My Nonprofit Reviews
hmpierce
Review for Schmahl Science Workshops, San Jose, CA, USA
I am an educational consultant and a school evaluator. Part of my role with a national charter school organization was to identify 'state of the art' teaching of science. I was invited to observe a class on momentum in Daly City, California in the Jefferson Unified School District during the fall. The class consisted of 7th graders and in roughly an hour class, the instructors from Schmahl Science provided clear instructions for four groups of students to build a continuous roller coaster consisting of rubber tubing and marbles. The objective was to builde a sound roller coaster taking into accoun the height of the tubing necessary for the marble to flow through the entire length of the tubing without stopping. This exercise required team work, cooperation, and an understanding of momentum and height. The students were engaged for the entire hour and when recess time came, ALL preferred to stay and complete the assignment rather than break for outside time. As I observed this class I thought to myself, 'if learning could be this relevant all the time for students, America would be on top of science and math in the world because students would connect to their learning and begin to make connections between the subject and their own survival. It was a remarkable experience that I wish I could expose to ALL teachers. Dr. Hollis M. Pierce
More Feedback
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
teaching and its impact on learning
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Provide them with funding to expand to all schools to prepare general education teachers with the tools to teach 'hands on' science.
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
High expectations for all learners and innovation in their approach to teaching.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
Professionals and experts in the field of science and education.
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
Bring science alive to many students who would otherwise be subjected to textbooks, bad photocopies and disconnection from the joy of learning science.
Ways to make it better...
Seen other schools.
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
Limited resources, which restricts their replicability to all school districts.
One thing I'd also say is that...
Belinda Schmahl is a genius. There is a strong need to fund this program so that young children are excited about science and actually engage with the subject at a young age so that they can pursue careers in the sciences.
How frequently have you been involved with the organization?
About once a year
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2009
