CHSS Teacher is Awarded O&R STEM Grant

An Orange & Rockland STEM Grant is helping Richard Bertrand transform the Socratic seminars in his classroom. "I want students to feel that their classrooms reflect the world they engage with daily," he said.

With the grant, Richard will purchase podcast and recording equipment to reimagine the traditional fishbowl discussion as a podcast-style seminar. Students will rotate as on-air hosts and moderators, while their classmates prepare questions and contribute during audience segments. "Discussion becomes more purposeful and more dynamic," Richard said. "The classroom shifts into a podcast studio-style environment where students are producing, moderating, listening and responding with intention. They are not simply speaking; they are practicing real-world communication under authentic conditions."

The new equipment will allow students to create studio-quality projects they can be proud of while building confidence through each recorded discussion. Each seminar will become part of what Richard calls a "living" collection that students can revisit to reflect on their growth. "Hearing their own voices and tracking growth from one episode to the next builds confidence naturally," he said. He also hopes the equipment will inspire students beyond his classroom, giving them opportunities to bring ideas to life in other courses at Clarkstown High School South. Congratulations to Richard on receiving an Orange & Rockland STEM Grant!