Indianapolis Met is filled with teachers and staff who have a passion for helping people, especially students. Ms. Sharon Douglas is definitely one of those individuals.

Ms. Douglas is the science instructor and has been with the school since 2011 after first being welcomed as a substitute teacher. After having success with the students and building great relationships with the staff, Ms. Douglas was invited to stay as a full-time instructor.

Ms. Douglas stayed because of the fulfillment she received helping our students.

“There’s something about helping students transition from difficult family and life situations. I enjoy being able to give them hope,” Ms. Douglas said. “Watching them become adults and navigate that transition gives me a lot of satisfaction.”

In addition to helping students evolve outside of the classroom, Ms. Douglas has a real love for science and enjoys sharing that love daily. She incorporates practical lessons to make it more relatable to students.

“I include fun facts into my classes and students look forward to them,” Ms. Douglas said. “I try to get them curious about the ‘why’ in science and incorporate what’s happening in the world such as the eclipse or global warming.”

Ms. Douglas believes that having a hands-on class is crucial to the learning experience and makes the lessons real for students.

“I can show them a picture and teach them about it, but being able to feel and hold things make the lessons special,” Ms. Douglas said.

Some of Ms. Douglas’ students have proven that hands-on learning can be easier to grasp than traditional teaching of lessons through lectures.

“They may struggle during tests after learning from powerpoint presentations and note-taking, but being able to draw things out and show it, they are able to present their knowledge better,” Ms. Douglas said. “Just because a student can’t express themselves one way, doesn’t mean they can’t do it differently.”

On our Facebook page, you can find photos and videos of Ms. Douglas’ class garden and recent frog dissections, showcasing hands-on learning and real life experiences for our students.