Stories

From South Africa to the Classroom

A PSF grant supported Phillips Middle School AVID teacher Ms. Gary-Timmons’ participation in the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences’ South Africa Institute. This immersive professional learning opportunity focused on studying ecosystems, biodiversity, wildlife, geology, climate, and conservation in South Africa.

The Institute sparked an important realization for Ms. Gary-Timmons: science becomes more meaningful when we experience it firsthand. Seeing ecosystems, wildlife, animal adaptations, and conservation efforts in South Africa gave Ms. Gary-Timmons new perspectives on how to make science engaging and relevant for students. She will bring her firsthand observations, lessons, and resources back to the classroom and share them with her students and colleagues, extending the impact throughout the Phillips community and to the wider AVID program throughout CHCCS.

This professional development opportunity also strengthened her commitment to helping students engage with their curriculum firsthand through inquiry, observation, data collection, and real-world connections. Ms. Gary-Timmons plans to offer a school club where students and teachers can practice field skills such as journaling, species identification, and weather and climate measurement.

“It was truly an amazing professional and personal learning experience, and I’m looking forward to bringing what I learned back to my students and sharing my experiences with my colleagues.”