Thursday, May 13, 1999
Science teacher to aid NASA
She's winner of national award
BY BERNIE MIXON
The Cincinnati Enquirer
SPRINGDALE — When Anne Holbrook wanted to teach her first-graders at Heritage Hill Elementary about living things, she didn't rely on just a textbook. She took a hands-on approach.
Since March, her students have planted and tended a garden in the school courtyard. It has yielded lettuce, spinach, radishes and peas.
Her method of applying concepts to real-life situations helped win Mrs. Holbrook a national Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship.
“I'm having fun teaching,” said Mrs. Holbrook, a teacher for 24 years. “I enjoy it. The kids are there every morning, bright-eyed and willing to learn something.”
A say in policy
Mrs. Holbrook will assist the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to develop its curriculum. She is one of two teachers to work with NASA and one of eight to win the fellowship this year.
The national program offers elementary and secondary mathematics and science teachers with demonstrated excellence in teaching an opportunity to serve in the national public policy arena.
About 133 teachers applied for the fellowship at the beginning of the year. The eight winners include math, science and technology teachers.
“We look at their creativi ty in the classroom and how they make things come to life,” said Walter Purdy, executive director of the Triangle Coalition For Science and Technology Education. “We are looking for that person who goes above and beyond and makes learning exciting for their students.”
A passion for teaching has always been in Mrs. Holbrook's blood.
“My mother was a first-grade teacher, and I decided when I was in first grade I was going to be a teacher,” Mrs. Holbrook said. “I think I just knew when I was 5 years old (teaching) was what I was going to do.”
But science was not always in the cards. Because she was on the college preparatory track in high school, she took biology — all the science that was required.
“I don't think I was ever encouraged to take (science),” she said. “A lot of boys were encouraged to take it.”
Learn by doing
So she went back to school and took classes in science, and found out “anyone could learn science if you did it,” Mrs. Holbrook said.
And that's the challenge she lays before her students.
“The earlier that you do it, the better foundation they have,” she said. “My kids feel confident they can teach adults what to do with plants.”
Her advice for teachers? Keep learning.
“If you expect your students to learn, then you have to continue to learn,” Mrs. Holbrook said. “So often teachers forget what it was like when they didn't know.”
Flynt, county proclaim 'total victory'
ENQUIRER EDITORIAL: Flynt loses; Cincinnati wins
Flynt: 'I haven't changed my position one bit'
Video porn fans will get over it
Videos still readily available
Councilman fights store relocation costs
Fountain fix-up to take fast track
Ugly fence just another sleazy threat
I-275 repaving project grows
Star Wars fans can't wait for Wednesday
Ticket buyers bond in 'Star Wars' line
Fernald getting rid of uranium wastes
Laptops give police more time for patrolling
Patton clarifies casinos stance
Tristate ready for Kosovars
Warren, Butler are invited to Olympics
XU arena plan upsets neighbors
Angels, in another light
Lebanon B&Bs to show off charm
Opera's about life in OTR
GET TO IT
Alexandria moving on sewer plan
Ashland honors 2 N.Ky. teachers
Captain waives appearance after arrest
Cold Spring chooses chief; Florence in its search process
Council concedes racial bias in sewer district
Ex-hospital CEO to lead care agency
Fairfield Schools to add teachers, expand alternative program
Fingers pointed over school levy failure
Griffin's successor likely to be named today
Insurer sues to get tax breaks
Newport's bell in New Orleans
Race car's message: No drugs
Railroad crossing deaths decrease
Reporter not off hook yet
Science teacher to aid NASA
Teacher won't be charged over nude photos
TRISTATE DIGEST
Trustee questions airport benefits
Warren Co. to kill firms' tax breaks
Water Works' good deed confuses some
Kenton GOP finds governing tough
