A new professional development opportunity has recently become available for educators across the state who teach STEM as part of their curriculum.

The Huntsville Botanical Garden (HBG), in partnership with Birmingham Botanical Gardens (BBG) and Bellingrath Gardens and Home (BG&H), is set to launch the Cultivate program statewide after a successful pilot in the 2022-2023 academic year. Teachers who attend Cultivate sessions have the opportunity to experience rigorous, hands-on training from education experts from the gardens themselves.

Cultivate is a recently developed program designed to help K-6 teachers grow their abilities and confidence while building connections that will assist with teaching STEM lessons in the classroom.

“Cultivate expertise is top-notch, the lessons are relevant for teacher and student success, and you cannot beat the value for this kind of professional development,” said Rebecca Turk, director of Learning and Public Engagement at HBG.

The concepts and ideas for the program are rooted in plant science for STEM lessons and are presented along with all activities being linked to the Alabama Course of Study: Science standards and learning progressions.

As attendees have the opportunity to walk away with enthusiasm and confidence for teaching STEM lessons, the Cultivate hosts have been so gracious as to send all attendees home with curriculum, a bin of STEM resources, and a certificate for two CEU credit hours.

STEM education extends far beyond its acronym (science, technology, engineering, and math). STEM stands as the very basis for teaching children problem-solving and critical thinking skills that can truly be applied throughout their lives and assist them in being successful in any future careers.

“Educators are expected to teach these very important logical thought processes to children as early as Kindergarten, but many find themselves without the training, resources or confidence to effectively teach those skills. By attending a Cultivate session, they can bridge that gap and learn the concepts necessary to successfully teach lessons that help children develop mental processes they will need for future career and lifestyle opportunities,” said HBG Chief Executive Officer Susan Wagner.

Registration is now open for summer Cultivate sessions that start and continue throughout June. Those who teach Kindergarten through sixth grade in Alabama are eligible. Teachers are also encouraged to complete a simple scholarship application to participate in the course for 90% off, or $10.00.

For more information, available sessions and registration can be found at hsvbg.org/professional-development or at bbgardens.org.