In the wake of President Trump’s cowardly exit from the Paris Climate Agreement (that took years to achieve) and is cheered by a number of Trumpsters, I’m happy to share this clip of actor Harrison Ford learning the basics of climate change from Irvine’s own Kathy Marvin, an 8th grade science teacher at the Jeffrey Trail Middle School and the person who taught 8th grade science to both of my kids.
Kathy is a former California Teacher of the Year, an honor that earned her (I believe) a $10,000 prize in 2010 which she used to buy iPads for her students to use in class (and contrast this with when State Rep. Steven Choi was an IUSD Trustee and won $10,000 in a raffle, he gave $1000 of it back to IPSF and pocketed the other $9K because he’s not nearly as classy as Kathy).
Her segment with Ford was edited to three minutes after nearly 8 hours of filming. And it’s three powerful minutes on climate change you can watch here.
Orange County, California and America needs more Kathy Marvins in our classrooms. Here’s more about her in a 2010 OC Register story:
Kathy Marvin pulls a piece of white chalk out of its cardboard box and takes a bite. Snap!
A few children squeal in shock as she begins chewing it; other kids crack a befuddled grin.
“I don’t mind the chalk the first few periods,” the Sierra Vista Middle School science teacher tells her sixth-period class. “But, oh …”
She grimaces as she begins swallowing the pasty, milky substance. Eventually it all goes down, much to the chagrin of about 20 eighth-graders who are watching her lab demonstration on acids and bases.
Chalk, she says, is made with the same ingredient found in stomach antacids – calcium carbonate – so it has the same chemical effect on the stomach as taking an antacid.
“I made a commitment to the kids that I will find a hands-on way to make science real,” the 30-year educator said after class. “My goal is that I make it to their dinner table every night.”
I’m grateful to Kathy for more than a science education she gave my kids during those middle school years. She was a teacher guide on a trip to Ireland, Wales, England and Paris my daughter took with some classmates about four years ago.
Since I dropped my daughter off for her last Friday as a student in IUSD schools, I remain grateful to the many teachers who have touched my kids’ lives since we moved to Irvine 20 years ago. I’ll always have a special place in my heart for Kathy Marvin — who is one of the best.
Just ask Harrison Ford.
Great simple explanation of how climate change is hastened by deforestation. Thank you Kathy Marvin!