Spangler in action
Earlier this month Summer Counts had the opportunity to attend Science In The Rockies Annual Teacher Training (Read coverage in EdNews Parent).
After the event, we caught up with the man of the hour, Steve Spangler, and asked nosy questions. Who is Steve Spangler?
SC: When did you know you wanted to be a teacher?
Spangler: Becoming a teacher was a natural outgrowth of growing up in a family of professional magicians. As we said at Science in the Rockies… “That’s a whole other Oprah!” My father ran one of the largest training schools for magicians in this part of the U.S. back in the 1970s, and I was fortunate to get to hang around some very cool people as a kid (David Copperfield, Doug Henning, Penn & Teller). Since science is such a big part of being a magician (always using technology and some cool science principle to come up with a way to dazzle people), becoming a science teacher seemed like a wonderful way to combine my love of doing magic and my need to have a full-time job!
SC: What was your favorite teaching moment?
Spangler: I have to attribute most of my success as a teacher to my first class of 3rd graders. Over the course of nine months, they taught me the importance of using humor to create experiences that transcended the four walls of the classroom and somehow made it to the dinner table as a topic of conversation.
Spangler: No real frustrations other than trying to find more time in the day to accomplish what I’m setting out to do. Any profession has its’ normal frustrations, but teaching is so rewarding that the benefits totally outweigh any rough spots.
SC: What was your worst science experiment gone bad (in the classroom or otherwise)?
Spangler: I’m lucky not to have any really bad war stories when it comes to doing science experiments. Of course, there’s always the occasional explosion followed by shattering windows and lights, then I’m on fire, kids are yelling, “That was awesome!” and I return to the lesson at hand. You know… the normal stuff.
SC: As lovely as it probably is for Mrs. Spangler to have a husband who shoots potatoes and sets things on fire; How do you know when it’s time to wrap up and take it to the warehouse (or at least outside)?
Spangler: What a fun question! Anyone who has any science training is most likely a good observer… and I must say that I can tell when I’m getting “the look” from my wife, Renée. We have three lovely boys ages 12 and twins who are 9 years old and they love to experiment with Dad. This is great to have a house full of “science buddies” because we can all share the blame when a potato accidentally flies through a wall or the oven door falls off after a tiny kaboom. It’s just my way of teaching the kids how to take responsibility for their own actions. 
SC: What tips do you have for parents with aspiring scientists?
Spangler: Two things… #1 Support your child by giving him or her every opportunity to wonder, discover, explore, ask questions, test out ideas, fail miserably and find incredible joy in learning something new. (That’s a big #1).
#2 Support your child’s teacher in every way possible. Volunteer in the classroom, search for new opportunities (i.e. conferences, workshops, or other professional development opportunities) for the teacher to attend, and most importantly show them that you care about them as a person and the passion they bring to their teaching. Teachers need our support. Treat a teacher like a professional with dignity and respect and you’ll get amazing results.
SC: What advice do you have for parents with kids who yearn to become teachers?
Spangler: Find someone in your life who is great teacher (someone who everyone says is a great teacher) and have your son or daughter hang out with this person for a few days in the classroom. Consider this an informal job interview. Great teachers can tell very quickly if a person is suppose to be a teacher. It’s a gift or talent that great teachers have, and their accuracy is very good! Bottom line… if you child wants to become a teacher, chances are that they’ll turn out to be a great teacher. Make sure they give it a try before jumping into a profession that is as rewarding as it is challenging.
Learn more about Steve Spangler and his awesome science program at www.SteveSpanglerScience.com.
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