I guess I’ve never really thought about what a day in the life of a scientist really looks like. Observing how the scientists work at Biogen has been a real eye opener for me because now I can give real-world examples of how scientists use reading & math skills to carry out their work. The communication between the scientists in each department is vital to the success of the company. I don’t mean just the success of their business but also their success in making medicines that help people fight diseases. The whole company works together as a team to ensure this success. The importance of communication, collaboration, & teamwork is what I have learned as a result of my Kenan Fellowship. I always knew these skills were important for teachers but never really gave it much thought as to their importance in the private sector. I know these are the buzz words in education because we are striving to help our students be college & career ready. Now, however, I have a better understanding of how to help students with their communication & collaboration skills and how to be a team player because I have seen it in action at Biogen. I can tell students I have seen how these skills are applied in the real world and that will give me more credibility. It has also given me more confidence in my ability to teach these skills. When I am designing lessons for students, I will have more activities & learning objectives that will require communication, collaboration, & teamwork. Before a student can work effectively within a team, certain skills will need to be taught. So I know I will have to spend time at the beginning of the year teaching these skills. Since I am a part of the professional development team in our district, I will make sure to include session on how to work effectively in a team.