Only Three More Months

When I first arrived in Washington, DC to start my time as an Einstein Fellow, I felt this urgency to take in and experience as much as the city and the fellowship has to offer.  By the end of December, the urgency started to fade and seemed to coincide with winter weather that made it more pleasurable to remain indoors.  Now that there are only three months left to my fellowship and the weather has taken a decidedly spring if not summer turn, the urgency to go forth and take in all I can is back in full force.





I know I will not ever feel as though I have seen it all or done it all, but I am trying to take in more panel sessions and DC experiences.  I also have plans to take some personal time to travel a bit around the northeast, making my way up to Maine and out to the Atlantic Ocean.  And yet, with all the amazing events to attend and places to see, I am still trying to enjoy the beauty of the day-to-day living and working in the capital.  I used to worry about looking like a tourist by taking pictures around DC, but I am a tourist and don't want to miss the opportunity to record this fantastic experience.

















I am excited about the upcoming opportunity to put new skills and resources into practice in the classroom. In addition, I will be pursuing ways in which to share the STEM knowledge I have developed over the course of my time as a K-5 engineering teacher, an Einstein Fellow at the Library of Congress, and integrating all of those experiences into an engaging learning experience for students in my classroom.

Best Experience So Far

Wow! I had another inspirational experience last night with a talk by Astronaut Scott Kelly. His message about being an average, or even bad student, and still being able to accomplish his goals through planning and hard work was very insightful. Perseverance and hard work were underlying themes throughout the evening.  His passion for his work was clearly evident.

As an Einstein Fellow from rural Idaho, spending 11 months in Washington, D.C., I am often asked what has been the best experience so far.  For me, there is no single event or experience.  The variety of experiences to date include getting to know my cohort, attending lectures and symposiums, participating in professional development coordinated by the Albert Einstein Fellowship program, participating in professional development I have created for myself, and having fun in this amazing city.  I suppose my favorite experience is the overall experience all woven together. It is a rich and engaging experience that nurtures my professional career, my thrill of adventure, and drive to explore.

I can't believe it has already been two months since I started my time as an Einstein Fellow. On one hand, I would be hard pressed to list all the experiences I have already had. On the other hand, I am constantly looking for more experiences since I know my time in this fellowship is slowly ticking away.  During these two months, I have already begun a transformation.
Much like the fall trees with their changing colors, I feel as though I am in a similar process of natural and yet amazing change.


I am growing my knowledge base and developing a confidence in the learning opportunity I have created for students and hope to create for students in the future.  Furthermore, I have a new awareness of possible resources that can help support engaging STEM education for all students. I have no idea of what my total transformation will be by the end of the 11 months. In fact, I don't know what I will be doing after the 11 months since my previous teaching position is now experiencing its own transformation with a fantastic educator.  I do know that I have an increased passion for the importance of hands-on STEM in elementary education and a desire to continue to make a difference for students and educators.  My one piece of advice for other educators is find your passion and bring it to the classroom! You deserve it, and your students deserve it.  I am constantly inspired by the educators around me with a passion for students and educators.