In past ABE all-staff meetings, we have discussed barriers to teacher success. Below are some suggestions from various ABE site staff on how to make your ABE labs run more smoothly. For teachers currently teaching virtually, read up on these suggestions to make your transition back to the classroom quick and easy.
No. 1 Many More Teachers Than Site Staff
- Consider investing in a label maker and brushing up on your color coding skills to help you and your team become more organized in handling a large number of teachers.
- Look into having "master students" help teachers with pipetting and pouring gels before and after class periods.
No. 2 Lack of Confidence in Lab Skills
- Consider sitting down with teachers one on one and asking local Amgen Scholars to volunteer at your PDIs.
- Provide equipment for basics such as pipetting and loading gels to new teachers; if they do well with those, they can move on to other labs.
No. 3 Scheduling of Kits
Require teachers to make separate requests for PCR labs.
No. 4 Administrative Support from Schools
Invite school administrators to attend PDIs and sit-in on classroom time.
No. 5 Tension Between Providing Too Much or Not Enough Support
- Most new teachers benefit from a checklist and being connected with a "master" teacher.
- Consider removing introductory lab steps, such as pouring gels, from protocols for teachers with no experience.