Teaching from Beyond the
Classroom
Brian Grublesky
Statewide Educator Initiatives Program
Manager
bgrublesky@imsa.edu
THINK

Why are you in graduate
school?
Think of your favorite
teacher, ever.
Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
• Residential Student Program
A world class powerhouse for inspiring, challenging and
nurturing talented students who will use their exceptional
abilities to improve people’s lives.
• Professional Field Services
Provide research-based, practice proven programs to
transform STEM education across Illinois and beyond.
Why is STEM important?
My Journey from Loyola
to IMSA
Visick Lab
•
Co-founded syp locus and did early work to
determine operon structure
• Karen’s first student
• Helped mentor new lab members
• Did go to Hawaii for 1 squid collection trip
• Earned $100 to Lou Malanti’s from Erik and
Kathy on the Mix
Alternative Certification
Program
•
• Completed at Benedictine University
Need Bachelor’s Degree in Math or Science
and 5 years of experience
• Do teacher training over the summer
• Teach in a classroom with monthly
evaluations and meetings
• Get teaching certificate after 1 year
Thornridge High School
•
School just south of Chicago
• 98.5% African-American
• 60% low-income
• Taught Biology to freshmen and Forensics
to upper-classmen
• Developed own curriculum and final exams
for both classes
Fairmont Elementary School
• In unincorporated Lockport
• 60% African-American and 30% Hispanic
• 97% low-income
• Only science teacher in the building
• Taught all middle school students, helped
with elementary students, and did summer
camps
• Coached volleyball
IMSA: The Early Years
While at Fairmont, helped PBL team write
curriculum for summer camp and mentored
Benedictine’s Alt. Cert Program
Became Professional Development Specialist
in Problem-Based Learning
• Trained teachers in PBL across Illinois, in Ohio, and
Washington
IMSA: The Middle Years
Became Professional Development and
Curriculum Specialist for Statewide Educator
Initiatives
• Continued to train teachers in PBL
• Wrote PBL curricula for schools to use
• Wrote and delivered PD for Fusion Program
Fusion
195 programs in 123 schools across Illinois
Enrichment curricula for gifted, talented, and
interested students
4-5 Curricula
• Electricity
• Electromagnetic Spectrum
• Engineering: Design and
Build
• Climate Change
• Chemistry
• Synthetic Biology
6-8 Curricula
• Secret Codes
• Chaos Theory
• Twisted and Tangled
• Take Flight
• Medieval STEM
• Material Science
IMSA: Today
Became Program Manager for Statewide
Educator Initiatives
• Continue to train teachers in PBL
• Write and deliver PD for Fusion Program
• Develop new offerings for schools
• Write grant proposals and reports
• Work with potential customers to determine their needs
• Help retain current customers
• Deliver presentations at conferences
Past Week
• Wrote new grant ask and report for last year
• Prepped and packed materials for Fusion
kits
• Developed new training for shifting schools
to new Next Generation Science Standards
• Did logistic work for PD day for over 200
teachers to come to IMSA for the day
• Delivered training to teachers at an
alternative high school
• Helped work on new curriculum for Fusion
Why do I do this?
• Don’t have to deal with parents
• Always different
• Don’t have time to get bored
• Developing new things at all times
• In the past year, at least 1500 students have
experienced curricula I wrote, have trained
approximately 400 teachers, and worked
with about 100 administrators and coaches
Thanks and any
questions?