Alex Richardson, National Science Foundation facilitator for the North Carolina school system, often observes science classrooms. He noted that, since the district began using STC®, when a teacher tells the students it's time to stop working, “They hate it. The students are involved with class.”

Initially, some teachers were reluctant about bringing inquiry-based instruction into their classroom. By the time professional development was over, said Richardson, they had changed their minds about how STC® can benefit students. “You see the smiles on their faces and the glowing eyes when they come up with an answer that doesn’t have to be concrete, reflective, even in their writing,” he said.

While STC® is not the only hands-on science curriculum on the market, one reason Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school officials chose the program was for its rich content. “STC® is easier to follow than other hands-on units the school system looked at,” stated Richardson. A bonus was the implementation support provided by the publisher, Carolina Biological Supply Company.

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County kindergarten/first grade teacher Susanna Routh has been in education for 25 years. She has used STC® for 2 of those years. For her, a key advantage of the curriculum is its comprehensive package design: “STC® has allowed me to have a format and materials to teach science that makes it easy and fun to teach! One of the most positive changes it has brought to my classroom is the organization and the availability of having everything you need to teach that unit right there. This aspect is a definite time-saver for me.”

Besides its teacher-friendly format, another benefit of using STC® is improved classroom management. No longer does the teacher primarily give the information. With students taking a more active role in the learning process, teachers have fewer discipline problems. States Richardson, “Before, a teacher may have had a particular problem with a student; now the student has the responsibility for his or her learning.”

STC® has garnered approval not only from students and teachers, but also from parents in the community. “They wish we had it years ago when they were in school or when they had other children in the school system,” remarked Richardson. STC® has been a part of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County’s 39 elementary schools since 2002.

Richardson and Routh have seen first-hand the impact that STC® has had on their community. “Students are more authentically engaged as a part of the learning instead of being dictated to,” commented Richardson. Routh believes her role is not only to train students “but to impart knowledge that will carry over to the classrooms of our peers. Teachers need to see and realize students investigating and becoming responsible for their learning is an important goal we need to strive for in our classrooms, to be able to produce independent learners for the future.” Routh explains, “I see children actively engaged in investigating these science concepts. The excitement and enthusiasm over doing science is rewarding to see.”

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