What happens when a university public garden becomes an Iowa STEM Teacher Externship host for the first time?
In this interactive session, educators from Reiman Gardens at Iowa State University will share their journey as a first-year Iowa STEM Teacher Externship host site. Participants will learn how our organization partnered with two licensed STEM educators to create meaningful workplace experiences that connected environmental science, horticulture, entomology, science communication, informal education, arts, and community engagement to classroom learning. Reiman Gardens offers STEAM-rich experiences through camps, public programs, exhibits, and environmental education, making it a unique host environment for teacher externs.
Presenters will discuss planning, onboarding, project selection, mentoring strategies, challenges encountered, unexpected successes, and impacts observed for both the externs and host organization. Attendees will leave with practical tools and recommendations for developing successful partnerships between schools and informal learning organizations, nonprofits, businesses, and community institutions.
Whether you are considering serving as a future extern host, supporting educator professional learning, or participating in an externship yourself, this session will provide actionable insights and real-world examples that can be adapted to a variety of STEM settings.
