BSCS | Our 50th | Bill Lipp

Our 50th > Stories > Bill Lipp

Bill Lipp

Part-time/Retired Biology Teacher
Fargo South High School
Fargo, North Dakota

"III was introduced to BSCS in my science methods class by Don Scoby, a former biology teacher in the Colorado Springs system, and a first year college prof. at North Dakota State Univerity in Fargo, North Dakota.

My first teaching job was in a small town in North Dakota, where they were using the Modern Biology text. I indicated to the principal that I wanted to teach from the Green Version, but was told that I couldn't buy new books. So, I lectured to all my students in a large theater, and broke them into lab groups for lab activities, and taught Green Version biology with one textbook that first year.

I taught BGreen Version biology with one textbook that first year.

I taught BGreen Version biology with one textbook that first year.

The next year I was able to buy it for all the students and I taught it in that school for the next four years. When I moved to Fargo South (1974), I again lobbied for the Green Version and was able to convince them it was a better approach.

My third year there I convinced the curriculum committee to establish an Advanced Biology course, which I taught and used the BSCS Advanced Biology text. I taught both of those courses until I was elected President of the North Dakota Education Assciation, (a full-time release position) where I served for four years (1993-1997), whereupon I returned to South continued teaching the Green Book.

In 1999, I encountered the BSCS: A Human Approach, became intrigued by it, proposed to the curriculum committee that two of us at South pilot it, which we did. The next year we adopted A Human Approac and I've been teaching it ever since.

I always tell people that the reason I'm still doing it (teaching) is because of the Human Approach.

Two points about my current situation. First, I have been serving in a consultant capacity for Kendall/Hunt for the Human Approach for the past four or five years, and I retired in 2004, but have taught two classes every day each year since, and I always tell people that the only reason I'm still doing it is because of the Human Approach. "

Share Your Story!