Claire sits down with Sharon Boese, a dynamic STEM educator from McKinney Christian Academy in Texas, to explore what hands-on, inquiry-based science education looks like in action. Sharon shares what a typical day in her classroom entails - from guiding 8th graders through Earth and Space Science to inspiring younger students in the school’s K–5 STEM enrichment program.
We talk about how to balance multiple class preps and design unique experiences to prevent repetition across grade levels, and integrate creativity and rigor through project-based learning. Sharon also gives us a peek inside her students’ engineering notebooks and explains how documentation supports problem-solving and reflection. Whether you’re a fellow teacher looking for classroom inspiration or simply curious about how STEM education comes alive, this conversation offers practical insights and plenty of passion for learning.
About Sharon Boese: Sharon Boese is currently an eighth grade science/STEM teacher and an Elementary School STEM Coordinator at McKinney Christian Academy in McKinney, Texas. She has a great passion for all things space and constantly encourages her students to reach for the stars. Sharon is happily married to Michael, an environmental engineer. They have three sons who all have no choice but to love the nighttime sky. All are Eagle Scouts who earned the Astronomy and Space Exploration merit badges! Sharon hopes that one day one of her sons will become an Astronaut!
Credit: NASA Directory | Solar System Ambassadors - NASA Solar System Exploration
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Claire sits down with Sharon Boese, a dynamic STEM educator from McKinney Christian Academy in Texas, to explore what hands-on, inquiry-based science education looks like in action. Sharon shares what a typical day in her classroom entails - from guiding 8th graders through Earth and Space Science to inspiring younger students in the school’s K–5 STEM enrichment program.
We talk about how to balance multiple class preps and design unique experiences to prevent repetition across grade levels, and integrate creativity and rigor through project-based learning. Sharon also gives us a peek inside her students’ engineering notebooks and explains how documentation supports problem-solving and reflection. Whether you’re a fellow teacher looking for classroom inspiration or simply curious about how STEM education comes alive, this conversation offers practical insights and plenty of passion for learning.
About Sharon Boese: Sharon Boese is currently an eighth grade science/STEM teacher and an Elementary School STEM Coordinator at McKinney Christian Academy in McKinney, Texas. She has a great passion for all things space and constantly encourages her students to reach for the stars. Sharon is happily married to Michael, an environmental engineer. They have three sons who all have no choice but to love the nighttime sky. All are Eagle Scouts who earned the Astronomy and Space Exploration merit badges! Sharon hopes that one day one of her sons will become an Astronaut!
Credit: NASA Directory | Solar System Ambassadors - NASA Solar System Exploration
Natasha and Claire dive into the often-overlooked role of manufacturing in STEM education, exploring how it connects to engineering and real-world applications in the classroom. Along the way, they catch up on the back-to-school happenings from the humor of kindergarten drama to the challenges of STEM burnout and strategies for managing it. Tune in to hear why manufacturing matters, how educators can integrate it into their teaching, and why it’s more relevant than ever for preparing students for future careers.
The STEM Space
Claire sits down with Sharon Boese, a dynamic STEM educator from McKinney Christian Academy in Texas, to explore what hands-on, inquiry-based science education looks like in action. Sharon shares what a typical day in her classroom entails - from guiding 8th graders through Earth and Space Science to inspiring younger students in the school’s K–5 STEM enrichment program.
We talk about how to balance multiple class preps and design unique experiences to prevent repetition across grade levels, and integrate creativity and rigor through project-based learning. Sharon also gives us a peek inside her students’ engineering notebooks and explains how documentation supports problem-solving and reflection. Whether you’re a fellow teacher looking for classroom inspiration or simply curious about how STEM education comes alive, this conversation offers practical insights and plenty of passion for learning.
About Sharon Boese: Sharon Boese is currently an eighth grade science/STEM teacher and an Elementary School STEM Coordinator at McKinney Christian Academy in McKinney, Texas. She has a great passion for all things space and constantly encourages her students to reach for the stars. Sharon is happily married to Michael, an environmental engineer. They have three sons who all have no choice but to love the nighttime sky. All are Eagle Scouts who earned the Astronomy and Space Exploration merit badges! Sharon hopes that one day one of her sons will become an Astronaut!
Credit: NASA Directory | Solar System Ambassadors - NASA Solar System Exploration
