Biology Outreach Program
Reed Students
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| Emily Warchefsky '09 explains freezing a solution by lowering the melting point of ice to make ice cream while Carolyn Elya '09 looks on. photo by Orin Basshoff '04 |
The Reed College Biology Outreach Program solicits small groups of 2 to 3 Reed students to work as a team in public school classrooms. The Reed students do the majority of the teaching as they lead experiments in the classroom. A general curriculum is available to the volunteers, however, students are also encouraged to work with each individual teacher to adapt the curriculum to fit the classroom's needs. The Reed volunteer's participation in the outreach program teaches presentation skills, reinforces important biological concepts, and provides an unforgettable mentoring experience.
Many outreach volunteers have gone on to work with public, private or outdoor schools, as well as volunteer programs such as the Peace Corps and Teach for America. Regardless of where they go after participating in the program, all volunteers leave the outreach program with a unique perspective on the necessity of solid science education at the primary level.
Breakdown of the Program
The Biology Outreach Program hires Reed students and recent alumni to teach science experiments in Title I public school classrooms. We pay Outreach teachers an hourly rate for time spent in the classroom and the once-weekly lab lecture prior to each unit. We organize transportation- most groups tend to carpool, though Reed vans are used when necessary. Volunteers are paid for travel time and reimbursed for mileage. Groups are arranged depending on scheduling availability.
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Allison Werner '10 helps a Grout student determine if the ice cream experiment is ready to eat. photo by Orin Basshoff '04 |
The commitment is a serious one. Many Reed students teach more than one class. Most groups teach at least two sixty-minute classes each week. In addition to the two hours spent teaching, one hour per week is also required to organize and prepare presentations for the classrooms. All the schools are located approximately 25 minutes away so the schedule must allow time to get there and back. Ultimately, though, it must be understood that the kids and teachers count on the volunteers being in their classroom on time and prepared to teach.
The outreach program is extremely worth the effort. The kids are great, the teachers are enthusiastic, and you are making a difference in their education and lives. If you are interested in science, teaching, or mentoring then participation in the Outreach program is for you. This is a great opportunity open to all current Reed students, students on a leave of absence, or recent alumni.
If you are interested in working for Biology Outreach or if you have any questions please send an e-mail to Juliana Arrighi at arrighij@reed.edu, call 503-788-6625, or drop by my office in the basement of the biology building, room B1A. You can also download the application.
