We are happy to announce that Nika Oksenchuk has been appointed the new lead of STEM at Le Sallay Academy. In addition to a Ph.D. in Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Didactics and Teaching Methodology, Nika has unique experience working in scientific research and developing virtual labs to teach chemistry in a blended learning setting. We asked Nika a few questions about her new role.

Q: You have been with Le Sallay Academy from the very beginning. Do you have a 100-day plan in your new position as head of STEM?
A: I am really looking forward to this experience. Hopefully, I can fit a lot into these 100 days — or at least into the school year. I’m working closely with Dr. Mindy Rice, head of Humanities, and Sean Berg at Le Sallay Discovery in the US. We are exploring new ways of integrating our curriculum. For me, it’s very important to develop as many connections between different fields of knowledge as possible.

It’s crucial to put learning in context, as students are often more motivated when studying the same concepts from different perspectives. For example, when we discuss viral diseases in science class, it would be great if students also learned about the history of the plague and the development of medicine in history classes. In math, they could study statistics using real-life data on pandemics. In literature, they could read and discuss relevant texts. This way, in every class, students can learn how to manage their time better and break large projects into smaller steps.

Q: What is important to you in teaching Math and Sciences?
A: I believe in experiments and hands-on learning as a way to keep students curious. It’s important to show that knowledge isn’t just something you learn — it’s something you search for and discover through trial and error.

Q: What is your favorite STEM subject?
A: My family has two generations of mathematicians. In school, I was fascinated by mathematics — and then, suddenly, literature became another favorite. At university, I became a fan of chemistry and biology. I wanted to study colloid solutions, but after getting my Master’s degree, I realized that I love teaching and focused my postgraduate studies on developing virtual experiments in science education.

My ten years of teaching experience have allowed me to integrate different interests into my work. I adore STEM. These subjects encourage students to explore their imagination, learn to ask questions, and solve problems on their own. STEM inspires me. Right now, in our science classes, we are studying different organ systems — cardiovascular, skeletal, digestive, nervous, and more. All of these systems work together to make a perfectly functioning human body. In the same way, science, technology, engineering, and math work together to grow curious, critically thinking, and creative minds.

Q: When studying from home, parents’ support is essential. How can parents help their kids get excited about STEM?
A: Studying science online at home may seem challenging for kids and their parents, but there is no need for concern. Our STEM team guides students and families through the process. The best thing parents can do is give their children more responsibility. If a child wants to do everything independently, trust them. If a child asks for help, parents should work together with teachers to show that science is not limited to the classroom. Science is all around us. There are many ways to explore it. You can investigate your surroundings, design simple and safe experiments in physics, chemistry, and biology, go to a park and study living organisms, create an entire ecosystem in a bottle, look at the stars, and conduct fascinating experiments with forces!

Q: Can you prove that STEM can be fun in three short sentences?
• STEM deals with explosions and dinosaurs.
• STEM teachers can make elephant toothpaste.
• STEM helps us learn about the past and create the future.