Jackie Grundberg of Backpack Sciences debuts her first title, Teaching Montessori Science: 9 Practical Strategies to Engage Children in Hands-on STEAM Activities.
What was your professional background before discovering Montessori? After undergraduate studies, I was a wildlife biologist. Focusing on wildlife conservation, I worked in the field collecting and analyzing data. I worked for the Natural Conservancy in New York protecting piping plovers and the University of San Francisco, where I researched black-capped hornbills in Cameroon, Africa. I then started teaching Advanced Placement Biology at the secondary level in a traditional educational setting.
What led you to Montessori? I stumbled upon Montessori when I moved back to the U.S. after living in Japan. The state of Washington wouldn’t accept my Maryland teaching credentials, so I started to look for opportunities to substitute. I observed a Montessori school, and I was hooked. The head of school asked if I’d like to do Montessori training.
Tell us about your business. I created Backpack Sciences as a way to help educators overcome the overwhelm of teaching science. During my teaching career in the classroom as an upper elementary guide, and then as a teacher educator for CGMS, I saw how overwhelming it was for guides who didn’t have the science background or the hours and hours to prepare for science lessons.
I thought that if I could create something that comes easily to me and take the stress from those who are teaching, then I’d be contributing and helping my colleagues.
I understand how difficult it is to be expected to be proficient in all areas of the elementary curriculum. I’ve combined my passion for hands-on, experiential learning in science and Montessori education.
What have you learned since starting your business? I’ve learned so much! I started from the very beginning – marketing, design, technology, marketing language and research, laws, and so much more. Most importantly, I’ve learned that the best approach to everything I do is to focus on “How can I help?” When I view the benefits of the membership and workshops from the viewpoint of the needs of my audience, I can help more people.
Tell us about your recent title. This is my first book, Teaching Montessori Science: 9 Practical Strategies to Engage Children in Hands-on STEAM Activities.
This book is designed to be more than introducing and discussing Montessori philosophy. I wanted to give educators specific guidance and ideas on how to implement science activities in their learning environment. The readers now have concrete examples of how to integrate hands-on activities. There are tips on how to craft a culturally sensitive focus, integrate real-world issues to promote problem-solving skills, and best practices to use technology to enhance experiments.
What led you to write the book? Teaching Montessori Science book is perfect for the transformation of the Montessori guide. I saw the gap between teachers and parents learning Montessori philosophy and then going to step-by-step lesson plans. Backpack Sciences membership provides the latter and is perfect for those who want to know what to do every step of the way. From working with tens of thousands of parents and teachers, I’ve learned they need practical guidance with specific ideas.
What did you learn during the writing or publishing process? Patience and Communication. Brainstorming the ideas went very well. Writing each chapter was a bit easier than I thought, but I’m grateful for an editor who helped organize my thoughts. I had a mishap when I hired a graphic design team to do the interior book design. It was a tremendous loss of time and money. I have more respect for authors than ever before.
What is next for you or your business? When readers of the book are ready to move forward with step-by-step lesson plans, I’m happy to welcome them into Backpack Sciences membership.
I also have an exciting new course. It’s called “Teachers Side Gig Academy.” It’s to help teachers leverage their teaching skills to earn supplemental income. The course is designed to create a foundation of the business infrastructure to earn income without paying others up to 40% to host their content. After 4 weeks, they’ll be ready to start marketing and running a professional side gig.
What else would you like to add? I hope people enjoy and find Teaching Montessori Science useful and inspiring. My goal is to empower readers with ideas to give high-level science lessons, even if they don’t have a scientific background or have the knowledge. Be confident and know that you and your students can create amazing science experiments and projects. Know that I’m here to support you every step of the way!
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