Neil Marie Nicholson isn’t an astronaut but the fourth grade teacher has a direct line to NASA. Nicholson is one of 50 teacher advisors nationwide of a new initiative to develop digital media tools to get students excited about science, technology, engineering and math. The initiative, “Bringing the Universe to America’s Classrooms,” is funded by NASA and headed by a team at public media producer WGBH in Boston, Massachusetts. Nicholson, who teaches at Centennial Academy in downtown Atlanta, has been getting a lot of calls from friends and family wanting to know about her space travels. She is quick to tell them that her work on Earth is every bit as important and exciting. Who knows? Maybe her participation in this project will inspire one of her students to be an astronaut some day.
Q: Are you from Atlanta?
A: I was actually born and raised in New Orleans. I came here when I was 15 as a result of Hurricane Katrina and ended up staying.
Q: Did you always want to be a teacher?
A: Always. I have younger siblings and, growing up, I would play school with them and try to be their teacher. I had some really great teachers — I'll always remember my fourth-grade teacher. When everyone else in college was trying to figure out what to do, I knew that I would be a teacher.
Q: Why an elementary school teacher?
A: This is where kids can begin to love learning and to love being curious. The right teacher can foster that love. I like to think that I am that right teacher.
Q: What’s so cool about the NASA initiative?
A: The cool part is that my students will have materials straight from NASA — satellite images, data analyses, authentic digital media. There is a solar eclipse on Aug. 21 and we have received special glasses so my students will be able to see what is happening in the sky. I received a lesson plan and some other digital tools. A lot of times, just regular everyday teachers don't have access to these types of materials. I am going to try the materials out with the kids and give feedback about what works and what doesn't.
Q: You think the materials will speak to the kids?
A: I think the kids will be really interested because they are what real people who work for NASA are using to study science and find breakthroughs. Several times throughout the year, we do projects at my school that are six-to-nine weeks long where kids get a chance to stimulate their own learning. I think the resources from the project are going to help the kids discover what is important about their Earth and motivate them to discover even more about it.
Q: Why is STEM so important?
A: At my school, we have a focus on STEAM, which includes the arts. Instead of teaching subjects in isolated pockets, we intertwine everything to make it one continuous learning process. That is important because people don't learn in isolation in the real world. We also incorporate social skills like collaboration, work ethic and communication so kids can grow up to be successful adults.
Q: Did you have to apply to be a teacher advisor?
A: I did and I had to write an essay about my interests in science and in using digital tools. I wrote about how passionate I am about getting kids, no matter where they come from, to understand that they can be global citizens.
Q: Why is that important to you?
A: I serve a very urban population, some students who may not have the same opportunities that other students have. My school serves three different homeless shelters in the downtown area. Once we get the kids to understand that they are all important, that we are happy that each and every one of them is part of our school, they are game to learn.
Information on NASA’s Bringing the Universe to America’s Classrooms: science.nasa.gov/stem-activation-team/wgbh.
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