Hello! I’m Caitlin, and I’m the Science Teacher you WISH you had in school!

I care so deeply about the kids I work with; I want them to feel successful and happy in whatever they set out to do. However, after working for over 10 years in public schools I realized educational institutions have a very narrow definition of what success looks like. There is too much focus on grades and performance and not enough focus on a child’s wholeness as a human. In addition, the content and curriculum is taught toward a small subset of learning styles and usually is taught with little room for exploration, questions, or making mistakes. This leaves many young people feeling disconnected from their learning communities and from their own sense of self-worth.

I created my own science program called The Joyful Learning Laboratory as an antidote for this reality. My program, geared toward ages 4-14 empowers youth while doing live, online, hands-on science experiments in small groups. I host 3 courses each session, exploring a wide range of science disciplines including chemistry, physics, biology, and astronomy that all utilize materials easily found in their homes. The kids LOVE coming to class because they know they have a space to experiment, hypothesize, laugh, get silly, mess up, succeed, and receive celebrations for each step along the way.

My capacity is limited but I want 5 scholarship clients to join me each session. This will be for families who cannot afford the coaching program, with priority given to children from single-parent households, LGBTQ+, and BiPOC. I have started this crowd funder for those who would like to support kids who may not have access to this opportunity.

Students that receive a scholarship:

• Get special access to Caitlin for questions throughout the week
• 1-hour science lessons weekly for 8 weeks
• Choice of science courses that best matches their interest
• Handwritten letter introducing them to the course
• Any special science equipment that may not be easily found in their home

The next sessions begin September 14, so I will collect these donations through the end of August.

I get so excited thinking about all the amazing kids that have yet to join The Joyful Learning Laboratory!! I want every young person to experience the delight and FUN of doing science together; the kids that start always want to come back! Let's make sure cost is not a factor for kids wanting to sign up.

Thank you for helping me heal academic trauma through the Joyful Learning Laboratory!