Joan McShane teaches science to kindergarten through fifth grade students at Jefferson Elementary School in Davenport. Mrs. McShane, who is this academic year's parent/community liaison teacher at her school, has always worked to instill the belief that "together we educate." In 1993, Mrs. McShane was Iowa's Ambassador for Education, a distinction that gave her the opportunity to travel throughout the state presenting workshops on curriculum development and educational and administrative reform. In her classes, Mrs. McShane uses a "Science/Technology/ Society" approach to illustrate the relevance of science to daily life. Students in her classes have studied areas such as physics, chemistry, biology, the environment, consumer awareness, economics and public relations by investigating every-day items such as laundry detergents, paper products and toothpaste. Mrs. McShane is also the field editor of "Science and Children," a journal designed for preschool through middle school educators.
