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Source: The Santa Fe New MexicanDec.迷你倉樂器 09--Millipedes. Goldfish. Snails. Mealworms. Pill bugs.Mollie Toll, the science literacy coach at Salazar Elementary School, was sorting through them, making sure the right combinations of critters were delivered to the right classrooms.Picking up a plastic container marked armadillidium (pill bug or woodlouse), she commented, "That's the greatest name. It's like a little tiny armadillo."Toll has never been a classroom teacher, but she has "taught," as she puts it, for 12 years in the public school system and estimates she has spent thousands of hours in dozens of classrooms from kindergarten to the graduate-school level.Recently, the New Mexico Science Teachers Association named her one of its two outstanding science teachers of the year.Toll, who was nominated by her peers, got an email with the news in November. "I thought it was junk email. I almost deleted it," she said.The New Hampshire native, who grew up in Rochester, N.Y., has less than fond recollections of her own childhood science classes because they were not hands-on. She mostly read lessons from books. But she was still inspired to become a scientist. Toll received her bachelor's degree in anthropology from the University of Chicago, her master's degree in archaeology from Loyola University, and another master's in plant ecology from The University of New Mexico. She also earned a teaching certificate from Santa Fe Community College's teaching academy.She considered working as an archaeologist or anthropologist but then wondered how many people pay attention to reports generated by professionals working in these fields. She said she is intrigued by the process of helping kids grasp -- via reading, writing and critical thinking -- life concepts through science. She believes in empowering them to make the connection."It shouldn't be about someone telling you something, but you finding out what you need to find out," she said. "Science is about the process of thinking."One of Toll's nominators noted that Toll has strong personal connections to her students, encourages them to participate in science fairs and established a school garden.O迷你倉西貢 Wednesday, she popped into several classrooms run by other teachers to help with science instruction and projects. She taught microscopy to Mona Khazee's fifth-graders, using a learning process known as science notebooking. She first articulates a concept -- field of vision, in this case -- and then asks the students to write down their own understanding of it in their notebooks and then read what they wrote aloud."It's kids explaining to themselves what they just learned," Toll said.Khazee, a first-year teacher, called Toll "the go-to person for science" and said she often calls on her to help explain concepts and ideas that need reinforcement.One of Khazee's students, 10-year-old C廥ar Vasquez, showed particular interest in studying tomato seeds, corn grits and fish scales under a microscope. He said he likes Toll because "she makes science fun."Sixth-grade student Gabriel Alarcon said Toll explains science concepts so that all the students understand them, slowing down for those who aren't grasping the lesson. Several other sixth-graders credited Toll with encouraging them to participate in the school's science fairs.Another sixth-grader, James Madrid, called Toll a great teacher who "helps all the kids in the classroom. Without her, we would be out of control." And, he added, "Without science, we'd still be living in caves."Toll said it was one of the Salazar Elementary students who told her, "I love science because it's always interesting and just a little bit hard."That's how it should be, she said. "You want kids to be where they are engaged but understand there is a challenge."According to Debra Thrall, president of the New Mexico Science Teachers Association, the other outstanding science teacher in the state is Colleen Ruiz from Our Lady of Annunciation Catholic School in Albuquerque. Each teacher receives $150 and a cutting board that says, "Outstanding Science Teacher of the Year."Contact Robert Nott at 986-3021 or rnott@sfnewmexican.com.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 The Santa Fe New Mexican (Santa Fe, N.M.) Visit The Santa Fe New Mexican (Santa Fe, N.M.) at .santafenewmexican.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉將軍澳