REACH

Courses

The STEM Educator Online Course

New in 2020, US Sailing will be running all STEM Educator Courses online. The online course is spread over 10 days (Friday I Day 1 through Sunday I Day 10). The course consists of (2) 40 minute live webinars on Day 2 I Saturday & Day 3 I Sunday and then module presentations on Day 9 I Saturday. The other days are self paced and consist of video content, group discussion and posts and quizzes. Students should expect to spend 8-10 hours of course work over the 10 days.

The STEM Educator Course includes professional development/training, materials, and copies of the 132 page Reach Educator Guide for Middle School Modules 1-10 (retail $59.95) and Reach Student Logbook and Portfolio (retail $8.00). Upon completion attendees will receive a US Sailing STEM Educator Course certificate and formal educators will receive a certificate for professional development hours.

“After attending the STEM Educator Course, I was highly impressed with our instructor. The modules in the curriculum provide hands-on experiences for students to learn about the science and engineering behind sailing, an abundant list of web resources that tie in with each lesson, and an effective sequence of lessons, so that they each build on each other. I would highly recommend this program for any classroom or program that is looking to incorporate hands-on experiences when learning about math, technology, and science!” ~ Meghan Dutton

 

Prerequisites for Entrance into the Course

  1. SAFESPORT: This program, developed by the US Olympic Committee, is required training for all Instructors. This requirement is also being put in place for other National Governing Bodies. This free online training course must be completed every 2 years. Instructor certification is not active unless SafeSport training has been completed.
    1. US Sailing Members - TAKE THE TRAINING
    2. Non - Members - TAKE THE TRAINING
  2. US Sailing Teaching & Coaching Fundamentals : Developed in conjunction with the US Olympic Committee (USOC), this course gives the building blocks of good instructional practices for becoming an effective educator on and off the water. A guide on how to complete the course can be found here and a few Frequently Asked Questions are answered here.

 

Cost: $150.00

Cancellation Policy

Online Course Transfers are not available within the week of the course start.

Course fees are nonrefundable but are transferable to another course/date if the Education Department is given enough notice, in writing:

  • More than four weeks before the course start date: Fee is transferable to another course, credit is valid for 1 year.
  • Within the four week of course start date: ½ half of course fee is transferable to another course, credit is valid for 1 year.
  • Less than 24 hours' notice of course start date (or no-show): 100% of the course fee is forfeited.

Reach Educator Course Dates and Locations:

 

 

Materials Needed for Online Course

Materials other than your textbooks are required for several activities in the course. They are needed during Unit 2 & 3, during the live webinar on Day 3 (Sunday) and during your module presentation on Day 9 (Saturday). Most materials can be found easily around the home or online. Be creative and don’t let this list limit your participation in the course, please reach out to your Instructor Trainer if you have questions.

Unit 2 I Constructing a Paper Tower I Saturday - Day 2

2 pieces of 8.5x11” printer paper (ideally not 3-holed lined paper)

Unit 3 I Measuring Wind (Reach Curriculum Module 1) I Sunday - Day 3

This Module you are doing on your own and taking a picture of your completed anemometer. You can use the list below from your Reach Educator Guide Modules 1-10 or adapt it based on the materials you saw Chris use in the Mr. Childer’s Boat House Episode.

  • Pencil with new eraser
  • Four paper Dixie cups or a piece of paper
  • Two (non bending) paper drinking straws or pieces of cardboard
  • Masking tape
  • Straight pin, safety pin, or push pin
  • Black permanent marker
  • Stopwatch/timer (phone works well too)
  • Electric fan or if it’s windy, go outside!

Unit 3 I Measuring Wind (Reach Curriculum Module 2) I Sunday - Day 3

(These materials must be brought to the Live Webinar on Sunday)

  • One half stick (about 2 ounces) of modeling clay (non-hardening)
  • Heavy duty aluminum foil (alternative to clay)
  • One tub/bucket of water, at least six inches deep
  • 30-50 large washers, e.g., 1.5” fender washers (available from hardware stores), marbles, pennies, or small uniform object

Unit 8 I Student Presentations I Saturday - Day 9

You will be assigned a module on Monday, Day 4 of the course. This module can be found in your Reach Educator Guide along with a list of materials for your assigned module. You do not need to acquire all materials, be creative and gather a few things you have access to already that help you present the module to your classmates creatively. Reach out to your Instructor Trainer with any questions and attend the Office Hours if you want to discuss material options.