When you choose Trane to improve the indoor environmental quality and energy efficiency of your K-12 school building, you also get the opportunity to add Trane’s BTU Crew™ interactive lessons to your school. This educational program transforms your school into a living-learning energy lab that helps amplify students’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) as well as future STEM careers.
Supporting teachers has never been more critical, which is why as part of the BTU Crew, Trane Educators-in-Residence provides training and implementation support for your teaching staff.
What is the BTU Crew? The BTU Crew is a K-12 STEM education program that takes a project-based learning (PBL) approach to help students learn about energy while increasing their analytical and problem-solving skills and exploring future careers. BTU Crew Educators-in-Residence support your teaching staff in multiple ways. Here are three:
Insight on how and where to integrate with your existing curriculum – There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution with the BTU Crew. Instead, Trane Educators-in-Residence help teachers integrate BTU Crew activities into their current curriculum. “So, having been a science teacher, one of the first things I do is I sit down with the district, sit down with the science team and we start looking at what's already being done in the classroom in terms of teaching energy and then as an industry partner, what can I do to help support the efforts?” said Dan Whisler, Trane Educator-in-Residence.
“Different schools use it differently,” said Bill Nelson, Trane Educator-in-Residence and former science teacher and school principal. “Some may embed it into their earth science program and others may use it in their environmental science program. We help teachers find the best fit for their school’s particular needs.”
Training and Teaching Support – Educators-in-Residence train teachers on implementing the BTU Crew and in some cases even join them in the classroom. Training may take place in person or via video conferencing.
State-of-the-Art Technology – Trane Teachers in Residence also bring state-of-the-art technology and real-life energy use examples to the classroom.
“A case study in a textbook, if it’s somebody else’s building, or if it’s in a different state, that isn’t very engaging,” said Whisler, who helps students assess actual building energy use using their school’s energy dashboard. “But when you can then take your data as a district, and students can begin matching up with a district calendar, now we can see when we're using energy, we understand why we're using energy.”
Both administrators and teachers have responded enthusiastically to the support that Trane Educators-in-Residence provide. In USD-273 in Beloit, Kansas, for example, where the program was implemented, both the district superintendent and STEM teachers appreciate the support and the BTU Crew program as a whole.
“The resources that the Trane Corporation has brought to the partnership with USD 273 - Beloit has been outstanding. The most valuable of these resources is the Educator in Residence,” said Jeff Travis, superintendent, USD 273-Beloit. “The Educator in Residence has brought a limitless amount of assistance to our K - 12 STEM program.
“Our school district making the decision to partner with Trane and working with their Educator-in-Residence was the best thing that could have happened to me as a STEM teacher because it gave us direction and support to implement how to teach about energy and specifically jobs related to the energy industry to our students. It has directly impacted my students and has opened up opportunities to them that have changed their lives,” said Christie Fouts, junior high school teacher at Beloit Junior High School in Beloit, Kansas.
“None of this would have happened without the support of Trane's Educator in Residence program,” Fouts said. “Their support is 24/7 and they were willing to help me implement my energy program into my classroom anytime I needed it. The students' motivation level is higher, students are going into STEM-related careers, and are learning important engineering skills along the way.”
Trane is a strategic business of Trane Technologies, a global climate innovator. Through its Sustainable Futures program, Trane Technologies brings bold action globally to uplift under-represented students through education and pathways to green and STEM careers. The futures of both our industry and our planet demand bold, diverse thinking and we're determined to inspire a new generation.