Philip graduated from Southside High School in 2004. We connected right away, like me, he hailed from Canada, and we shared a deep love for biology and nature. Throughout high school, Philip slowly got over his shyness and got involved in school life. His path was shaped by a series of fortuitous events and a steadfast determination to combine his love for the outdoors with his career. Today, he proudly serves as a forest research officer with the Canadian Forest Service in New Brunswick, living his dream.

The Thomas Edison Pitch Contest empowers young innovators to tackle real-world problems through creativity, teamwork, and STEM exploration. From brainstorming ideas to creating prototypes, students gain invaluable skills while showcasing their inventions."

In my latest episode, Kerry, a 2004 South Side High School alum, opens up about her inspiring journey from uncertainty to becoming a university professor and researcher. 🌿🔬 With a passion for science and mentorship, Kerry discusses how embracing failure turned into a springboard for success. Her story is a powerful reminder that setbacks are often just steppingstones to uncovering your true potential. Whether you’re a student, educator, or STEM enthusiast, this episode is packed with insights on turning challenges into opportunities!

Explore upcoming STEM opportunities for teachers! Apply for STEM Research Grants (due Nov 15) to fund classroom research, and check out Environmental Education Resources for lesson plans on climate and biodiversity. Don’t miss the Smithsonian Teacher Innovator Institute (due Jan 20) for a free, hands-on experience at the Air and Space Museum.

In the latest episode of Teacher Talks with Kurtz, I had the privilege of speaking with Gabe, a truly inspiring individual! From his research at Commack High School to earning a Fulbright Scholarship in neuroscience in France, Gabe's journey is one for the books. Now, he’s starting an MD/PhD program at Stony Brook University.

Don’t miss out on his incredible story and the valuable advice he shares for students and aspiring medical professionals.

During my teaching career, I often taught students diagnosed with ADHD, a condition affecting about 11.4% of children aged 3-17 in the U.S. As ADHD diagnoses continue to rise, it’s important for teachers, parents, and homeschoolers to have strategies in place to support these learners. I’ve gathered four excellent resources that provide practical tips for managing ADHD in educational settings. These resources cover everything from classroom strategies to homeschooling advice.

If you have tips or resources that have worked well, feel free to share them in the comments!

Welcome to “Teacher Talks” with Mr. Kurtz!

In each episode, I reconnect with former high school students to explore how their education shaped their lives, providing valuable insights for parents, teachers, and students alike.

Calling all students and parents! If you’re considering a career in medicine, you won’t want to miss this episode. Join me as Amy shares her inspiring journey, filled with unwavering determination and passion. She offers essential advice for aspiring medical professionals, breaking down what it takes to succeed as a physician’s assistant in orthopedic surgery.

As educators and parents, we play a crucial role in guiding students toward their dreams. Together, we can help nurture their aspirations and equip them with the tools they need to succeed.

Tune in to "Teacher Talks" with Kurtz and get motivated to chase your dreams!

Explore the potential of AI in education with practical insights from Dr. Ethan Mollick and Dr. Lilach Mollick of the Wharton School. Learn how AI tools like ChatGPT can enhance student learning through ready-to-use prompts and personalized teaching strategies. This post shares key resources by the Mollicks' to help educators integrate AI thoughtfully into classrooms, offering examples, strategies, and prompts to foster interactive learning experiences. Discover how to maximize AI's benefits while addressing its challenges. Read more for expert guidance on using AI in teaching.

To truly make Project Based Learning a central part of our students' and children's educational journey, we need a streamlined, practical strategy that can seamlessly fit into our busy routines. KBLOG 68 offers some strategy with links.

Summertime is a time to recharge and learn new things. Reading is a great way for teachers, parents and students to expand knowledge and get new ideas. This KBLOG includes links to books you may want to consider for yourself or your students (children).

Sometimes students with disabilities get overlooked or not exposed to advanced STEM courses. The challenge for educators and parents is to cultivate, encourage and provide opportunities for all students who demonstrate an interest in STEM. I found that as a teacher.

Optical illusions can be linked to many aspects of learning and offer a fun and interesting gateway into a variety of topics. Try using optical illusions in your classroom lessons and/or home to increase student creativity, observational and problem-solving skills.

Students learn new STEM concepts best when they are taught in conjunction with real-life practical examples. Case studies are a great vehicle to enhance and reinforce STEM learning for all levels of students. Check out the National Science Teaching Association’s case study collection .

Parents & Teachers explore he EquIP HQ website with all free activities, videos and lessons to help your student develop inventing skills.

The scientific method cannot be strictly defined; there is no cookbook of science. Unfortunately, so much of “school” science is comprised of overused favorite experiments with pre-known results sprinkled with lots of fill-in-the blank questions, following the 6-step cookie cutter scientific method. In KBLOG 61, I highlight educator Teman Cooke’s educational approach to the scientific method that is realistic, flexible and adaptable for students.

My perfect school will have outdoor experiences for all students built into the curriculum. A healthy antidote for a difficult day or academic stress should not be food, video games or medication; the antidote is getting outside in nature in whatever form is available in that outdoor space.

My perfect school will have outdoor experiences for all students built into the curriculum. A healthy antidote for a difficult day or academic stress should not be food, video games or medication; the antidote is getting outside in nature in whatever form is available in that outdoor space.

Schools, homeschoolers, parents and teachers must educate themselves on how to help the children in their care to be financially literate. This is a gift that is one of the most impactful gifts you can give a child.

Schools of today have a lot of bells and whistles especially related to the computer. But our education system and classroom life are not particularly different than even 100 years ago. With the explosion of information availability and the recent game changing potential of AI in our lives, we MUST REALLY alter our education systems.

Since young people are strongly drawn into and focused on activities such as video game playing, can we use the characteristics of video games to turn our students into more eager learners? It turns out that there is research into this idea. We know that young people learn video games quickly and efficiently.