Kim Hampton has been a core math and science teacher for over 20 years. Her passion for teaching STEM-specific classes was ignited by an internship where she and other educators were challenged to create lessons as they related to various industries, including medicine, engineering, and power production. Kim now teaches STEM and robotics at Evans Middle School in Evans, Georgia and emphasizes career awareness in her classroom. Kim invites cyber professionals to speak to her students through the National Security Agency’s outreach program. By meeting real cyber professionals and discussing career connections in class, Kim finds that her students make more meaningful connections to STEM.

We got the chance to talk to Kim and learn a little more about her and her teaching methods, as well her experience with NICERC.

What do you look for in a curriculum?

I look for curriculum that can be related to state and national teaching standards. I ask – how it will impact student achievement? I want my students to make connections between S.T.E.M concepts as they engage in authentic hands-on investigations. I also want my students to increase their critical thinking skills and use creativity to become creative problem solvers.

Which NICERC modules do your students enjoy the most?

My students enjoy the Cars and Aerospace modules. The research components have provided opportunities for great discussions relating to history, math and science. During the Aerospace module, one of my students discussed his grandfather’s involvement in the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). It was great for the students to hear their peer share his personal experiences while researching information about the VFW during the project.

Why is STEM and cyber education important?

Cyber education is relevant to the daily lives of our students and it will continue to be an essential part of their life in the future. It will help them become competitive in their future careers and also to become informed citizens in this cyber age. We want our students to be competitive; we want them to be able to succeed in any job. Their job may not even exist today, but by the time they finish high school, they will be able to think critically and problem-solve.

Thanks for your passion for STEM education Kim! If you want to nominate a teacher for us to interview, reach out on social media or email us.