Get to Know Our New STEAM Co-Coordinators – Julie Whittell & Kim Bathker, Part 1

Julie Whittell and Kim Bathker, both longtime and beloved members of our faculty, have now taken on an additional important role as STEAM Co-Coordinators this year. Since the beginning of the 2016-17 school year, they have been spearheading our Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) Program, which is inspiring our budding engineers, designers and problem-solvers through cross-disciplinary learning. 

To bring Marymount’s STEAM vision to a whole new life, Mrs. Whittell and Ms. Bathker are coordinating between the Math, Science and Arts Departments to create new, exciting and challenging technology-based projects and initiatives to generate further interest and appreciation for this rapidly-evolving field with our ambitious students.
 
In Part I of our two-part interview series with Mrs. Whittell and Ms. Bathker, we get to know our fearless STEAM leaders better: from their backgrounds in math, science and technology, to their love for teaching. In Part II of the interview, we’ll dig deeper into the programs, goals and initiatives of our booming STEAM program.
 
Q: How long have you been at Marymount, and what subjects have you taught during your time here?

Ms. Kim Bathker (KB): This will be my 10th year teaching at Marymount, but as an alumna, I like to think that I've been around since my freshman year back in 1998. Since joining the faculty, I have taught Biology, Chemistry, Anatomy, Physics, and Psychology in the Science Department. I’ve also had the chance to teach summer classes in math, writing, and technology. Currently, I'm teaching AP Biology and AP Psychology, both junior and senior-level courses.
 
Mrs. Julie Whittell (JW):  This will be my 15th year teaching at Marymount, although not all in a row. From 1981-1985, I taught Algebra, Geometry, Advanced Algebra and Trigonometry, and I also coached the volleyball team. After a 10-year hiatus at another school, I returned to Marymount, this time with my newborn Jesslyn (Marymount Class of 2013) in tow. Since then, I have since taught Algebra 1, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, and Calculus.
 
Q: How have you seen the academics change at Marymount since your time here, particularly in the STEAM fields?

KB: STEAM has grown tremendously since my days here! I remember being in one of the first graduating classes to have had school email - we thought we were really cool. The most profound change has been just how ubiquitous collaborative technologies have become. Tools like social media, Google Drive, messaging apps, and email have put students and teachers in touch in so many new ways, and I often have to remind myself of just how new these resources are.
 
JW: When I first started teaching in 1981, I was using a chalkboard. Seriously. The calculators were very basic and much of the work we did was by hand. Now, we have access to all sorts of data and software that allows us to analyze the math more accurately and deeply. Students can play with graphs and equations on their own graphing calculators as well as use new technologies to make the work more interesting and relevant. As a result, I believe students are genuinely more interested in math. AP Calculus BC has grown in participation. More and more students are able to reach the advanced classes due to the increase in summer programs that allow them to complete a class in 8 weeks. We just introduced Multivariable Calculus on campus, and it too, has seen a huge increase in interest. 
 
Q: On a personal note, how are you inspired by STEAM in your life? How did you get into the STEAM fields?
 
KB: To me, STEAM is much more than a collection of academic disciplines. Really, it's an approach to the world that encourages creative thinking, a problem-solving mentality, and a willingness to embrace setbacks. Being involved in STEAM makes me hopeful that, as tomorrow's leaders and innovators, our students will be able to solve problems that we don't even know we're facing yet.
 
I first fell in love with science in junior high when I entered a science fair. At the time, I was a really dedicated math student, and when I read somewhere that girls often faced subtle forms of discrimination that hurt their performance in math classes, I was inspired to use procedures commonly employed in psychology studies to probe deeper into the issue. My science fair entry was an experiment aimed at determining whether social stressors caused girls to underperform in math. The fact that I could use an empirical, scientific approach to better understand a real-world problem seemed cool, and that sense has never really left me. My education at Marymount, of course, only reinforced my appreciation for science, and a STEAM Co-Coordinator was born!
 
JW: STEAM has always informed the way I connect ideas to math. I used to follow my father around the house, taking apart radios and fixing pipes, and I learned about tinkering and solving problems in a hands-on way. Math itself always interested me as well, but my favorite part was when I could see math in action, especially in Geometry and Physics. I learned by doing and seeing, and I have always tried to demonstrate that process of discovery to students. As Kim and I like to say, STEAM is a process of thinking; it is not a place or a tool or even a course. Rather, it is a very intentional and involved process of problem-solving that allows students to really analyze a situation and come to a creative, innovative, and efficient solution.  And when they don’t arrive at a solution -- what some might say “failing” – they rethink their methods and come about the process in a different way.  They learn how to do something better.  That is the heart of STEAM.  
 
Q: What are you most excited about being the new STEAM Co-Coordinators?
 
KB: I really like having the chance to work with teachers from all disciplines. I think that our students benefit when their teachers have a global understanding of their education, so I look forward to creating more opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.
 
JW: Besides being able to work with Kim? I love that we are working to find ways to make teaching more exciting for both students and faculty. We are passionate about learning and discovering new things, and our goal as STEAM coordinators is to get more students involved in that process with us. Whether it is about learning how to code a game or operate a sewing machine, it is all about discovery, and there is so much waiting for them to learn. 
 
Q: What fun quirks do you have that no one else would know about?
 
KB: My favorite weekend activity is visiting “Escape Rooms.” These real-life adventure games lock players in rooms, and the players must solve a series of puzzles in order to escape within a set time limit. I'm told it's a strange thing to pay money for, but I find it invigorating! So far, my friends and I have escaped from every room we've attempted. On a slightly less eccentric note, as much as I'm a big techie, I'm also a bookworm. I love to read, and I prefer holding hardcover or paperback books over e-readers or computers.
 
JW:  I love to do creative projects with my hands. In my free time outside of school, I knit, make jewelry, and play the Mandolin!  
 
Thank you to Mrs. Whittell and Mrs. Bathker for taking the time out to speak to our team. Stay tuned for Part II of “Get To Know Our New STEAM Co-Coordinators” next week!

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