Some Words Of Wisdom.

“The bottom line is that supporting ASSET makes good business sense for a STEM company like Bayer. Not only are we helping to nurture and develop a scientifically literate American citizenry, but also the next generation of inventors, innovators and discoverers who are critical to our company’s long-term success.”

“ASSET’s greatest legacy lies in its development of Pennsylvania elementary and middle school teachers who are effective, confident and engaged in science teaching.”

“By providing graduate credits for educators, Carlow University’s partnership with ASSET strengthens classroom-embedded professional development in K-8 science education. Through sustained support of teacher learning, this partnership contributes to the improvement of science instruction in schools in southwestern Pennsylvania and beyond.”

“PLTW is excited to partner with ASSET in developing educators who will help shape the innovators of tomorrow. Through alternative training models, collaboration with other teachers and connections with higher education institutions, educators will bring the latest knowledge and best practices in STEM education to their classrooms, and ignite the imaginations of students.”

“SAFARI Montage is proud to help ASSET provide a platform for the delivery of standards-based STEM programs to students. SAFARI Montage believes in the importance of ASSET’s mission and is glad to be a part of enhancing visual learning for all students.”

“UPMC Health Plan is proud to help Pennsylvania students achieve educational success in science. Our partnership with ASSET Inc. allows UPMC Health Plan to provide kids, their families and their teachers with useful tools and resources to achieve a healthy lifestyle…to ensure optimum learning.”

“EQT embraces a culture of innovation that helps produce a clean and abundant energy source — natural gas — using safe, economic and environmentally friendly techniques. EQT supports the ASSET team because its innovative techniques help teachers and their students experience learning in a new and creative way, especially in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math.”

“Solid science and math education are the basis of our region’s — and our nation’s — future economic success. ASSET delivers valuable STEM teacher training, and Carnegie Science Center is proud to be a partner in delivering complementary hands-on informal experiences to excite young people about science and inspire them to explore careers in STEM-related fields.”

“LANXESS is proud to support ASSET in its work to bring inquiry-based science education into the classroom through the development of teachers. ASSET’s success is reflected not only in the improved test results generated by the 140 school districts in which they work, but in the energy and attitude displayed by the 4,000 teachers and 150,000 students they impact.”

“ASSET’s work with teachers and students has been outstanding and could be a model for the rest of the nation.”

“ASSET is a real partnership between education, business and future employers. It connects the teachers and students of today to tomorrow’s long-term workforce needs of the future.”

“I have observed firsthand the excitement in ASSET classrooms, of students learning and teachers teaching science using the hands-on, inquiry-based method. There is joy in the learning process — and just as important, there is joy in teaching it. I have a firm belief in ASSET’s mission. I believe it is extremely valuable and, in many ways, noble.”

“ASSET has shown that it is beginning to interest many students at very young ages in science and technology. That is an indispensable part of what must be done to increase the number of young people coming into the pipeline at a time when the United States has a greater need than ever before for scientists, engineers and technology professionals.”

“When we educate our young people in technology and the sciences, we give them entry to a world of rewarding career opportunities. These investments in education are also indispensable to the future of our state and region, as they ensure that our businesses will have a ready supply of the engineers, researchers and other technical professionals who create innovative products and services. Westinghouse is proud to be an ASSET corporate partner and to support its leadership role in strengthening science and math education across Pennsylvania.”

“ASSET’s incredible growth and emergence as one of the country’s leading forces in achieving systemic reform in elementary and middle school science education begins with its research and development programs.”

“ASSET has played a very important national leadership role in the growth and the success of the hands-on, inquiry-based model in elementary school science classrooms—not only in western Pennsylvania, but across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and from coast to coast.” 

“I believe that ASSET is a model for the nation.”

“The major reason we’ve supported ASSET is because it has generated very strong market demand. Teachers are showing that they value the training ASSET offers, and school districts are showing they are willing to pay for it. Given the enormous growth of information in the sciences today, it’s difficult for teachers to keep up with the evolution of knowledge. ASSET connects teachers to those changes.”

“The connection between the disciplines of mathematics and science is a natural one. Unfortunately, learning math has traditionally been very textbook-driven. ASSET has helped teachers create an exciting new context for students to learn math through hands-on inquiry.”

“Carolina Biological Supply Company sees first-hand the positive outcomes of the ASSET organization through professional development and using researched-based curriculum.”

“By tapping into the wonder of inquiry-hands-on based learning at early grade school levels, ASSET is inspiring students to actively learn the world around them as curious working scientists. ASSET is winning students’ hands, hearts and minds to pursue educational and career opportunities in science. They champion proven instructional delivery practices - teaching teachers how students best learn science. They are creating scientific literate citizens, professionals and leaders. ASSET is not only a regional, but a national asset. They are delivering work-life differences in science education for students today, and inspiring innovative winning solutions in science for tomorrow.”

“ASSET Inc.’s programs have proven to help our future leaders to excel. As a locally based commercial real estate services company, we are extremely pleased to partner with ASSET to ensure that Western Pennsylvania continues to prosper in the science fields, securing Pittsburgh’s place as a hub for research and technology.” 

“It is vitally important to the global competitiveness of our state and nation that every child, regardless of where they live, benefits from a quality science education. ASSET Inc. is at the forefront of making that commitment real in Pennsylvania by helping school districts  implement an inquiry-based science education program through teacher professional development. ASSET Inc. further enhances the program by providing hands-on curriculum materials for grades K-8.”

“Confucius once wrote: ‘I hear and I forget; I see and I remember; I do and I understand.’ This exemplifies the science teaching/learning philosophy at ASSET, and as such makes a difference in all of the classrooms that they touch. More importantly, this makes a world of difference in the students’ learning and appreciation of science! Point Park University is excited to be a part of this effort.”

“Having had the opportunity to serve ASSET Inc. and its mission for the last two to three years, I am continually impressed by the heroic efforts that occur every day by everyone working at ASSET to improve science education in Pennsylvania and beyond. The depth, breadth and quality of services that the team at ASSET provides to school districts, teachers and, ultimately, parents and students is truly amazing and is substantively helping our country retain its technological leadership in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.”

“I can’t say enough about the professional development and growth I experienced as an ASSET Resource Teacher. I was able to work with leading experts in education and science on a state and national level. ASSET’s great strength is that it’s about ‘teachers teaching teachers’: We walk the walk, and talk the talk together. It makes ASSET a credible and trusted resource for teachers.”

“Being an ASSET Resource Teacher exposed me to different ways of teaching and learning. It opened me up to a world of possibilities. I learned to step back, look at my practice and really consider how children learn. I’m a much more well-rounded and better teacher as a result. Now that I’m back in the classroom, I encourage my students to ‘own what they learn’ by being strategic, critical and questioning thinkers.”

“In a nutshell, professional development programs drive teacher success. It’s what makes the difference between a good and a great teacher.”

“ASSET gives teachers the tools to make our students lifelong learners — not just in science, but in all subjects.”

“ASSET’s math notebooks are a perfect extension of its science notebooks. There is so much applied math in science that it’s a natural connection.”

“The knowledge I gained through attending ASSET’s Institutes — and I’ve gone to just about all of them! — has been inspiring. ASSET helped me see the big picture: I’m not just teaching individual lessons, but a connected, integrated system for learning science. The Science Notebooks and experiments we use in the classroom give students a real taste of success that makes them look forward to learning.”

“ASSET has a real ‘make it happen’ attitude. The professional staff is open to our concerns, suggestions and queries. Most of all, ASSET works hand-in-hand with teachers who are in the trenches, giving them the essential tools they need to teach in new ways. The result is that students learn differently and more effectively—and have fun doing it.”

“The ASSET inquiry-based model has returned science to the front burner for teachers, students and parents. The students and teachers are engaged and loving it. When teachers are happy, students are happy—and when kids are happy, parents are happy. The impact goes beyond learning science. It reduces disruptive behavior in the classroom and keeps the students intellectually and physically involved through hands-on research-based learning.”

“ASSET’s professional development programs remind you how much fun learning can be. It’s been an incredible experience, affecting everything I teach.”

“I’m honored to share what I’ve learned through ASSET with college students participating in the Inquiry Science Endorsement program. ASSET’s emphasis on hands-on learning creates more confident and dynamic teachers.”

“Teachers often are exposed to one-shot training that is soon replaced by another ‘flavor of the day.’ As a result, they’re wary of many training programs. But ASSET is in a league of its own. It offers credible professional development teachers trust.”

“ASSET’s approach to connecting across disciplines is one of the most effective ways I can help students learn. I see dramatic changes in their vocabulary, comprehension and retention. It’s makes teaching exciting — every single day.”

“Science is ever-changing. Through ASSET, our teachers have access to a revised curriculum every year that aligns with state standards and ensures that our students have access to the latest knowledge.”

“Participation in the Curriculum Alignment Planning Service provided our teachers with a tangible framework which will be utilized efficiently and effectively to analyze, supplement, and adopt the science focus within each grade level.”

“The Science Showcase of Student Learning validated what students are learning in science. The students were very excited to show off their acquired science knowledge to their parents, friends and family members. The Showcase brought together our families and community for an educational event."

“The professional development I received through SIE has made it possible for me to grow and change as a teacher, perhaps the greatest impact has been my personal growth as a teacher. I have witnessed the change in student interest and the eagerness to learn because of the new direction I have taken in my teaching.”

"Every time I enter an ASSET professional development classroom, I am reminded of Alice Through the Looking Glass. I immediately feel transformed into someone whose external boundaries melt away. Unlike Alice, though, I feel as though we are all on the same wave length, that sharing of ideas and supporting learning comes first with everyone rather than individual performance. I look forward to working collegially with other people who are as excited as I am about learning, and sharing that learning with others. ASSET courses vibrate with positive energy which emanates from the superb instructors. I feel the rare combination of being engaged, validated, and curious about new ideas in learning all at the same time."

"The professional knowledge becomes second nature and instills a confidence when teaching and an excitement about learning that students have taken to as they have no other time. With the innundation of standardized testing, we run the risk of alienating students. When Delaware Valley began our association with ASSET two years ago, our school was transformed. Students, parents, and faculty came together to share the excitement of students who are fully engaged and asking eagerly, "Do we have science today?" My former students will unfailingly come by for a quick visit and ask, "Have you started wiring houses for electricity yet?", "Did your class get to make working thermometers?". Even my new students can't wait to tell me what they have learned in previous years identifying and classifying leaves, fingerprints, and rocks. Sadly, our school lost its grant through state cuts we fought against. Even though we have returned to Walmart science, we are continuing to design minds-on inquiry lessons because we have experienced for ourselves how elegantly they work. And we remember wistfully our time through the looking glass."  

"I was asked to be a part of the Strategic Planning Team in the fall of 2006. I attended the ASSET/SIE Leadership Conference for 3 years. I was also a Lead Teacher and taught Water for ASSET. I've been asked to speak on a panel for the Leadership Council, and I've been interviewed by Horizon Research for ASSET."

"My school began this program like all the other schools in Pennsylvania; hopeful, ambitious, and inspired. There was no question to whether we were going to be successful or not. We were going to teach students how to take their learning to another level. We owed it to our kids to make a difference in their education." 

"Every year that I teach the kits, the students continue to be surprised and motivated by the things they learn. Hands-on lessons through an inquiry based education has led the students in my school to gain success on many levels. This year our school has been named a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. We all have made a grand difference and we are very proud of our school's achievements. ASSET has helped to make these gains possible." 

"Over the past five years, I've had many 'A-Ha' moments in the classroom, during training, and even at the yearly science fair. But the delightful, surprised reactions of my students each year when a new discovery appears, never fails to 'A-Ha' me." 

"ASSET's Professional Development has expanded my strong base of scientific knowledge. I have learned that apart from scientific facts, which may grow obsolete, it is crucial that our students today have the skills to make meaningful connections based on thinking that is supported by evidence from reliable data. Beyond that scope, is the keen purpose to foster students' conceptual connections across subject disciplines, and to increase students' abilities to problem-solve the many practical and societal issues of today." 

"The torch, which is ASSET's Hands-on STEM Materials, is the spark that ignites student inquiries with user friendly investigations that mirror the real work of scientists. My most outstanding 'AHA' moment occurred late last spring when implementing the Levers and Pulleys module. Our school held a routine fire drill, and afterwards it prompted the following discussion: How can levers and pulleys assist physically disabled persons to remove them safely during an evacuation or actual crisis? Effective, powerful, and successful describes my ASSET experience!" 

"I honestly don't know where I would be as a teacher right now if it weren't for ASSET and their modules and trainings. I am just a second year teacher and I have learned so many new things over the last two years, thanks to ASSET! I currently teach 6th and 7th grade science, but only use the kits in my 6th grade classes. I currently use the Variables module and Magnets and Motors module, but I have also taught the Levers and Pulleys module. I am trying very hard to use the concepts and ideas that I have learned through ASSET to convert my 7th grade units into inquiry as well. I really just cannot express the wonders these kits have done in my classroom."

"My classes consist of heterogeneous grouping, which can be a challenge in itself at times, but with the kits, the students learn at their own pace! They discover new things on their own with only a small amount of guidance from the teacher. I have used all different forms of questioning strategies to get the students thinking in the right directions and that makes them ask even more questions."

"One of my favorite things about teaching with the different modules is when the students feel successful. There are so many difficult concepts to understand in science and the kits help students to understand those concepts and feel a sense of self achievement. Student success is the best reward any teacher could ever ask for! I have found that these kits motivate the students so much. I have heard a lot of the students talking about what they learned in science class and what experiment they did that was 'fun' for them. When students want to learn about something, they become motivated and excited. These modules have a motivational affect on my students! I have experienced days in my classroom where the students are working so hard to accomplish a challenge, that the time in the period just seems to slip away and they don't even know it."

"As a young teacher I am so grateful for all of the trainings that I have attended through ASSET. I am able to use the methods and concepts that I have learned throughout all the trainings in so many different aspects of my teaching. As I said earlier, I am working diligently to create new inquiry units that I can use in the future with my 7th grade classes. If it weren't for ASSET, their trainings, and their modules, I would be struggling a great deal as a new teacher."

"Thank you, ASSET, for helping me through my first years of teaching! I am so grateful!"

"The beginning of my story probably sounds very familiar to many in my field. I did not like to teach Science. This dislike stemmed from all the usual suspects; I wasn't strong in the content, I didn't have all the answers, and I certainly didn't have the right materials. There was an underlying fear and uneasiness in my approach to Science and in spite of my professional understanding that hands needed to be applied to materials to increase learning, I sought comfort in my trusty textbook." 

"When my principal approached me to attend a Science Foundations training event with him, my heart sank. I would be with my supervisor and I would be exploring my weakest content area. As ASSET took me through their 3-day training my comfort level bumped up slightly with the hands-on/minds-on approach that was used. I was still 'green' but not as green as some of my peers. My school then received a Science It's Elementary grant and I was sent to ASSET's leadership workshop and I left feeling as though I could handle myself in the classroom to a much better degree. The module training was next and I knew there was no place to hide now. I was in it for the long haul but the long haul seemed more of a gift than a sentence now.  I learned my module and worked it with my class. I saw my class turn into a completely different set of students using the hands-on module and inquiry approach. The biggest shock? There were some answers that I didn't know and some unexpected events took place but they didn't shatter me. These events strengthened me because my ASSET training had prepared me to respond in ways that would maintain my professional credibility and still allow my students to learn through inquiry." 

"4 years later I'm attending any ASSET training that is available to me and I've become a leader of Science instruction in my school. I've helped to align our curriculum. I've established professional contacts to utilize and refer my peers to for support. I've gone from an unsure and uneasy teacher to a trainer of my module through ASSET's Science It's Elementary Leadership program. I've come out of hiding and I feel comfortable being a 'go to' person in my building."

"Had anyone told me that I'd travel this path over the past 4 years moving from fear to leadership, I'd have laughed at the crazy suggestion. Thanks to ASSET, their sound professional development approach, and the use of hands-on/minds-on modules for instruction, I have, in fact, traveled that path and blazed many new ones on my continuing ASSET journey."

"When our school starting participating in ASSET, the teachers were excited, but change can be difficult some times. But through perseverance and with ASSET making arrangements to come to our school, the teachers accepted to get the trainings for Module 1. Once they started to get trained and utilize Module 1 in grades K-5, they were excited and so were their students. Teachers were commenting how awesome the science lessons were and were excited to share with me what they were doing in their classrooms. Some teachers even made power point presentations with the students about what they learned through Module 1 and posted them on the school's website."

"We would love to obtain funding to keep teaching the other Modules and keep preparing our students for the 21st Century!! The teachers and staff at Jackson Elementary School deserve the best trainings and materials so every student can be successful! They all work so hard every single day!"

"I am currently teaching 2nd grade. I am teaching the Changes Module now. I have been trained on the Changes and Life Cycle of Butterflies modules. I have previously taught Food Chemistry for 5th, Solids and Liquids, Weather, and Organisms for 1st, and Fabric and Wood and Paper for K. I have been trained in the K and 2nd grade modules. I am looking forward to my 2nd grade training for Balancing and Weighing."

"My students absolutely LOVE science class! They are always so excited when it is time for science. They anxiously await the next investigation. I am pleased to see that my second graders remember things from the 1st grade Solids and Liquids modules which pertain to our Changes module. This proves to me that their excitement about science leads to better retention and practical application in science concepts." 

"Going to the professional development sessions greatly enhance my learning and my excitement about teaching the units. They are extremely beneficial and I have not been disappointed with my experiences."

"The ASSET professional development has definitely changed the way I teach the Science curriculum."

"I was a first year teacher last year and was extremely apprehensive of how I was going to teach Science. I was fortunate enough to attend the Rocks and Minerals training and my apprehension changed to excitement. I immediately went home with the journal we created in the training and created my own notebook on the computer to xerox for the students to use. I repeated this with each additional training I went to. I also shared these with my fellow teachers in the building along with the wonderful trainers at the ASSET building. This notebook allows us to spend less time cutting and pasting and more time concentrating on the content." 

"I loved going to each training. It gave me an opportunity to talk to other educators that taught the same thing I did and get some great ideas to help in my own classroom. I loved how the training broke the kits down in a way that made it very approachable.  Science is one of the favorite subjects for the students and I'm glad it is also enjoyable for me to teach."

"This is my fourth year in fourth grade and ASSET modules have really helped my students and myself grow and learn more about science." 

"My students get so excited about the modules and the projects that we do incorporating this into the classroom. The houses and flashlights for electric circuits have helped the students become more involved in why things happen and help each other.  Another great factor in using these modules is sometimes the struggling learner does better than the student that usually always does well. It allows the students to teach each other and learn from one another. It allows the students that don't always succeed a chance to succeed." 

"Last year was my first year with the Animal Studies and wow what an impact it had on my students. This year we don't know if we will have the funding for this module and it breaks my heart because I know the students look forward to these modules."

"I am no longer viewed as the sole authority in the classroom; students often design and direct their own tasks. Students make observations, develop hypotheses about phenomena, and devise tests to investigate their hypotheses. They share responsibility within the group and with you for answering questions, and use a scientific approach to solving problems."

"I am now creating situations in which students take the role of scientists." 

"Chinese Proverb:

• I hear and I forget
• I see and I remember
• I do and I understand"

"Without this approach students must rely on memory and abstract thought, two methods which restrict learning in most students. By actually doing and experiencing science, students develop their critical thinking skills as well as discover scientific concepts."

"The kits make it so much easier for me to teach science. I don't have to search for supplies, or design a detailed lesson plan. It is all done for me."

"In my first year using the kit, I gave the students too much information. I told them what to look for and the exact steps we were going to follow. I told them too much. Sometimes, I would tell them what to look for at the end of the lesson because I was afraid that they would 'miss' the big idea of the lesson. They lost interest. If you give too many hints, provide too many answers, or ask too many leading questions during an inquiry exercise, the activity is too teacher directed and becomes a chore. I would ruin the process by letting students know what will happen before they have the opportunity to find out for themselves."

“I remember ASSET making science class exciting because of all the sensory aspects of it. It was all very visual, which I believe helped me to relate the things I was learning to the ‘real world.’ Throughout high school I remained interested in science taking advanced chemistry and physics classes.”

“Having participated in the ASSET program in elementary school has greatly impacted my ongoing education. The hands-on curriculum helped to create critical thinking skills and analytical processes. ASSET is engaging and part of my fondest memories of grade school.”

“I loved getting my hands on the experiments and actually doing them myself. Those successes really boosted my self-confidence and helped me to realize that I can be whatever I want to be.”

“ASSET makes science cool!”

“ASSET lessons are the ones that have stuck with me. I remember them in much greater detail than any other lessons from elementary school, and that means I learned more from ASSET science.”

“Believe it or not, my favorite subject in elementary and middle school wasn’t science — it was math. Today, though, what I love doing most really is rocket science! My goal is a career in the aerospace industry. There are so many opportunities, especially for women. I can’t wait to see what comes next.”

“I remember ASSET’s Rocks and Minerals module, where we categorized gems and fossils. That — and a field trip to the Carnegie Museum to see the dinosaurs — made me want to be a paleontologist when I grew up. Today, though, my focus is on energy solutions — I’m preparing for a career in the nuclear industry.”

“Some students do best when everything is broken down and explained. Others love the freedom of exploration. The amazing thing about ASSET’s approach to science is that it works for both learning styles. You can follow an experiment step by step — or cut loose and go crazy. I still apply the skills I learned in ASSET classes to my studies today.”

“I was lucky to have some pretty amazing science teachers growing up. I loved spending hours working on science projects. By the sixth grade, I was fascinated by computer science and engineering. Even then, a career in science was certain to me. Science is the basis of everything we do — nearly every great leap forward has a science connection.”

“Our son can’t wait to go to school on science days. He tells us every detail about the experiments, drawings he has made, and places on the school’s campus that the class has visited. He has truly developed a love of science that we did not expect. Now he wants to set up experiments for the family and journal about the results. It is a nice way for our family to see what he is doing and a great way for his 5-year-old brother to learn and get excited about science, too!”

“As a father of 6 and an employee of a high tech company, I appreciate the impact of the ASSET Science Program on both a personal and professional level. ASSET is our national endowment: as we invest in the growth of our science and math educators, we create a foundation for greater science and math literacy, greater career development and higher levels of analytical thinking. This is a foundation on which our country can grow and develop. We owe a great deal to the hard work of ASSET. Thank you for your work.”