Interview Videos
This page features a list of videos for all of the teachers and scientists interviewed during this project. Click on an individual’s name from the menus below to discover all of their video clips.
Kris is a high school biology teacher who emphasizes positive classroom relationships as a means of motivating her students.
Kris helps her students deal with test anxiety.
Kris prepares students for test by prompting positive relationships.
Students talk about how Kris’s care and expectations for them make them want to work hard
Kris emphasizes the importance of studying together and how this benefits learning.
Students talk about how storytelling increases interest, enjoyment, and value in Kris’s class
Deb is a high school environmental science teacher who gets her students engaged in many ways. We visited Mighty Acorns and Literacy Night, programs where students engage as mentors of younger students.
Learn about the Mighty Acorns program from high schoolers who mentor younger students.
Students have some jitters before stepping into a teaching role but end up enjoying it.
Students talk about hands-on learning in the Mighty Acorns program, and the benefits thereof.
Ray is a student-centered high school chemistry teacher who uses the inquiry approach for boosting student learning.
Ray and his students talk about how collaboration boosts positive learning experiences.
Ray demonstrates and his students evince benefits of building strong relationships in the classroom.
Students feel motivated and accomplished doing a lab using inquiry approach in Ray’s class.
Matt teaches physical science to freshman students. He is especially good at promoting their interest and success in high school science.
Matt sets students up for success by offering feedback and extra support as needed.
Matt promotes interest by using novelty in the classroom.
Steve teaches physics to juniors and seniors. He is dedicated to promoting a growth mindset among his students and is known for his use of humor and affiliation.
Steve and his students talk about what mindset is.
Greg contributes to science education in many ways. We visited his tenth grade physical science class when students were engaged in a vermaculture project that he ties to numerous scientific concepts in the curriculum.
Greg fosters learning by planning relevant projects.
Students engage in rigorous scientific activity by asking real questions.
Greg puts his students in charge of important tasks in the classroom.
Students engage in inquiry projects and ask questions that matter to them.
A small group of students works on an inquiry project.
Students who have been underrepresented in science flourish with support.
When students do work that matters, they overcome their squeamishness.
Meg teaches biology and environmental science to freshman and sophomore students in a suburban high school. She is known for her use of problem based learning and for engaging her students in service projects related to science.
Meg’s students apply Biology to benefit the world outside school.
PBL is a process that enfolds over time in Meg’s classroom.
Meg exemplifies the teacher’s role in PBL
Meg supports student autonomy during a problem based learning project.
Kelda teaches geology to upper classman at a diverse exurban high school. She is deeply loved by her students for her enthusiasm and encouragement. Kelda engages parents as partners and works with Mike to provide field experiences.
Mike teaches environmental science to upper classman. He challenges his students and helps them learn how to be successful. His passion is outdoor education and he works hard with Kelda to provide it for students and parents.
Regina is a high energy physicist whose work is highly collaborative. She talks about important aspects of motivation that influenced her to become a scientist.
Learn more about Regina and her area of science.
Regina talks about the importance of challenge for instilling a sense of accomplishment
Dionne specializes in biophysical chemistry and diabetes research. She talks about how support from others was key to her choice of becoming a scientist
Learn more about Dionne and her area of science.
Dionne talks about how real world connections in science class boosted her interest in science
Dionne shares how her mother’s support kept her going and made her a confident scientist
Shari is an immunologist specializing in cancer research who believes that mistakes are part of the learning process. She was deeply influenced to pursue science by her high school biology teacher and her parents.
Learn more about Shari and her chosen area of science
Shari stresses the importance of viewing mistakes as learning opportunities in science
Georgia is a computer scientist who was inspired to believe in herself by a great high school math teacher. She now teaches computer science and gaming.
Angela seeks to understand how social bonds relate to stress and heart disease. She aims to find better ways for psychologists to prevent and treat those problems.
Learn more about Angela and her area of research
Angela discusses how persuasion from her teachers helped her feel more confident and work harder.
Laura, a food scientist and toxicologist, was motivated to be a scientist by a challenging high school teacher and by Regina. She was the chief scientist at the National Confectioners Association when these videos were made.
Laura talks about how positive challenge in a class sparked interest and engagement.