Santa Clarita Charter School Teaches Mathematics In An Engaging Fashion As Part Of The DreamUp To Space Project

The Director of Mathematics at SCVi, Santa Clarita charter school, Amber Soto, is helping to keep the DreamUp To Space project going during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Soto has worked at the charter school in Santa Clarita alongside facilitators to work on programs that engage students in their math education. In the past, Soto has worked with facilitators directly to teach them how to approach teaching mathematics in a way that encourages students to enjoy mathematics.

“A lot of it is mindset … shifting that mindset into realizing that math can be fun and that we can really engage people,” said Soto.

Soto believes that many students are taught that you are either right or wrong in math. Soto’s approach at SCVi Charter School is to shift the mindset of facilitators and students to something more positive.

“Let’s learn from the mistakes. Let’s grow from them,” Soto said.

Earlier this year, Soto feared that students wouldn’t be able to participate in the DreamUp to Space due to changes imposed by COVID-19. As a member of the S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) department, Soto volunteered to help adapt the DreamUp to space project to a virtual environment.

The DreamUp to Space project has been an annual project at the Santa Clarita charter school that has had students create experiments that can be performed on Earth and the International Space Station.

The project is primarily focused on the experiments, but students are encouraged to apply their mathematical knowledge to the project as well.

Two of the project finalists are then able to send their project to the International Space Station for astronauts to perform their experiment.

In order to adapt the project to a virtual environment, Soto has looked at many strategies that have worked and not worked throughout the pandemic to teach students remotely. She has incorporated the strategies best suited to adapting the project to the virtual environment.

Soto expressed that she is very passionate about the program and is excited for students to be able to participate in the DreamUp to Space project this year.

Click here for the story and interview at KHTS!