Lazar Middle School’s Karin Wardell: Inspiring Innovation and Passion for Education
Passionate about innovative teaching, she has been an active participant in the Teacher Innovation Institute (TII)
Posted in: NJ STEM Innovation, Teachers
Karin Wardell, a dedicated 7th-grade Life Science teacher at Robert R. Lazar Middle School in Montville, NJ has been shaping young minds for the past 13 years. Passionate about innovative teaching, she has been an active participant in the Teacher Innovation Institute (TII), a prestigious program run through the Smithsonian National Education Summit and the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C.
Each year, TII selects around 30 educators nationwide, where they collaborate with peers and explore cutting-edge teaching practices, particularly in STEAM education. The program spans two years: in the first year, educators engage in learning within their cohort, and in the second year, they mentor and collaborate with the incoming cohort. Beyond these two years, alumni gain access to additional opportunities, including a teacher exchange program, which Wardell is currently participating in.
As part of this exchange, Wardell is participating with Fernando, a Biology and STEM teacher based in Florida. The pair put in their applications this past summer and are focusing their exchange on migratory birds between New Jersey and Florida.