Teacher Feature: Tony Althoff—inspiring future scientists with hands-on learning
A third-grade teacher from Lead-Deadwood is one of many who draws inspiration during the annual teacher professional development workshops held at SURF.
Tony Althoff has found a key to getting his third graders enthralled in science learning; let them get messy.
"The hardest part of doing hands-on science is getting the kids to stop," he laughs. "They get so caught up in what they're doing that it's hard to bring them back and get them to clean up. But that’s a good problem to have—it means they're engaged."
Althoff has spent 10 years in a third-grade classroom in Lead-Deadwood. He has attended professional development workshops for teachers at Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) over the past four years.
"It's always new and exciting content presented at SURF. There is a lot of cutting-edge science happening below the town of Lead. So, it's really nice to come up here to a professional development workshop and feel like a scientist for a week,” he says. “I would encourage anybody that has not been up to any of these workshops at SURF to come up and check it out,” Althoff said.
His approach to teaching isn’t just about drilling facts and figures; it’s about building relationships and cultivating a love for learning that can translate to success in life.
"What drives me forward every day is I don't have teaching mastered yet. Even after 10 years, I still feel like every day that I can do better. I still feel like every year, I'm a new teacher. So that challenge is part of what keeps me charged up and trying my best every day.”
Althoff finds new ways to integrate what he learns at the professional development training at SURF each year, including encouraging his third graders to learn by doing.
"Science can get messy, and that's a good thing,” said Althoff. "The kids love getting their hands dirty. I know that for many, learning by doing is the most effective way to understand the world around them."
See a video featuring Tony Althoff here. To learn more about the teacher professional development programs at SURF, visit our resource page for K-12 educators.
