NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Elizabeth Barrett-Zahn, the science coordinator for Columbus Elementary School, has been named editor of Science and Children, a national award-winning, peer-reviewed practitioners’ journal from the National Science Teachers Association with an audience of Pre-K-5 science educators.
The first issue of Science and Children under her leadership was published in late July and focused on the Science Practices of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). She served a three-year term as a member of the Advisory Board for Science and Children, and has been a reviewer for 10 years.
“I am so excited about the editorship and the opportunities that it provides for me to have a voice in elementary science education,” said Zahn. “My philosophy of science education is to start with children and create learning situations where students can creatively solve problems, find solutions and learn and practice how to communicate with others. In general, that means hands-on, minds-on inquiry-based learning with lots of time for discovery, and celebration of strengths and discoveries.”
Zahn has taught at Columbus since 1993. Her field experience began at Columbus after which she was hired as a Science Triad. In this position, Zahn worked with all teachers in the school and ran the Discovery Room, a place where students interacted with science and engineering materials, much like today’s makerspaces.