were talking? So it was your first year in STEM, but you have tons of teaching experience? You kind of mentioned a little bit but what were you doing with your lesson plans before like what were you doing for lesson plans? Are you picking and choosing or were you making your own? 

Miranda B.  04:28

I was doing a lot of like storybook STEM because that's what I was used to doing from the library. Yeah, because that's what I did in the library. I did a lot of yours like I looked at your year long plan. I did a lot of those. I would do some Carly and Adam lessons. I did some vivify STEM lessons at the beginning of the year they have some really good like icebreaker kind of lessons. I just did those but yeah, I mean, I had some units like we did a 3D printing unit where everybody except preschool and Kindergarten did that district As Kindergarten doesn't have one on one, everyone brings their own devices. They are okay to bring from home. But yeah, Kindergarten and preschool, so they couldn't do it. But everybody else did a 3D print. We did coding, like in December, we did Hour of Code, but I did for the whole month. Yeah. We did a lot of tinker with the older kids. And then we did doodle 3D with the younger kids. Different coding. Let's see we did robot's. I don't know how many dashes we have.

Naomi Meredith  05:29

I saw one hiding back there yesterday.

Miranda B.  05:33

Because Maverick was afraid of it. Yeah. And it was going on. So I had to pick it up. I had it sitting behind me. And I had to pick it up because he was afraid of it. I brought it home for my niece, because I watched my niece this week. And so she wanted me to bring it home so she could play with it. 

Naomi Meredith  05:47

Oh, cute. 

Miranda B.  05:49

But yeah, now he's down here asleep. And I'm like, where to go? Yeah, he was afraid of it growling.

Naomi Meredith  05:55

I don't know why dogs don't like that. 

Miranda B.  05:56

No, they don't like it. I have code and go mice, those. So we do that for robotics. I have some oh, what are they called? What are the ones that follow the lines?

Naomi Meredith  06:10

Ozobots. 

Miranda B.  06:11

We have Ozobots I have I think six? Six of those. That's kind of about all we have for robotics things. So I did those units. And then the rest of the year was just kind of yeah.

Naomi Meredith  06:24

Would you say? So? Like when you did 3D printing or your robotics? Just an hour? Could you do with everyone? For your 3D printing and robotics? Did you do that all the same month? Or did you break it up throughout the year?

Miranda B.  06:38

At the same time. 

Naomi Meredith  06:39

Okay. 

Miranda B.  06:40

So everybody was doing 3D printing. They were doing different projects. 

Naomi Meredith  06:44

Yeah. 

Miranda B.  06:44

But they were all doing the same. It was all 3D printing. Yeah. 

Naomi Meredith  06:48

So that's good. And then do you think it took about a month for all of those? 

Miranda B.  06:55

Yeah. Because I didn't see them  like, even my like, so K-2 I just see 30 minutes a week. So you know, it took us, you know, a week or about a week just to learn how to use it one time. And next time, they kind of played around and started on it. And then you know, so yeah. And then yeah, about a month for that.

Naomi Meredith  07:14

Okay. Well, that's good. I mean, and once we take a deep dive into that tonight, with our live call, you're gonna organize all the lessons that you did. And if you hear me typing, I'm typing what you're saying. So and I have my screen to the side, but we'll you'll organize everything based on what you did. So this won't necessarily be the year long plan, but really auditing what you've done so far. And the types of units because it sounds like you have like good units and they were successful. Did you feel like the times that you did like the 3D printing, the robotics, the Hour of Code, did you how did it feel compared to like the hodgepodge? 

Miranda B.  07:56

Much better! 

Naomi Meredith  07:56

 Okay. 

Miranda B.  07:57

It's been nearly the time on lesson planning, because I know where it's going. 

Naomi Meredith  08:01

Yeah. Yeah, that's good. Okay, good, that's good, okay, so that when that will set up your rest of the year like that, too.

Miranda B.  08:07

That'd be great. Because I do want to include, like something I do want to put to Makerspace in because we're going to use that query, because I got approved to use that. So we're going to do that. I want to put that in there. And I also need to put my kids have no computer literacy, like they don't drop down menus, they don't know how to copy and paste, they don't know how to do those things. So I want to do that at the beginning of the year. So we're not gonna have so much of our time when we're doing our units, trying to figure out how to copy and paste. 

Naomi Meredith  08:35

Yep, that is something that my first year in STEM, I definitely had to do that. I only saw the kids three days a week and we did a lot more computer literacy based things just based on the same thing you're saying. And I normally don't do STEM stations for my older kids anymore. But that was something that I started implementing is I would do some stations and one of the stations was me. So like when you're a classroom teacher, you have them rotate through and one can be you and just teaching those skills so it's not chaotic, and everyone's like, “I can't, that's hard!”

Miranda B.  09:16

That's what I hear. And I'm going around to every single person trying to show them Okay, here it is. Here it is. Yeah, and I even have a to make things easier for them to find links. I made a Weebly. 

Naomi Meredith  09:26

Oh, good. 

Miranda B.  09:27

And then I've made on that Weebly, we have a oh, what's it called? But I have all my links. Hold on, what's it called? Oh, a Symbaloo. So I made a Symbaloo with all their links. So once they bookmarked that, Weebly page, then it popped up with all their links, so they don't have to search for them. So that does help and they are getting better. They were getting better at that even good. There's a finding that they'd say, Oh, I didn't bookmark it. I'm like, Yes, you got there. This YEAH. OKAY. Good, teach them how to bookmark. Bookmark that. So I would like to have a lesson to, you know, some lessons that use those skills. Not only not just okay, let's let's type something and copy and paste, you know? Yes, I'm purposeful using those things.

Naomi Meredith  10:18

Yeah, we can definitely do that. What do um, do they use Google Docs? I have a couple of questions. What platforms do they use like Google Docs, PowerPoint? And are all their devices the same? Or are they all different? 

Miranda B.  10:32

Most of them are Chromebooks. But I do have a few kids that have a apple, whatever it is. 

Naomi Meredith  10:39

Oh, really?

Miranda B.  10:41

So yeah, because they all buy their own devices. So some parents buy what? I don't even know the word I'm looking for. Because I don't have one.

Naomi Meredith  10:49

Like the MacBook Air?

Miranda B.  10:51

Yeah, I guess. Yeah. So yeah, they have expensive computers, but most of them have either a Google Chromebook or PC or just a regular PC. Okay. I just got a couple kids that that have the apple.

Naomi Meredith  11:05

And then are you guys allowed to use Google Docs or anything? Do they have accounts?

Miranda B.  11:10

We have Google Classrooms. Yeah. 

Naomi Meredith  11:11

Okay. Yeah. 

Miranda B.  11:12

Yeah.

Naomi Meredith  11:13

Okay. So you do that's good. That'll help too. I do have some scavenger hunts for Google that I can give you can use. But it really it actually teaches them the actual tools of how to do things. Yeah, so there's a Google Docs one, and then you could do Google Slides. I'm thinking probably this first year, you might be doing a lot more of the same skills, or your older kids might move through a little faster, kind of creating that base. And then, as we do it, yeah.

Miranda B.  11:49

Yes, yeah. Sometimes my fourth and fifth graders were having issues. And I talked to my principal, and she said, that would be great if he would do that. Because I think just a lot of times the classroom teachers don't have time. 

Naomi Meredith  12:03

Yeah. Yeah. 

Miranda B.  12:05

But I'm thinking they're wasting all their time going to every single student doing it for them.

Naomi Meredith  12:10

Yes. Yes, exactly.

Miranda B.  12:13

I know when they get in here, they look at me like I'm talking a foreign language, “right click, copy.”

Naomi Meredith  12:18

Yes. Yeah, I know. But that's something for, we don't have to plan the lessons quite yet. But something as it's coming to your mind, throughout the month, I would make a list of the tech skills, and maybe you already have one, make a list of those skills you really want them to work on or things you've struggled with. And I can take a look at it to like give my suggestions like, oh, make sure you add this. And we can even talk about like how to teach those tech lessons. Because yes, like, it's just like with any tool, like when you're using Dash or 3D printing, all those things, you're teaching them, here's how to use the tool if they've never used it before. Okay, now we're going to like implement this in our authentic way.

Naomi Meredith  12:19

Right? Yeah. And I think that's why the 3D printing like took it took the whole month, because like the first couple of weeks, in the month, it was, here's what it is, here's how we use it, they kind of played around with it, then we got to the stuff we were actually going to do with it.

Naomi Meredith  13:21

Yup, you're gonna be so excited when you do 3D printing this year, because the kids are gonna be better at it. 

Miranda B.  13:27

Yes, I'm hoping. 

Naomi Meredith  13:29

No, they will. Well, if I like try like this, this, what you're saying is very, very, very common in a good way. Like, you're teaching those foundations. And then this year, you're not going to have to teach as much of the tech skills and you're going to have more kids, oh, I can help you with this, I can help you with this. So you're doing the right thing. You're doing awesome already.

Miranda B.  13:50

It is nice when the other kids go, oh, I figured that out, I can show you how to do that. I'm like great, you go!

Naomi Meredith  13:55

Yup! That is so okay, if you read this month's book for the STEM teacher bookshelf, the book Invent to Learn, you're really gonna like it. You can buy it on Kindle too. And then the reading guide is there. It's a little cheaper on Kindle. But there's a whole chapter about giving kids ownership and letting them be leaders and doing what you're doing is exactly what we want kids to do. Because we're the facilitator of their learning. And so that book talks about that in there. And there's also some really cool ideas. Just different things you can do in your class, but there's a really good chapter about that in that book that I think you'll really like. Okay, um, so making a list of the tech skills you want kids to know. Do you ever use so you use the links your Weebly and Symbaloo Oh, do you use like when they're planning out projects? Do you do digital forms of research or anything like that?

Miranda B.  14:59

Yeah. Like I put it in their Google Classroom, and I usually have an Epic collection I've made for them that they can do some research from or that they can watch. Yeah. 

Naomi Meredith  15:11

Okay. 

Miranda B.  15:12

And what I'd really like, and then I don't know what to do with it, I'd really like to have something that was really quick at the beginning of class that just introduces kind of, you know, a little quick little video or something for them to watch to sit to just introduce them to what we're going to do. Yeah, I mean, yes, instead of me saying, here's what we're gonna do today.

Naomi Meredith  15:32

Yeah, I do that. 

Miranda B.  15:34

It sparks their interest.

Naomi Meredith  15:36

Yes, I do that for most of my lessons. And it's like two full days. So extra interest, but also frees you up for a second to gather your material. So quick video to introduce so yeah, I have some suggestions. Um, so when we're planning out your lessons, so maybe the video is yeah, like building background knowledge, like, SciShow kids? Have you used that? Use that a lot? 

Miranda B.  16:05

Yeah. Yeah, I've used that quite a bit. 

Naomi Meredith  16:07

Mm hmm. But purposely planning that. So having that all ready. 

Miranda B.  16:11

Yes. Right. 

Naomi Meredith  16:12

That's we're gonna do.

Miranda B.  16:13

Because when I do my lesson plans, I do you know, and Google Docs, I have all my links right there for every day and pull that up, and it goes up onto the TV.

Naomi Meredith  16:23

Perfect. Yeah. So you already have great structure in place. So I'm excited to fill in the holes with you. And we don't have to get rid of everything you've done. Like even your storybook STEM, based on the lessons that you're doing, that still could be a really good unit to do with the kids. If you enjoy, you don't have to get rid of everything. 

Miranda B.  16:45

We don't have a librarian. So um, that's kind of my passion because I did that for 11 years. Yeah. So I like to do a lot of books introduced. And sometimes it's a book that we introduce, you know, it doesn't have to always be a video or it could be a book that I read or watch because there's no library. So if I don't have the book, yeah, I just find the YouTube link.

Naomi Meredith  17:08

Oh, yeah. I there's nothing wrong with that. I do that.

Miranda B.  17:11

I have bought a ton of books, but that gets expensive. 

Naomi Meredith  17:14

Yep. 

Miranda B.  17:15

So we watch the YouTube videos quite a bit, but I like to use that too. And I like to do storybooks more like with my little Kindergarteners, more so than with the because just STEM is hard for them. I guess it's hard for me. It's hard for them.

Naomi Meredith  17:31

Yes. Yeah. 

Miranda B.  17:32

I can make it meaningful, I guess. 

Naomi Meredith  17:33

Yes. And making those connections. Do you when you're thinking about your little kids, what is the structure? Because you do have a little less time, which isn't bad. How does the day go? Do you do whole group stations? What do you normally do with?

Miranda B.  17:51

I have only done whole group. I have STEM stations. I've watched you know several of your things. And I would like to do more stations. Yeah. My problem is I share my STEM room. We have a huge STEM room, but I share it with our high school STEM teacher. I have kind of the front of the room is my area. The back end is his area. And so but when on days, I'm not there, his kids sit at my tables too. Oh, yeah. So I can't leave things out. Now, I can from Tuesday to Wednesday. Yes, but I can't leave them on Wednesday for the next week. Yes. So I kind of struggle with that a little bit. He tries to if I come in, he's like, “Guys, remember Mrs. B. is here today? You can't be at her table. She's got to get stuff.” And I do have 30 minutes before I have kids. I have to be there at 1130. I don't have kids until 12. Okay, so I do have time to set up. Yeah, leave it set up. 

Naomi Meredith  18:45

I have the same issue in my K through five STEM class because I had fifth, fourth, and third in the morning, then lunch and then first, Kinder, and second. And I actually didn't leave up my STEM station. So the way that I planned it was like super minimal materials. And then you know, those fabric cubes from like IKEA. I actually put all the materials in those and there was a clip with the instructions on the box. And then the box would go on the table. So like during that quick video, I could go around in like five minutes and go put the box where I want their station in the classroom. And then all the materials were in there. 

Miranda B.  19:23

Oh, that's a good idea. 

Naomi Meredith  19:24

Yeah. 

Miranda B.  19:25

I thought about buying those trays. You know, they're like, have a lid on them to keep everything in like for each table. I have five tables because we don't have any more than 18 kids. So I have 20. I just have five tables. So I thought if I could get those for each table and all their stuff is at that in that table even if we're not doing a station, whatever supplies it is they need and that way I have it ready and I don't have to have that left out. I can just put it on my cart.

Naomi Meredith  19:54

Yes.

Miranda B.  19:54

I have, you know and then put it out. 

Naomi Meredith  19:56

Yeah, that'll help prepare. Yeah. So thinking it through our lessons, it sounds like to like systems like that will help because of your I mean, everyone has limited time, but systems to help with, like cleanup and just like more efficiency. And that's you probably saw that too with your units. Like when you're doing a whole unit, if you're doing robotics, all your robots are out, and then you're ready to go. And you're not switching from Makerspace, to robotics, and to computers. And so that will help. But even just thinking through like the process of like the supplies, we can work on that too. And I think STEM stations with your little kids, since you, you can do up to station you kind of plan out for and then the kids have time to go to two for the week. And then they can go to two more than next week. So you're not double planning, you already have the force setup. And I was telling the other the other teacher in our group that you can do the station's again, like you can, they might I've done that before in a week. So you haven't once a week. So you could do four stations to the first week to the next week, and then do them again. Or maybe you switch out something but it's like the same materials. But okay, we were doing the sun, moon and stars, and now we're going to really focus on the moon or on or something with that one. So that way, you're not like scrambling every single time. You know what you're counting on. And the kids do really Well with stations, especially when you have 18 kids.

Miranda B.  21:32

Yeah, so you don't think like nine kids at a station? That's not too many.

Naomi Meredith  21:39

I think that's a little bit too many. I would do 4 or 5.

Miranda B.  21:44

So you're saying have four stations set up and they only go to two? 

Naomi Meredith  21:48

Yeah.

Miranda B.  21:48

I gotcha. So yeah, they would have like, you know, four, five at each.

Naomi Meredith  21:52

Yeah. Yeah. 

Naomi Meredith  21:53

So then, I can put on the TV who's at what? 

Naomi Meredith  21:57

Yep. 

Miranda B.  21:57

And then I could just rotate them. Okay.

Naomi Meredith  21:59

Yeah. And then one of your stations could be a teacher led station. So even with a younger kid, I do that a lot, too. I still do that. With the little kids. Like one of this. I plan the stations with STEM. So science, technology, engineering and math station. And a lot of times with the technology station, I'll be there. So maybe I'm showing them something and see saw, like how to use certain tools or even using epic books like how to get to the collection? Or will do their 3d print? I am. Do you have iPads access with them or anything?

Miranda B.  22:38

I just have some iPads they have, but they don't bring them to STEM because they're only four in their classroom. Yeah, but just okay. Yeah. So they don't bring him to STEM.

Naomi Meredith  22:50

But just having a few would work out for a station. Yeah, if you only have a few and then they're used to that in their classroom. So then even talking with that might be something to I don't know, if you have access, but even asking, thinking back to those text skills, you can already see what the older kids what you want them to know and what you've seen, especially with your teaching experience, but maybe to even seeing what the Kindergarten teachers are hoping for when it comes to technology since I know they don't use as much. And that's pretty common. But doesn't mean you don't have to. Do they use seesaw? Do you now? 

Miranda B.  23:34

I don't think they do. Okay. I don't think so. I think everything they have. Yeah, we have a blog every week that we post to on what? in their classroom. I just have to post once a week. Like, one week I do Kindergarten the next week. The next week? I do. That's why I just have to post once a week. Now for every class. Yeah. So but yeah, we put pictures or videos in there. That way, are overloaded. Yeah, they get one special update a week like, Okay, we haven't organized like music is this week or first grade STEM is next week for first grade. You don't I mean?

Naomi Meredith  24:13

That's good. I like that. That's a really good system your school has. That way parents aren't getting five specials emails, every Yes, yeah. Yeah. Um, Well, even if Yeah, so I would ask the pre K Kinder teachers, what types of technology they use with their students. And if they don't, I mean, that's a great opportunity for them to use it in STEM. It just, I've had that happen with my younger classes, especially since COVID. They've been using less technology. But it's still important for them, because if we're exposing them, they're not on their iPad the whole time, but we're exposing them so then when they are in those older grades, they're not scared of using things and they can problem solve. So that would be helpful to know or even if you just want to check out got their newsletters? And then if they don't, there's still a lot of things that we can do. Yeah. And that would be a great opportunity in STEM for them. Yes, yeah. That'd be really good. Is there anything else like so you really want those units? So thinking about Makerspace? Just refining those units? I'm even thinking about the structure of your younger students. Is there anything else you really want to work on when we work together this summer?

Miranda B.  25:30

I don't think I mean, that's it just having some some units on, you know, so I know where I'm going from the beginning of the month to the end of the month. And I'm getting all those skills that they need. We kind of just used I mean, I don't have a curriculum. So I've been just using like the NGSS standard. Because I asked her upper school STEM teacher, he goes, Oh, that's just what I use. So, and she did tell me to go ahead, and I can start putting my plans into like their Google Drive. So she goes if you leave, the next person isn't starting from scratch, like you've had to.

Naomi Meredith  26:01

Okay, yeah, really put those standards anywhere else. Yeah. I know they're in there. Yes. So that'll be good. You'll like in this. So this template, when you're auditing, you can actually list those out. And then when we create the year long plan, you'll have them there. So even though you know them in your head, then you can see if you're even overlapping things. The I use the NGSS as Well, because usually, I mean, I heard Texas is getting STEM standards. But other than that, we're Yeah, no one else. No one else. Yeah. But at least you're using standards, because yeah, sadly, not all STEM teachers do. But um, I think that will help you just visualize, Are there standards that I'm missing. And if you are missing some, then that can help us plan units, then give you some inspiration, oh, here's how we could teach this type of standard anyway. So I'm just even just visually seeing it out there. So you're not like recreating, again, what you're doing, but just seeing what you have already can help us fill in those holes of what we can do for the kids. But yeah, awesome. Well, it sounds like okay, aside from what we're going to talk about tonight, so the biggest thing is to think about those tech skills that you really want kids to know, or even less out what you've seen with the kids. And then same with kinder and pre K, asking or saying what types of technology they use, or don't use or are hoping to use. Okay, that could be a chance that you're not necessarily co teaching, but it could be a good way to expose them to stuff that classroom teachers might end up using anyway. Okay, which really helps. I know, classroom teachers, like thank you so much for showing them epic!

Miranda B.  27:50

Digital citizenship too. I'm going to incorporate that this year, just because they have it in the classroom, but they don't get to it very often. Yes. So I do want to do digital citizenship unit at the beginning of the year, and I thought that might be a good one to kind of put those tech skills into your one. Yeah.

Naomi Meredith  28:08

Okay. Well, we can make that first unit digital citizenship anyway. Um, there's a lot of great stuff out there. Do you use common sense media at all? 

Miranda B.  28:18

Yeah, okay. That's what I've used. That's what I've used before when I was in the library. 

Naomi Meredith  28:22

Yeah. So that can be your first unit. I do digital citizenship, my second unit. And this is just based on preference. I used to do it first. But then I realized I needed to do more team building and getting accustomed to my space. So I did it as my second unit.

Miranda B.  28:41

And that's okay with me, because I do like those getting to know you, even though I know most of the kids because there's not that many. We did have several new kids starting next year, but just getting them, you know, used to bring in a new grade level. And so I do like that those community building kind of things at the beginning of the year.

Naomi Meredith  29:01

Yes. Okay. So we have community building first, and then we'll do digital citizenship computer literacy next and then we can go from there, maybe Makerspace you put that in and that's that's actually the layout I do. Or you could do this storybook STEM slash Makerspace it could be a combo but yeah, I'm excited yeah, you already have great stuff already do unit so awesome. Like your first year but you were doing STEM already in the library. 

Miranda B.  29:31

And I was doing a lot just with books like we have the Show Me nominees like the picture books, you know, 12 picture books, they could add picture books for the and so we always had a STEM activity to go with every one of those. Oh, wow. And then whatever else I was doing, I would come up with a STEM lesson. 

Naomi Meredith  29:49

Yeah, that book. Perfect. Yeah, so don't get rid of any of this stuff. We're just gonna organize it and fill in some holes and even thinking about Now that you've had the kids is going into your second year, what are things that you can do that are even a little bit more challenging now that they have that exposure with you then are like okay, now we can get into this next thing. Oh, now you're ready for this. What are some things we could write a grant for? and enhance this space to?

Miranda B.  30:18

Yeah. Oh, I did get I had a parent give me $1,000 to lego.com got $1,000 worth of new Legos. Oh, Well, all the Legos are in your room and the cart you ordered to put a ball in his in your room next week and kind of sort it all and

Naomi Meredith  30:35

yeah, let me know what LEGO is. Good. That's so good. You're gonna have to show me what you have. Okay. Oh my gosh, I'm so excited for you that I was gonna ask you if you had Legos. 

Miranda B.  30:48

So I didn't. See I do a LEGO club after school. Yeah. And so we just didn't have a ton and bought some but oh, we have a ton. Now. She said this mom said you were always telling the kids Oh, I don't have any more of those bullet kind of blocks, you know, oh, we don't have enough. And so she gave us two $500 gift cards to lego.com

Naomi Meredith  31:07

Oh my gosh, that is so awesome.

Miranda B.  31:10

Yeah, I was so excited. Yeah, LEGO club over the summer. Good summer school. And we're doing a storybook STEM. Yeah. And then we're doing a LEGO. It's Imagine your story. Why would we take a fairy tale? And then they have to kind of build something about the fairy tale, solve a problem with Legos.

Naomi Meredith  31:31

Yeah. Oh, that's so good. Yay. And that'll be fun, too. Because then you can play with all the like, see what you have and be like us?

Miranda B.  31:40

Yeah, yeah, email me she because our limit was 18 kids. She goes, you know, your your LEGO classes filled up really fast. I had two parents asked if they could please come. Would you want to increase it to 20? Kids? Oh, no. Like she goes, I'll see if I can get you to help her because usually over 15 kids, they get us a helper 

Naomi Meredith  31:57

Cool. I love your school's philosophy. Like everything that we're talking about for everything that you hope for teaching is like what you have in your position.

Miranda B.  32:09

Oh, I know. It's It's so different from when I was in public school. Yeah. That's to be the professionals. They don't tell us what we were supposed to do. They trust to know, she's like, you're the expert in this. You do what you think is best?

Naomi Meredith  32:22

Ah, that's that's how it should be. Or should be? Yes. Ah, I'm so glad you found this school. And you just still seem very excited about it and passionate, which I love

Miranda B.  32:33

1. My husband loves this. He's like, You are so happy when you're talking about what you're doing with those kids. Oh, my God, they make you happy.

Naomi Meredith  32:39

Ah, that's so good. Well, any questions for me? I'll see you tonight as well in our live call and show you all the templates and everything that'll help you get organized. But anything else from me right now that you're wondering? 

Miranda B.  32:56

I don't think so. 

Naomi Meredith  32:57

Awesome. Okay. Well, let me know. And I'll see you tonight. And you'll have access to talk with me. And yeah, I think you have a really great base. And I'm excited to like fill in everything. It's kind of like a big puzzle. Just like filling in what do we have. 

Miranda B.  33:12

Yeah, it'll be awesome. 

Naomi Meredith  33:14

And then thinking about all the cool lessons that you'll start doing. Yay. Well, thank you so much, Miranda for your time and enjoy your afternoon. 

Miranda B.  33:26

All right, you too. 

Naomi Meredith  33:28

I'll see you later. Bye. 

Naomi Meredith  33:31

I am so excited to work with Miranda this summer. She already has a great start for her program. And there's so much room for streamlining lessons in her space so that the days she has with students are an absolute success. If you're interested in having a one-to-one coaching call like this one and support throughout the summer to build up your program. Join us. There are only a few spots left at Naomimeredith.com/stemintosummer.