Steve Gillman, Eli Lilly and Company retiree
When Steve walks down the hallway at Fox Hill Elementary he’s greeted by enthusiastic students. From sharing a bright smile to offering a fist bump, the students Mr. Gillman has volunteered with in the past are eager to show appreciation of their friend. These cheerful greetings illuminate Steve’s love for the STEM Partners program: the opportunity to build a lasting rapport with students!
Steve Gillman (left), Ms. Nelson (right) and her 4th grade class.
Steve Sorting isopods for the class’s environmental factors experiment.
In preparation for Ms. Nelson’s lesson over investigating environmental factors, Steve showed up nearly an hour and a half before the science lesson to set up for the experiment. He meticulously arranged all the materials including sorting two variations of living isopods. In doing so, he allowed Ms. Nelson to maximize her teaching time, providing more time for the students to complete their writing assignments and math problems. As a best practice, Steve urges other STEM Partners to volunteer and help out with activities that aren’t glamorous like setting up experiments before class, making copies, and even helping with lunch duty. He explains that those small tasks will go a long way with fostering a relationship with your partner teacher.
“Try to refrain from being an expert. For instance, if a kid asks a question, assist them in finding the answer.” Steve suggests this best practice to new and existing STEM Partners.
Students and Steve observe the two types of isopods responding to the different moisture environments.
During the experiment, Steve assisted Ms. Nelson in walking around the room to listen in on the different workgroups. Steve stopped at each group to ask thought-provoking questions about the behaviors the students observed during the experiment. Effortlessly, Steve called on the students by name and encouraged them to think through what they were observing. Steve’s skill with interactions with the students has been cultivated over the years through his participation in STEM Partners and other volunteer roles.
“Volunteering with this program helps me understand the challenges kids in low-income areas face, and it helps to bridge the generational gap,” says Steve. “In the long run, I hope the program assists in reducing the economic gap by allowing the kids to understand that their STEM education can lead to successful careers.”
Students observing the different behaviors of two isopod types in an effort to classify the insects by type.
Steve values this program and wants to encourage others to make a difference in their local schools by participating too! If you’re not sure whether you should become a STEM Partner, Steve suggests going to shadow an existing Partner. You can arrange a time to accompany the Partner to their classroom and see the program in action. After you’ve shadowed a Partner, Steve wants you to give the STEM Partners program a try!
Steve passes a cup of 8 squirming isopods to a hesitant student.
Thank you, Steve, for volunteering as a STEM Partner and thank you to Ms. Nelson and her fourth-graders for participating in the STEM Partners program! This program wouldn’t be what it is today without the commitment by its STEM Partners and teachers!
Steve Gillman has volunteered with the STEM Partners program for 6 years. He has worked with a school in the Indianapolis Public School Corporation, Fox Hill Elementary, and Northview Middle School. He is currently volunteering at Ms. Nelson’s 4th-grade class at Fox Hill and at Ms. Brooks’s 6th-grade class at Northview Middle School.