Antioch native finds international success with new book
I thought that you might like to hear of my recent success improving science education for students nation-wide. I have been teaching science (mostly physics and astronomy) at the high school and college level for 27 years. About 12 years ago, I came up with a radical idea to improve science education in middle school (5th-9th grade) – throw away the text book and teach science though science fiction.
Unable to find a school friendly sci-fi book (no sex, drugs, or violence allowed!) that stuck strictly to real science (no magic wands or faster-than-light space travel either!) – I wrote my own. Maurice on the Moon is about a boy growing up in a mining colony on the Moon who would give anything to visit the strange and alien world of Earth. Kids read about Maurice and his adventures, and then engage in real science activities closely based on the story. Putting science in the context of a story makes it more accessible – especially to ESL students with limited English skills who have a tough time with science concepts and vocabulary.
Maurice on the Moon, and the two subsequent books, The Doomed Colony of Mars, and Crisis on the Far Side, have all reached #1 Best Seller status on Amazon and have spread into schools across the country. The bio-tech giant Amgen Corporation recognizes the top 30 science instructors in North America each year, and in 2009 they honored me with the Amgen Award for Science Teaching Excellence for my work improving science education with the Maurice Series. I have also been honored with the Science is for Kids Foundation Fellowship, and I am a 3-time nominee for the President's Award of Excellence for Mathematics and Science Teaching.
This spring, schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District, one of the largest and most troubled school districts in the nation, began using my books to improve reading and science skills for remedial students. This month, I spent a day at Southeast High School in south Los Angeles helping to train teachers to use science through literature to improve student performance in both areas. They are very excited to be using books because they meet the standards for the new Common Core initiative which calls for a more inter-disciplinary approach to teaching that blends science, mathematics, and English together.
My work has also begun to be recognized internationally. Last fall, my work on science through literature and low-cost / low-tech science education was recognized by UNESCO. The UNESCO organization has shared my work across Southeast Asia, where it is helping to improve science education for 1.4 billion people in that region who do not have access to modern technology in their schools. The International Council for Educational Media has also invited me to be a featured speaker next October at their 63 annual conference in Singapore, where I will speak on low-tech / low-cost science education.
A dear friend of mine who still lives in Antioch suggested that this might be of interest to you, so I am sending it along. If you wish to contact me about my work, the best time is from 8-10 am your time.