I am Teo. I teach middle school science on the western slope of Colorado in the small comunity of Rifle. In my 16+ years of teaching, I have made every single mistake in the book.. I have struggled with classroom management, I have taught in ways that students did not engage with, I have felt burnt out and wanted to quit many times. And then something shifted. I started to find my voice. And I found out what really sticks. OBUNTU is an attempt to share the ideas that I found to work while keeping students engaged and teaching 21st century skills. This is what brough back the joy of teaching for me.
My journey started in Romania, a country that found its democratic path after 40 years of communism. Even though I lived in the biggest city, I found myself almost every weekend working on my grandparents’ farm often times as a shepherd. It is then that I developed a love for nature and science. I always wanted to explore new places outside the confines of my country. That desire brought me to Colorado where I taught outdoor education. I always wanted to know more and that led to several outdoor educator courses in Alaska and the Tetons. I loved hands-on education and that brought me to leading adventure and service learning programs in the unique Galapagos Islands and Ecuador. My adventure continues as a middle school science teacher who wants to bring science to life and inspire positive change.
1. Rocket Science.
At one point I quit teaching. Many reasons led to that but one thing I know is that I was overwhelmed. I tried to stick to an online traditional curriculum based on worksheets and lecturing. I conducted an experiment here and there but I always felt bad when spending my own money to spark interest. You know my students were not having fun. Not anymore… At my school, most students know me as Rocket Man. I launch rockets with my students all the time. I even have students from previous years call me and ask when they can come and help with lauching a rocket for this year’s students. It has become a show- literally- at my school because when its Launch time, most students come and watch. I use ESTES ROCKETS. I find them reliable, safe, and they have a variety to choose from. I use the EDUCATOR SECTION to access curriculum based on grades, amount of time, and national standards. Rockets could be a little pricy at the beginning but once you have a few and some launch pads, the engines which could be bought in bulk from Amazon, will be your only investment. Rockets are a must have. They can be used in science club, as an after school activity but I always try to incorporate them in my regular classroom to keep interest high and managing behaviors low. If finances are tight, you can ask the students to put together a fundraiser or use a funding campaign.
2. Rollercoasters Engineering.
When in doubt, when you/ they have lost interest, start building a paper marble rollercoaster. This is our favorite 7th/8th grade project of the year. Every year, I keep several of these roller coasters on display to create anticipation, a sense of competition, and a love for hands-on science and engineering. This is a project based learning activity and can take several weeks. I purchase the templates from PAPER ROLLERCOASTERS and I love using both the standard as well as the advanced templates. The website includes videos, a manual with examples, as well as handouts for calculating average speed, kinetic and potential energy, ready to go. Here are some useful insights: This could be a long project- several weeks. I have found out that students need a lot of time to design the base for the coaster and have little time for the tracks sometime. One idea is to have your students add the tracks on the walls of the classroom or in the hallway, eliminating the need for a structure, kind of like a Goldberg machine attached to the wall. I have had success with students designing an elevator for the marble.You can purchase the templates HERE ( i really like the advanced ones but you need to get the standard ones too)I have created an REQUIREMENTS RUBRIC for grading their designs. I also ask the students to create a video that explains the science at work in their design. Here is a VIDEO RUBRIC on how students are graded and a very USEFUL CHECKLIST for students to use.
3. Student-Led Labs. 
This is by far the method that revolutionized the way I teach and how my students learn. Even better than the traditional stations work, this is a twist on centers that puts students in charge of their own learning. These DIFFERENTIATED STUDENT LED LABS have 8 enters and students move from center to center whenever they are done. The centers are based on the Multiple Intelligence approach to education and follow the 5E model. Here are centers: Explore it, Organize it Write it, Watch it, Read it, Research it, Draw it, Assess it. You can purchase these already made Differentiated Student Led Labs from Kesler Science. I also love these inquiry labs because they are easy to use, they are engaging, and the supplies are easy to find. They follow the CER model The Claim is a sentence that answers the original question, Evidence is the scientific data that supports the claim, Reasoning is the explanation that connects the evidence to the claim. The latter is, I find, one of the most important part that I used to omit or minimize as students would often rush and miss the most important part of inquiry. These labs help me slow down and really improve students’ higher level thinking abilities. Best yet, these labs are also differentiated for all student levels and include Independent Inquiry, dependent Inquiry, and modified inquiry. I also love these PHET simulations ( FREE) and these GIZMO labs for higher level thinkers especially.
4. Keep Them Curious.
There are a plethora of ways to start your class, from DO NOWs to demos, to video responses. But this is my favorite way: a WHAT IF scenario. I start by posing the question. Students either respond in their journal, do a turn and talk, or simply share their ideas with the class popcorn style. Here are some examples: WHAT IF we terrformed the moon? WHAT IF you stopped sleeping? WHAT IF we stopped burning fossil fuels right now?WHAT IF we drained the oceans? I then play one of the videos found on the WHAT.IF Facebook page ( make sure you log in) while students are drawing out the consequences of the scenario in thinking bubbles. They have one more minute to consolidate their thinking by talking to a partener nearby, then all are ready to share. Other Ways I try to make my students curious are by playing a video from the Smarter Every Day channel or allowing them to play a podcast from Radio Lab or Ted radio Hour.
5. Nature Journaling.
Nature journaling is using pictures,words, and numbers to collect and record our nature observations, questions, connections, and explanations in a notebook.This practice helps students slow down, pay attention, notice more, and get curious about the wonder and beauty around them. You can learn more at www.wildwonder.org and download a copy of a journal to start with here. I hope you too are interested in learning how to incorporate more Nature Based Learning into your lessons. You can become a trainer and spire others. Check out Good Nature Learning and inspire teachers to bring nature’s proven academic, wellbeing and planetary benefits into every school through the way they teach.
6. Community Building.
To me, community is best defined by the African philosophy of Ubuntu: “I am because we are.” It is the profound realization that our humanity and growth are entirely interconnected. In education, successful teaching begins by intentionally constructing a kind, curious, and inclusive community of learners where every student feels seen, valued, and essential. I foster this ethos through rituals that appeal to our shared humanity. I read to my students often times outdoors, we study great explorers like Shackleton then do a teambuilding activity or I prepare a healthy meal outdoors. I use storytelling and we share about our lives and we build empathy by listening frequently to MY UNSUNG HERO, a podcast series about people who have made a lasting impression on someone else. Above all, I make sure all kids are seen and feel succesful no matter what their abilities are.
What is Obuntu?
The story of Obuntu ( Ubuntu) starts in Africa. An anthropologist proposed a game to the kids in an African tribe. He put a basket full of fruit near a tree and told them that whoever got there first won the first fruits. When he gave them the signal to run, they all took each other’s hands and ran together, then sat in a circle, enjoying their treats. How can we incorporate this philosphy into our classroom?
My Favorite Outdoor PD
Taking The Living RIver PD thorugh DMNS was an absolutely transformative experience that completely rejuvenated my teaching spirit. For three days and two nights, we paddled through vibrant river corridors and camped under the stars, with all the logistics and incredible riverside meals seamlessly handled by Centennial Canoe Outfitters. Led by a brilliant Master Naturalist and a Museum educator, the course immersed us in hands-on citizen science projects exploring river ecosystems and climate change, all perfectly anchored to Colorado’s Seal of Climate Literacy Framework. It was the absolute perfect blend of authentic environmental learning and a much-deserved opportunity to unplug, float, and reconnect with nature—I returned to my classroom deeply inspired and ready to bring Colorado’s living landscapes to life for my students!
National Geographic PD Courses.
We always expect our students to do better, to push themselves and step outside their comfort zone. I believe we, teachers must do the same. There are always a plethora of professional development we have to take and most of it we find unuseful or impractical. The National Geographic courses for teachers. are by far most practical and useful PD I have ever taken. They offer graduate credit and are really well designed. I particularly liked “Teaching global climate change in your classroom” for its innovative ways to help us visualize the changing climate though scientific modelling and discussions. I also liked their National Geographic Educator certification course.
Orbital mechanics
Take your physics instruction to another level. In this masterclass, Chris, the commander of the International Space station, teaches students what it takes to explore space and how will our lives will be forever changed once we explore the final frontier. He teaches anything and everything about orbital mechanics with engaging stories and inspiring concepts. I love lsitening to his videos with my students and pushing our understanding to a deeper knowledge and appreciation.
The Art Of Negociation
What did I learn from an FBI hoostage negociator? A lot! This masterclass has a lot to teach about mirroring and labeling, genuine empathy and mirror neurons, body language, the value of “no” and powerful negociation techniques I could use with students and adults alike. And this is not manipulation, These techniques are based in authentic connection. Some of this could be easily shared with students in direct applications to real life.
How to find Truth
In this engaging masterclass, Neil teaches how to think like a skeptic, how to open our minds through scientific literacy, distill data, and navigate bias to discover objective truth. He explains the difference between personal, political, and objective truth and teaches students how to deliver their ideas in ways that engage, excite, and inspire.
7. Explorers In The Classroom.
I love inviting real world scientists to my class periodically. Our latest visitor was a parent who is a wildlife biologist and who worked on several studies on the reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone and Colorado. Students were highly engaged and they had the opportunity to ask questions directed to a real scientist. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC has program called EXPLORER CLASSROOM Explorer Classroom is a free virtual event series that connects students direclty with real-world National Geographic explorers, scientists, conservationists and storytellers. Students hear behind-the-scenes stories from the field ranging from ocean depths and volcanoes to wildlife tracking and space engineering—and can ask questions in real time during a live Q&A.
8. Class As A Museum.
When kids enter my classroom they never know what they are going to find. I purposefuly add new elements to my class that provoke curiosity. I think if it as a museum. I like having Sterling engines models, Tesla coils, plenty of model rockets on dispaly, lung and heart models, anything that young scientists would be curious about. They are accesible at any time and kids find them engaging. I pay attention to the lighting, the music, the posters I design- they all tell a story and invite creativity, curiosisty, and a welcoming environment. I bring the outdoors with lots of plants covering the windows, a fish ecosystem that feeds these plants and grow lights year round for micro-greens we cook with.
9. Science Fair For All.
I want every student to have the opportunity to participate in a science fair in 7th grade. Students are given the opportunity to choose a project using what they have learned in the Microbit unit. The BBC micro:bit is a pocket-sized, programmable computer board that makes coding and hardware interaction accessible for young students. Equipped with built-in sensors, this device can measure real-world environmental factors like temperature, ambient light, motion, sound, and magnetic fields. Microbits are an exceptional tool for hands-on science fair projects. Kids designed data-logging experiments such as weather stations, plant hydration trackers, or motion-activated alarms. You can find plenty of projects here.