By Carmela Jones, MNS
“One person can make a difference. And everyone should try.” -John F. Kennedy
Why care? Short answer...
...because you CAN make a difference!
Can one person really change the world? Unequivocally, YES! How does that even happen? Another short answer...
It can happen when the one person's efforts are part of a collective that is larger than themselves; larger than any span of time it might take for a movement to take off; larger than anything they alone could ever imagine.
These blog posts are a collection of stories of how one passionate person acts, magnetically attracts others with similar zeal, and their combined efforts symbiotically initiate a movement that undeniably impacts the world. This is the chronicle of one such positive movement in science education known as Modeling Instruction (MI). People who actively pursue their dreams of leaving their mark in the world, like the educators in this program, are DYNAMOS, positive change agents.
Definition of dynamo…
The word, dynamo, comes from the Greek root “dyn” meaning power. According to Merriam Webster online, dynamos were machines that transferred mechanical energy to electrical energy:
"The dynamo was introduced in 1832 to produce electricity for commercial use. Like all later generators, the original dynamos transferred mechanical energy (produced by steam, which was itself produced by burning coal) to electricity. The word is less used today than it once was, since it's often applied only to generators that produced direct electric current (DC) rather than alternating current (AC), which is now the standard. A human dynamo is a person who seems to have unlimited energy...(Merriam-Webster, 2018)"
Not all dynamos enter the scene like a tornado immediately altering the landscape. Most are more like water than wind. They work quietly over time spreading their influence and creating massive, geological structures that spark wonder for generations.
Dynamo, YOU…
As you read this account, ponder it within the context of your own life. What have you been involved in that you didn’t quite finish? What things excite you and make you feel alive? What projects with potential for high impact have you been involved in? The hope is that this true tale will stir in you the will to act and resuscitate your personal passions, releasing the dynamo that already dwells within you. Your human dynamo is just waiting for your permission and guidance to emerge onto the world stage.
Reference:
Merriam-Webster. (2018, April 22). dynamo. In Merriam-Webster Since 1828. Retrieved May 2, 2018, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dynamo
Add your name to those who support Modeling Instruction (MI) by liking & subscribing to The STEM Secret blog here (there's a subscribe button at the top and the bottom of the page: https://www.thestemsecret.com) and by liking & following The STEM Secret FaceBook page (https://www.facebook.com/theSTEMSecret/?modal=admin_todo_tour).
If you are a Modeling teacher, share your story by sending it to the email listed. If you know a great Modeling teacher, encourage them to send their story to the email listed. cjones.stemprofessionals@gmail.com.
If you are Modeling teacher and want to interact with other Modeling teachers with a question, an issue, a classroom experience, an announcement, or anything other MI teachers might be interested in, post it on the M2M (Modeler to Modeler) blog on the AMTA site. https://modelinginstruction.org/submit-a-blog-entry-to-m2m/
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