Teacher Testimonials
"The LabLearner curriculum is awesome; however, when I first experienced the LabLearner training sessions, I wasn't too sure if this is what we were looking for at St. Bernadette Catholic Academy. With much trepidation, in September we launched this new program in a fully equipped lab. That first week totally blew my mind! Students who never used microscopes were jumping in and using them like pros. Everything I taught them was being retained! This was due in part to all the hands-on experiences they were gaining! 5th Grade learned terms such as wet mount, dry mount, etc. When it came time to do the performance assessment, the students in grades 3-5 sailed through them. All you could overhear was that this was the best test they had ever taken! 3rd grade learned so much about electricity and some of their parents who are electricians were so impressed with what their little ones were learning. My 4th graders were acting like true future doctors in the Human Body cell and my 5th graders were so proud to find out where they came from in their Genetics cell!"
Geralyn Arcieri
Teacher
"There are so many good things to say about LabLearner Science. However, the "ahs", the "ohs" and the other squeals of delight that come from the students during our labs let us know that these student scientists have grasped another important science concept. Hands-on learning has proved exciting and productive!"
Carol Grugan
Teacher
"I tell people that I have the best job in the world – teaching the LabLearner program. Students are always excited to come to class, and they all find success in some way shape, or form as the curriculum unfolds. Each investigation’s slide show provides insight and enrichment to those thirsty for more, hands-on labs allow for both collaborative and leadership opportunities, and the postlab analysis launches us into lively discussions and connections that branch beyond the walls of our lab. I truly feel that, in my decade of LabLearner instruction, I have “grown” future scientists."
Sarah Paquette
Teacher
"My students enjoy using the LabLearner program because every child can be involved in the construction of the demonstration, recording information, and analyzing the results. I am happy to see that they are more focused on the science tasks than they had been in past years. My students ask thoughtful questions in response to what happens during the investigations. I can see them mentally putting 2 and 2 together while they try to connect each investigation to the last one. I have gotten a lot of positive feedback from Nativity students who are/were in high school and have/had a better foundation for the specialized science classes there. I really believe in the value of the program. Students who have gone through LabLearner here tend to do very well in high school. They tell me so."
Mike Ward
Teacher
"I’ve been a middle school science teacher for 26 years and I find LabLearner to be complete enough for the novice teacher and comprehensive enough for the veteran, it is literally everything you need. Students enjoy high-interest, inquiry-based lab work. Their workbooks narrow the focus, procedures, pre and post-questions to the essential information.
The CELLS are well-constructed and cohesive units that spiral previously taught information/skills onto the next level. LabLearner provides wonderful support and perspective; questions and emails are answered timely."
Sue Brunner
Teacher
"Every LabLearner investigation gives the students a better understanding of what is focused on during the hands-on lab as the vocabulary words for each lesson beforehand are a great key in preparation. Each unit allows a good understanding of the main topics covered, which relate to daily life. Evidence has shown the students have scored high in each assessment for every lab lesson, which is based on the visuals, lab results, and understanding of each investigation."
Caterina Cuoco
Teacher
"LabLearner is an incredible program for the students in my school. We used it for the first time last year and it had a huge impact on both the students and myself. I was able to teach Science in a way that I was never able to before because I finally had equipment that allowed the students to reach their full potential. Students came in asking to go to the lab every day and loved being there. They enjoyed everything from wearing the lab coats to using equipment and materials most students don't see until high school or college.
We had our annual Science fair in May and students came up with ideas that were more advanced than they were in the past. They were asking to borrow things from the lab to complete their projects. We had a very successful year in Science and the LabLearner program was the main reason why. I am excited to use it again this year and I would highly recommend it to other schools.”
Sheena Byrnes
Teacher
"Two of our 7th graders placed high in a competition called “You be the Chemist.” Most other schools in the area had been preparing for this contest since September, but OMPH only found out about it in January. I credit LabLearner with how well our two 7th grades did in the contest because they are in the lab every week and doing a lot of chemistry. One student came in third and is eligible to go to the state competition at Penn State. The other came in fourth and is the alternate for states.
My middle school students are using lab equipment that was only available to me in high school or college. They are making wet mount slides using cross-sectioning and latitudinal sectioning. They can focus a microscope, and even magnify 1000 times using the oil immersion lens on our compound light microscopes. Because of the program, my students know how to measure. They can use graduated cylinders, rulers, triple beam balances, spring scales. They have a lot of practice graphing, and understand the difference between the dependent and independent variables, and where they belong on a graph."
Ann DiNovis
Teacher
"My students enjoy using the LabLearner program because every child can be involved in the construction of the demonstration, recording information, and analyzing the results. I am happy to see that they are more focused on the science tasks than they had been in past years. My students ask thoughtful questions in response to what happens during the investigations. I can see them mentally putting 2 and 2 together while they try to connect each investigation to the last one.
The fact that LabLearner investigations spiral and constantly reinforce concepts with each lesson is great! It’s like a built-in review! The material is sometimes complicated and presents concepts on a higher level than my students are used to, but the program also lets the children learn the information step-by-step. They’re not just reading about the scientific principles; they’re witnessing them firsthand."
Kathleen Kenney
Teacher
"This is our fourth year using the LabLearner program at The Academy of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Our grades have steadily improved both during the school year and on standardized tests. This indicates to me that LabLearner not only delivers content knowledge, but it also delivers the skills to comprehend and analyze any scientific information presented in standardized tests. Students know how to read data tables, interpret graphs, and analyze experimental procedures and results. It is challenging, and they rise to the challenge.
"Each year now, I’ve had high school students come back and thank me for the experiences they had with LabLearner in middle school at The Academy of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Each one has told me how much it gave them a leg up for high school science. They know how to use the equipment, proper lab procedures, and best of all, how to think."
Jacqueline Edelmann
Teacher
"When I see how engaged the students are in the lab, it reminds me of why I went into teaching!"
Margaret Tyndall
Teacher
"I would like to express my many thanks and overwhelming awe with this program. I have thoroughly enjoyed every aspect, from implementation to daily lessons. You definitely have a winner. I have been teaching for over 27 years and I was surprised how much my students didn’t know. LabLearner has opened my eyes as well as my students’ eyes. I don’t know how I ever got along teaching without LabLearner. I LOVE this program!!!"
Stephanie Collins
Teacher
Principal Testimonials
"I have noticed in students writing and presentations outside of science the use of science vocabulary. For example, one student was sharing her story about marshmallows in her hot chocolate. She used the word buoyant to describe her marshmallows. She more than likely would not have used that word in her writing had it not been for the LabLearner curriculum."
Brian Palmer
Principal
"The students at Holy Family Catholic Academy are so enthused each time they enter the LabLearner Lab. They love being scientists using all the materials the program provides. The team at LabLearner truly partners with our school to support learning across the grades and customizes the education plan to best meet the curricular needs of our program."
Catherine O’Brien
Principal
"OLMC has a very unique school-wide science program called LabLearner which serves as our science curriculum at every grade level (Pre-K – 8th Grade). LabLearner provides you with the lab set-up (including all furniture and equipment), the curriculum (broken down into various sections for each grade level), and the teacher professional development. This program is now in its second full year and it has exceeded every expectation."
Michael Bruno
Principal
"Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Catholic Academy is a strong academic community that exists in a neighborhood surrounded by high-ranking public and private schools. Utilizing this program allows Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Catholic Academy to attract and retain families seeking active learning and enhanced STEM opportunities for their children.
"My son, a graduate student pursuing an MS in Chemistry, recently came to tour our lab and was truly amazed at the quality and advanced level of equipment available to our staff and students. It was so affirming to see his admiration. Honestly, it fills me with such happiness to know that we are providing this to our students and that it is as great as we hoped. I am confident the lab experience will light a spark or burn an existing fire in a child who sees and feels the “magic” of science. We are so grateful and indebted to those who assisted in supporting this effort."
Anne Zuschlag
Principal
"Many parents and teachers have expressed that LabLearner changes the way science is taught and learned. Students learn so much from one another. Our students worked together gathering information, experimenting, and solving problems. It was evident that conversations were taking place, students began listening and respecting each other's ideas and the feeling of accomplishment was had by all. Our students look at science in a whole different way. We look forward to another year with this program."
Mary Basile
Principal
"The implementation of the LabLearner Program has been a success at St. Edmund Elementary. The reaction to the curriculum and materials has been overwhelmingly positive from teachers, students, and parents. The hands-on approach of the program has benefited all students on all levels of academic achievement. Students are engaged and enthusiastic in each step of the learning process associated with each lab activity. Wearing lab coats truly enables them to imagine themselves as researchers and scientists. I believe that the LabLearner Program has sparked the interest of future STEM career paths in many of our students."
Andrea D’Emic
Principal
"Here at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy, we highly recommend
the LabLearner STEM Program. St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy over the last few years looked for ways to expand our STEM program and LabLearner has made the significant difference we were looking to achieve.
"First and foremost, the students look forward to participating in the LabLearner STEM lab. Parents are excited as well to have their child participate in the LabLearner curriculum seeing the value of increasing their child’s learning opportunity. The teachers have attended training in which they increased the connections to expanding student learning, examining ways to increase critical thinking skills.
"At the organizational level, the leaders within LabLearner have been committed to providing support to the teachers. They have been flexible in meeting the needs of the school, making a smooth transition for the students."
Christopher Scharbach
Principal
"St. Andrew Avellino Catholic Academy’s LabLearner STEM Lab was put in effect in September 2017. LabLearner not only came in and set up with ease but prepared my faculty for a year of innovative thinking and high-energy learning. My students had a year of thinking, reasoning, teamwork, and creative skills that they can use in all areas of their lives. St. Andrew Avellino is a place bursting with enthusiasm and innovative learning from our Pre-Kindergarten students all the way up to our eighth grade."
Debora Hanna
Principal
"Using the Lab Learner program has been such a wonderful experience and a blessing for our students. Having every grade in the lab on a weekly basis has brought us leaps and bounds ahead of where our science program was before. Our students love being able to work hands-on with state-of-the-art equipment and use what they have learned while they collaborate with their classmates to problem solve. Our students are no longer simply learning about science, they are “doing” science."
John O’Brien
Principal
"One of the greatest strengths of the LabLearner program is its emphasis on metacognitive skills. Saint James students do not just absorb content, but rather think about the process and reflect on their learning at every step of the scientific method. This is in keeping with LabLearner's Information Processing Model and spiral curriculum that sets out to continually address critical scientific themes across elementary and middle school grades. The depth of material that each unit reaches and the emphasis placed on critical thinking, active instruction, and prior learning, in keeping with the educational philosophy of Saint James and the IHM sisters, make the science curriculum authentic and enriching for all students."
Sr. Mary Sue Carwile
Principal
Student Testimonials
"I was accepted into an elite magnet program for high school – Wheeler Math and Science. I did exceptionally well on the science portion of the admissions test because of my rich background in the LabLearner program. Thank you, LabLearner."
Robbie
High School Student
"I like pouring and holding. I like coloring in our lab books."
Phillip
Kindergarten Student
"My older sister is taking freshman biology, and we are learning about some of the same things in seventh grade. LabLearner makes me feel smart."
Devin
Grade 7 Student
"LabLearner makes me feel like a real scientist. Rather than having answers given to me by a teacher or textbook, my lab partners and I run through experimental procedures using real equipment to collect data. After analyzing the data, we discover the answers to the questions. It’s the best way to learn!"
Sasha
Grade 8 Student
"I think the Investigations are sometimes really hard but it is still a very, very, very, x1000 good program. Also, I love science!"
Teresa
Grade 5 Student
"We like the science lab because we get to work with lab partners and do different experiments with water, baking soda, vinegar, thermometers, beakers, and lab coats."
Meghan
Grade 5 Student
"I enjoy going to the lab because every Monday morning when I remember that it’s the pre-lab day, I get excited to learn how and what we are going to discover in the next day’s lab class."
Dan
Grade 8 Student
"I like learning about the water cycle and I like to use the goggles."
Kelly
Grade 2 Student
"I think LabLearner challenges us to employ higher thinking that will help us in high school."
Caitlin
Grade 7 Student
"I like pouring stuff into beakers."
Gary
Kindergarten Student
"It’s fun because you get to explore things you don’t often see."
Erin
Grade 3 Student
"I like the science lab because we get to work with partners and we get to use a lot of cool science stuff."
Paige
Grade 5 Student
"LabLearner makes me feel smart. I love to get into my group and discuss the lab."
Francis
Grade 7 Student
"You get to enjoy working in a group and helping each other out."
Erica
Grade 8 Student
"LabLearner is fun! We get to do cool experiments! Did you know that we see different phases of the moon because of the sun’s reflection?"
Shannon
Grade 6 Student