2008 Woodie Awards
Applying science to life
Ashley Mefford/Senior Campus Reporter
Issue date: 4/1/08 Section: News
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McCollum, a teacher at Charleston Middle School, would go to science museums while on vacation in Chicago with his family when he was a child.
"I kept the interest of science and it turned into a hobby," he said.
McCollum was recently awarded the Sigma Xi Award for excellence in middle school science teaching by the EIU chapter of Sigma Xi.
Sigma Xi is a scientific research society and the award is co-sponsored by the National Office for Sigma Xi.
This is the second year the Sigma Xi chapter at Eastern has handed out the award.
"The award recognizes that a strong partnership exists between excellent
teaching in high school and middle school mathematics and science and qualified students at the university level," said Ann Fritz, a biological sciences professor. "We applaud the efforts of high school and middle school mathematics and science teachers of our region."
McCollum has been a teacher for 35 years and is a 1973 Eastern graduate.
"I was hired by the Charleston school system after graduation and that's the only school I've been employed at," McCollum said.
For McCollum, it's about letting the students know the significance of science, not necessarily turn them into professional scientists.
"I like sharing my passion for science with my students," McCollum said.
He feels middle school is a pivotal point for teaching science.
"At the middle school level it is the last level to hook students on to science," he said. "They could decide to pursue it more by taking advanced classes in high school or possibly a career related to science."
Science is not necessarily something that is always done well, McCollum said.
"As a nation we have somewhat fallen behind," he said. "I'm doing my part to try and fix that problem."
He wants to change this by getting his students excited about learning science.
"I want to teach the students the significant of science, not turn them into scientists," McCollum said. "I want to make science a verb instead of a noun."
McCollum gets his students involved in many "hands-on" activities.
For example, his students are involved with a snowflake project.
It's called the 'Global Snowflake Network' and involves several different countries.
McCollum's students have been involved with this project for the past four years.
"We learn about the connection of the shape crystals and the weather connection," McCollum said.
McCollum then goes to the National Science Teacher Convention and presents the students findings.
"I present the project students worked on and am co-presenting with a scientist from NASA this year," McCollum said.
During the spring, McCollum's students are involved with a Rocketry unit.
Students use a computer program to determine how high a rocket will fly after they construct a rocket.
McCollum wants his students to know that science is something that concerns them and the more they know about it the better.
"Science is applicable to students' own lives, not just people in lab coats," McCollum said. "I want to teach the students the significance of science, not turn them into scientists."
Ashley Mefford can be reached at 581-7942 or at almefford@eiu.edu.
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