Sarah Soule: Field Trips Inspired her Career in Science Education
For this month’s spotlight, we’re introducing a community member that we admire for their commitment to science education. Sarah Soule is Senior Manger of Teacher Professional Development at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco and has loved going to museums and zoos for as long as she can remember.
January 2015
Q: How did you get interested in science?
A: I’ve been interested in science for as long as I can remember, and I’m not sure how it all started. I know that spending time at the California Academy of Sciences and the San Francisco Zoo had a big influence on me as a kid, and definitely helped nurture my interests.
Q: What excites you most about science?
A: Curiosity is what keeps me going. I can’t stop asking questions, and I love the excitement of seeking answers. Even more so, I love sparking curiosity in students and watching their own excitement build as they explore and discover.
Q: Are there hands-on science experiences that you remember from your own childhood?
A: Actually, no. My main science memories from childhood are from visiting the Academy and the Zoo, reading books at home about science, and watching shows like 3-2-1 Contact and Newton’s Apple. I don’t remember doing much hands-on science at school, which is one of the reasons I do the work that I do today. I want to help teachers bring science to life in the classroom in the same way that museums and zoos are able to do. Obviously teaching in a classroom is a different situation with different needs and constraints, and you can’t do the same things at school that you can in a museum. But the spirit of discovery and exploration that is so valuable in informal settings definitely can be brought into the classroom. At the Academy we work with teachers to create meaningful learning experiences for their students, whether it’s in the classroom or on a field trip.
Q: Is there a favorite science related activity that you like to do now for yourself or for your family?
A: I’m a total museum geek, so I spend some of my free time visiting other museums, zoos, and aquaria.
Q: Do you have a science related hobby?
A: I enjoy baking, and I keep a lab-notebook style record of my recipes, tracking any changes I make to the recipe and how it affects the outcome. So it’s not a science-y hobby, but I kind of approach it with a science-y mindset.
Q: How long have you been a teaching science?
A: I’ve been teaching science for 11 years, mostly in informal ed settings (museums and zoos), and have been developing curriculum for 8 years. I’ve also taught in university and community college settings.
Q: What was your funniest science teaching experience?
A: I was teaching first and second grade science at a summer camp, and we did a crime scene investigation curriculum where the students were trying to figure out who stole a plate of cookies. All of the camp staff were suspects, and the students analyzed all sorts of evidence to narrow it down. Usually another staff member would act as the thief, and come in to the classroom on the last day and confess. One week, we were short-staffed and there wasn’t anyone to play the thief role, so I had to be the thief myself. When I confessed, the kids were totally horrified. After a long silence, one little girl got up and put her arms around me and said, “That’s okay Sarah, we forgive you!” It was so funny and so touching at the same time.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to share about your science teaching (or learning) experiences?
A: I’m a San Francisco native and was educated by SFUSD, so it means a lot to me to be working in a role that supports teachers and students in Bay Area schools. The Bay Area has so many amazing opportunities to interact with the natural world, as well as a huge array of science-based career opportunities. It is vital that we provide a solid science education for our kids so they can take advantage of all that. It’s important to me to be involved in making that a reality for our community.