Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Naomi Meredith. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Naomi thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with education – we’d love to hear your thoughts about how we can better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career
Growing up, I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher. When I applied for college, I eagerly declared my major in Elementary Education, graduated in 4 years, and got my first teaching job as a 2nd grade teacher right out of college.
While starting out teaching 2nd grade in a Title 1 school where students needed a lot more support in a variety of ways, something else stuck out to me. Engaging learning experiences will trump a cute worksheet any day.
I experimented with different types of activities, resources and lesson plans to meet the needs of my students while also getting them excited about learning. Even starting an after-school Science Club was a great way to have kids get messy and explore the world in a new light.
In my personal life, I moved and also needed to work somewhere closer to home. I readily took on the role teaching 3rd grade in a new environment and was up for the challenge. Different kids, different location, engagement still needed.
This is where I discovered the power of implementing technology and other innovative tools into instruction. I took every free and paid training that I could and started applying what I was learning into my classroom. Hands-on learning is powerful; students can learn and remember content in deeper ways. Far too often, teachers are told that they need to scale back on projects and have more “drill and kill” type methods. However, this can often take away the spark and excitement towards learning.
After 4 years teaching 3rd grade, a position in a neighboring district opened up as a K-5 STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering & Math] teacher and coach. While I loved my class of 25 each year, I knew that I had the skills to empower more students in a building, while learning more about what this buzzword of “STEM” was all about.
Once hired, I was given a brand-new classroom with limited supplies and zero-curriculum. With the help of a supportive admin my first 4 years in the role, I was able to build a program from the ground up.
Through the use of exploring robotics, Makerspace, computer programming and so many other tools, students were learning soft-skills along the way. Far too often, we think about the “cool tools” that students should be learning, which is important, but we often forget about those life long skills that students need to have to be successful in the workplace and beyond.
Thankfully, the class I was able to teach was offered to every student in the building and they got to experience it once a month for 5 days in a row. Students were given endless opportunities to be creative, collaborate with one another and critically think through problem solving.
This is what we want for our students! Sadly, this type of class isn’t always offered in our elementary schools due to lack of funding, having qualified teachers or even the support of admin.
Through my experience of teaching for over a decade, my mission is to support teachers and students around the world with my resources, courses and coaching to help them build an elementary STEM program that is engaging but also purposeful in instruction.
While there is still a long way to go, having STEM programs in each elementary school is essential and a stepping stone for students to learn in new ways that will prepare them for future success.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’m a former classroom teacher turned K-5 STEM teacher and coach in Colorado. My role not only included teaching over 500 students in her school, but also leading professional development and co-teaching with teachers to help them integrate STEM & Technology. I’ve managed school-wide tech tools to help them run efficiently. Through my time as a teacher, I loved inspiring my students further by hosting after school clubs and collaborating on district-wide STEM events.
With over a decade of experience along with a M.Ed. in STEM Leadership and STEM Certificate, I help teachers world-wide to navigate best practices, strategies and tools out there. I offer a variety of tools to help teachers feel successful teaching STEM to their elementary students through lesson plans, online courses, workshops and coaching. I even host the podcast, The Elementary STEM Coach where she discusses actionable strategies, lesson ideas and meaningful guests to continue to support each week.
When I’m not traveling with my teacher-honey or hanging out with my little pup Frederick, I’m obsessed about researching and creating resources to help teachers navigate STEM & Tech in their classrooms. Of course, with an added bit of style!
Whether you teach STEM as a class or you are a teacher who loves implementing innovative practices, I’m here to help! I truly believe that any teacher out there can learn how to use STEM & Technology in their classrooms effectively. I can’t wait to connect with you and be your elementary STEM Coach!
How did you build your audience on social media?
I’ve always been one who has been intrigued by social media being someone who group up with MySpace and the early days of Facebook.
While the platforms have changed over the years, there is one thing that has stayed the same: social.
People love to connect on social media, and that is something I have always kept in mind.
The platform that I use the most and interact with consistently is Instagram (@naomimeredith_). Something That I’ve learned while using this platform is that it’s less of a billboard of what I am doing but more of a way to share stories that connect and resonate with people, my STEM teacher audience.
While I don’t have a blue checkmark next to my name, I have a small following who is loyal and interacts with me. Just as Pat Flynn says in his book “Super Fans”, you want your 100 true fans. And boy, do my people talk! They know that I value what they say and create things that speak for them.
With that in mind, stay true to yourself. I love the color pink, coffee and my dog. I also don’t take myself too seriously and willing to show the not-so-pretty behind the scenes. Those are things that don’t typically come to mind when you think of elementary STEM! But, it’s part of me and my brand. People feel like they can relate to me because I am relatable. I will have people who I meet stop me when I’m wearing pink and say, “oh! That’s your brand color!”
Be true to yourself when you’re online, be consistent, and tell stories. The (right) following will come. You don’t need to impress everyone, just speak to the people who are the right fit for you.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Attending “car university” is one of my favorite ways to stay motivated. Listening to podcasts and audio books have been a big contributor to my success as a business owner. I didn’t go to school to be in business; this isn’t typically a topic that is discussed in teaching school!
While there are so many great books out there and it’s hard to choose favorites, here are my first recommendations, all written by female business owners, when it comes to resources to support your entrepreneurial thinking. All of them have podcasts, which I highly recommend as well.
We Should All be Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers
Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
Chill and Prosper by Denise Duffield-Thomas
Contact Info:
- Website: naomimeredith.com
- Instagram: @naomimeredith_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/naomimeredithfb
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomi-meredith-b34b08185/
- Twitter: @naomimeredith_
- Youtube: @naomimeredith_
- Podcast: The Elementary STEM Coach TeachersPayTeachers
- Shop: Naomi Meredith- https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Naomi-Meredith-the-Elementary-Stem-Coach