Author: Susan Maccarelli

Let’s continue to get to know some of our fabulous STEAM teachers. Today we’ll introduce you to Tamara Fickling. Tamara is is teaching Science classes at The STEAM School, and also assists with the Ceramics elective.

How did you first find out about The STEAM School?

TF: I found out about STEAM from a Open House Event posted on Facebook. It was funny, because I had met with the founder several years prior about starting a Co-op. Soon after, she discovered she was pregnant and put the idea on hold. It was great to see it come to fruition!

How have you been involved in the past, and what role(s) will you be filling this coming school year?

TF: In the past I assisted in classes where ever I could. This year I will be leading in the Science class and assisting in the Ceramics class. Science will rotate between Life Science, Nature of Matter and Earth and Space.

What is your favorite thing about teaching at STEAM?

TF: I think my favorite thing about teaching at STEAM will be making classes fun! It will be a challenge not to bore the children with too many facts and allow them to experience science!

What is your background/experience with the topic you’ll be teaching?

TF: In college I took many science classes and worked at a children’s nature center guiding students in an outdoor setting covering the Virginia SOLS. I also taught science grades 6-12 at a Waldorf based school for several years in Sperryville. One of my passions, although I have not been able to keep up with it lately, is pottery. I also taught a ceramics class at the school I worked at.

Any sneak peeks you can share about what learners in your class might be working on this coming semester?

TF: I plan on having a lot of fun games and projects. We’ll start out with learning how we classify living things.

Tell us a little about your personal interests/hobbies.

TF: I am a nature nerd! I love going for walks and finding things and learning about them. Whether it’s a new mushroom or bug I love learning new things.

What is one goal you have for yourself and/or your students this school year?

TF: One goal I have is developing great relationships with the students.

As we get ready to start the new school year, let’s continue to get to know some of our fabulous STEAM teachers. Today we’ll introduce you to Lyndsey Pheister.

Lyndsey is one of the faces you’ll see most often around the STEAM school, and is a Coordinator on our leadership team. In addition to all of her operational and administrative tasks, Lyndsey will also be teaching art classes at STEAM this semester.

How did you first find out about The STEAM School?

LP: I heard about it through some of the families who were starting it. Their values and mission echoed my own philosophies about home education. I have four boys, and we were looking for a community where they could have friendships and feel some independence and ownership of their education, but where we could still have flexibility in our curriculum choices and schedule.

How have you been involved in the past, and what role(s) will you be filling this coming school year?

LP: ​I started the first year as a volunteer in the nursery and as a sub, and started teaching and helping on our leadership team last year, and stepped in as interim coordinator in the spring. This year I will continue teaching art, helping in coding and robotics, and will continue on as co-coordinator along with Laurel Blackmon.

What is your favorite thing about teaching at STEAM?

LP: I know everyone says the kids, but they are seriously the best. The kids have moved up in their classes together over the past three years, and it’s been awesome to watch them grow together. Beyond that, I love that we have a small community, not just for kids, but for parents too, where everyone comes together despite their diverse backgrounds, learning styles and opinions. I love that we help make homeschooling either more possible, or a richer experience for our families. We get to be a bridge that connects parent talents, resources and experiences, which is really valuable.

What is your background/experience with the topic you’ll be teaching?

LP: I fell in love with art and the art world in high school and majored in fine arts in college with a focus on painting and a minor in art history. After college I taught painting and drawing in community classes (including with other homeschool groups), and did private instruction. I also ran a business designing and creating messenger bags with custom artwork on the flaps. I’m currently working on landscape and macro photography, but still take time to paint, draw, sculpt and sew to make samples for class projects.

Any sneak peeks you can share about what learners in your class might be working on this coming semester?

LP: This year we’ll be looking at how art helps us with big ideas. We’ll start by looking at the creative process and how to generate new ideas when your brain feels stuck. Then we’ll see how we can use things like light and color to create a mood, and to express feelings. We’ll end the semester by looking at identity, to see how art can be used to express who we are. I’m really excited about a field trip we have planned near Thanksgiving to go to the Hirshhorn Museum in DC, because they have an interactive robot museum guide, and also because the whole museum is full of art that expresses big ideas.

Tell us a little about your personal interests/hobbies.

LP: I love to get out in the woods, either by myself or as a family, so anything related to that. We like to go camping and backpacking on the weekends to find hidden waterfalls or a mountain peak with a great view. I’m mom to four boys, so most of my week day free time is spent with them, or shuttling them to friends houses or sports.

What is one goal you have for yourself and/or your students in this coming school year?

LP: Picasso famously said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” My goal is to help them understand how they are each artists now, in the hope that they’ll still believe it about themselves as they get older. A big part of that is helping kids to be encouraged instead of discouraged by their mistakes, which is good general advice too, I think.

Let’s get to know some of our fabulous STEAM teachers starting with Laurel Blackmon.

Laurel was the first person to greet my family when we visited STEAM for the first time in January of 2019, and both of my kids adore her! This year Laurel is both a Coordinator on STEAM’s Leadership team, and STEAM’s PreK-1st Curriculum Organizer.

How did you first find out about The STEAM School?

LB: I think it randomly popped up on Facebook initially for me. I had been looking for a co-op or a meet-up for our family with no success-they were either too unstructured or religious or just philosophically misaligned with our educational priorities. STEAM found us, I suppose 🙂

How have you been involved with STEAM in the past, and what role(s) will you be filling this coming school year?

LB: I taught creative writing and K-1 last year. This year, I will teach PreK-1st grade math, PreK-1st grade literacy, and creative writing. I’ll also lead morning meetings with a lot of emphasis on building social skills, creating a positive learning community, and anti-bias work.

What is your favorite thing about teaching at STEAM?

LB: I love the kids! They are wonderful company, and I love connecting with them and learning with them. I also love that we can foster learning through play and facilitation and not be constrained by the expectations and traditions of school. For our family, it’s been a wonderful balance of intentional design and student-led experiences. We can be responsive to individual kids while also leading them toward goals that we have for them.

What is your background/experience with the topics you’ll be teaching?

LB: I’ve taught reading, math, and writing at most grade levels PreK-8th at some point as well as overseen instructional practices and written curriculum at those grade levels and disciplines. I lead staff development on Responsive Classroom through my consulting work with schools, so that’s an area of particular passion; morning meeting and its associated practices are wonderful for a community. As far as anti-bias work goes, that is my life’s work. Supporting little kids as they learn about the world, its diversity, and its inequity was the focus of my dissertation. That’s also the primary focus of my consulting work with schools. I’m so thankful that I get to do this directly with students as well as help teachers in school settings.

Any sneak peeks you can share about what learners in your class might be working on this coming semester?

LB: Lots of play! For the PreK-1st graders, we have mapped out the year and planned some centers that let them explore concepts in meaningful, age-appropriate, and fun ways. We also have ideas for projects that are grounded in real life (cooking, sewing, creating plays, etc). We have left quite a bit of space for the kids to lead, as well, and let the curriculum emerge a little. 

For the creative writing classes, we are leaning on Bravewriter for ideas, but also have left lots of room for student-initiated projects. Emily and I are interested in pursuing some activism work with the 4th-6th graders, and for the younger ones, perhaps some writing about art. We will see where they lead us!

Tell us a little about your personal interests/hobbies.

LB: I love to read novels and have indulged in that quite a bit this summer. I also love running, hiking, walking, cooking, and, in a less busy time in my life, I loved to make art and sew. It’s been quite a while since I’ve done that, though, unless you count crafting with kids.

I am active in social justice work, as well, which takes on several different forms. My work with schools is the primary avenue for this, but we also attend political events as a family and campaign when possible. I anticipate being more active this year in preparation for the 2020 election.

What is one goal you have for yourself and/or your students in this coming school year?

LB: Slowing down for deep learning, spending time lingering on ideas-for all of us. Since I come from a school teaching and administration background, the pressure to “cover” topics and curriculum is often present for me. This year, I want to let that go, focus on a simpler set of goals for the kids, and spend most of my time learning alongside them.