CDE Foundation STEAM Program Manager Karyn Warner.(Photo courtesy of CDE Foundation, and used with permission.)

Fall semester 2020 looks vastly different from previous years.

For Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation STEAM Program Manager Karyn Warner, going virtual has been the key to serving teachers, students and parents.

Together with CDE Foundation STEAM Program Director Glennon Stratton, Karyn has created a new free webinar series, "Lunch Bites", which offers a different takeaway with each episode.  The goal: provide something which teachers (and homeschooling parents) can use immediately in distance learning lesson plans.

And the emphasis is on customization to individual students.

Nonprofit CDE Foundation's goal, as stated on their website, is to provide a strong and equitable public-education system that serves all California students.   For 2020, new content and virtual solutions are their means to achieve that goal.

In addition to the "Lunch Bites" webinar series, Karyn and Glennon now have a "Lunch Bites" podcast.  Annually, the CDE Foundation co-hosts the "California STEAM Symposium", which will be an all-virtual event in December.  Prior to the start of the new semester, they also offered a back-to-school virtual preconference for educators.

Meanwhile, for 2020, the CDE Foundation will be co-hosting their annual "California STEAM Symposium" virtually, in December.  You'll recall, from previous posts, that this two-day conference explores imaginative and inventive ways of teaching science, technology, engineering, art and math.  December 11-13, promise an exciting exchange of ideas and innovation.

Karyn shared the story of "Lunch Bites" (both the webinar series and podcast!), offered some ideas and guidance for customized remote lessons and gave an update on what's next!
On this edition of Over Coffee® you will hear:


How Karyn realized education was her calling;


The classroom experiences which led her to revise her lesson plans to give students ownership of their own learning;


One vital element, in making STEAM education effective;


The story of the "Lunch Bites" webinar series;


How to make sure, when offering a virtual experience, that participants are engaged;


A closer look at one set of STEAM resources offered on the "Lunch Bites" webinar;


How the "Lunch Bites" podcast evolved from the webinar series;


Karyn's recommendations for engaging girls and more students of color in STEAM education;


What's involved in democratizing education to serve students in all communities;


How a teacher can customize lessons to individual students when working with a large classroom;


Karyn's advice to homeschooling parents (she is one!);


What the back-to-school preconference showed the CDE Foundation about distance learning;


A look forward, at what's happening with "Lunch Bites" (don't miss their latest podcast episode, from a student's perspective!);


And, what to expect in December, during the virtual California STEAM Symposium!