Elementary: Wonders of Our World (WOW)
Welcome to WOW! Last year, over 60 COF scholars participated in the WOW program in three Local Elementary Schools. This year the WOW program will work with Parkmoor, Salem and Sullivant Elementary Schools.
What is WOW?
Wonders of Our World (WOW) is an outreach program that brings OSU student volunteers, COF scholarship students and local scientists into elementary and middle school classrooms. WOW is the largest science education outreach program on campus, with several hundred OSU students bringing hands-on science experiments to schools in Columbus.
How does it work?
COF scholarship students should report to 3132 Smith labs during their scheduled time block. Classroom visits take about 2 hours, 1 hr in the classroom and 1 hr of travel time to the school and back to campus. If there is a classroom visit during your time block the WOW coordinator or a WOW Team Leader will take the group to the assigned classroom and you will work in small groups for approximately 1 hour.
So, what would I do in a classroom?
A group of abut 4-6 volunteers and one visit leader (WOW coordinator or WOW Team Leader) will go to a given classroom. The classroom will be broken into about four groups of students, and you will facilitate one experiment with each group of students. A typical visit spends one hour in a classroom, including time for an introduction, experiment stations, wrap-up and questions. The 30 minutes prior to and after the classroom visit are for transportation, setup and cleanup.
I’m not sure I will work well with Elementary School students, what should I do?
If you don’t think the WOW program is right for you please speak with Dr. Erdal or Ms. Jessica to find out if a new program placement is available.
Any questions? Contact the Wonders of Our World Coordinator Jessica Caton:
Email: caton.29@osu.edu
WOW office: 3132 Smith Labs
Phone: (614) 292-7064
WOW website: http://wow.osu.edu
Middle School: WOW^2
WOW^2 middle school science outreach program was launched in 2014 with a grant from Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation. Modeling the long-lasting, effective WOW program, OHSE designed a middle school science program that aims to support teachers in incorporating inquiry-based, hands-on chemistry activities in their classrooms and introduce middle school students to chemistry through cutting-edge nanochemistry activities. COF scholars from OSU as well as volunteers from Batelle and Chemical Abstracts work with teachers and deliver these experiments to the schools. During the 2016-17 and 2017-18 academic years WOW^2 program worked with Starling PreK-8 STEM School in Columbus City School District and it hopes to extend its reach to other middle schools in the area.
To learn more about the WOW2 program and the hands-on nanochemistry activities please contact Ms. Jessica Caton at caton.29@osu.edu.
High School: Metro High School
What will you be doing?
You will be assisting the teachers on Math, Biology, Chemistry, etc. (STEM areas), and tutor students afterschool on a need basis. *Volunteer hours and teacher assignments will be emailed soon. (*Please email the teacher you are assigned to and introduce yourself prior to going to Metro HS.)
Location
Metro is located in the research park adjacent to Ohio State’s campus at 1929 Kenny Road. You can take the CABS to West Campus and walk about 5 min south of Kenny Rd.
Metro Early College High School
1929 Kenny Road Columbus, OH 43210
Phone: 614-247-2276
Fax: 614-247-4900
Email: fries@themetroschool.org
How to use the timeclock at METRO:
Go to the technology center and sign in and when you are finished make sure to sign out. (You can also access the timeclock in any computer @ Metro)
Attending Meetings
If you are assigned to Metro HS, you need to attend to the Metro-COF Scholars meeting with Metro HS Principle Aimee Kennedy.
College: Mentoring
What will you be doing?
This is a great opportunity especially for freshmen or incoming transfer students to learn from the experiences of senior students of similar disciplines. Mentors and mentees are expected to meet 2 hrs a weeks and sign-in to the timeclock at the OHSE office.
Once mentors get their mentoring assignments they need to contact their mentees. At the end of the semester, mentors and mentees are expected to complete evaluations.
A Mentor is . . .
- A trusted guide or a friend (most commonly someone more senior in age and experience than his or her mentee/ or more experienced in the major)
- A caring, responsible adult who provides access to groups, places and things outside their mentees routine environment.
- A positive role model.
A Mentor is NOT . . .
- A parent or legal guardian. It's not the mentor’s responsibility to take care of the mentee like a parent or a legal guardian does.
- A psychologist. A mentor is not a formal counselor or a therapist.
*Although it is not expected from a Mentor to tutor his/her mentee in their classes; if you feel comfortable in the subject you would use your mentoring time for tutoring as well.
Five Essentials of a Mentoring Relationship
- Respect: Established when the mentee recognizes knowledge, skills and abilities in the mentor that he or she would like to possess.
- Trust which includes: Communication, Availability, Predictability, Loyalty.
- Partnership building: When mentor and mentee become partners.
- Self-esteem: The mentor gives encouragement to the mentee to have realistic expectations of him/herself.
- Time: During the mentoring relationship, the mentor makes time to interact with the mentee.
