HEALTH

Live Mic: Astronaut-teacher talks about lessons from space

Apr 16, 2020, 4:41 PM

astronaut teacher...

In this photo taken with a long exposure, a Soyuz rocket carrying a new crew to the International Space Station blasts off from the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. The Russian rocket carries U.S. astronaut Anne McClain, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko‎ and CSA astronaut David Saint Jacques. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)

(AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)

SALT LAKE CITY — With schools shut down, who knows more about distance teaching than a teacher-turned-astronaut?

Ricky Arnold, a middle-school teacher and a NASA astronaut, joined Lee Lonsberry on Live Mic to talk about two things he knows much about: very remote learning and extreme social distancing.

Astronaut-Teacher shares his experience

“Do you have any advice for students who are faced with these dramatically different circumstances from which they’ll be learning for the rest of the school year?” Lee asked.

“It’s a tough time for teachers and for learners and facility and staff trying to invent education on the fly, this distance learning,” Arnold said. “We’re all in this together. This is happening globally, and it’s really easy to think that it’s just happening you.

“Reach out to your teachers,” he said. “They’re working really hard to make this the best experience it can be.

“Stick to a schedule the best you can. Everything that life brings you is an opportunity to learn. This is something that they’ll be talking about for the rest of their lives. What can they learn from this would be a good thing to be thinking about,” Arnold said.

Lessons from space

“What lessons can share about teaching from space — the epitome of distance learning? And from your experience in space, what can you teach us Earthlings about isolation?” Lee asked.

“What bothered me and some of the other educators [astronaut Joe Acaba also a middle-school teacher aboard ISS] was not completing the initial mission of the Challenger crew,” Arnold said.

Christa McAuliffe was scheduled to become the first teacher in space when the Space Shuttle Challenger blew up just after launch, killing the seven crew members on Jan. 28, 1986.

Arnold said he and Acaba flew on back-to-back missions teaching almost an entire year from space. He said they wanted to focus on at least finishing the spirit of the Challenger mission, which was focused on education.

Arnold said the lesson plans were developed on Earth, but didn’t go as expected once in orbit.

“There was a lot of learning for me on how to do simple tasks in a classroom but do them while traveling 17,500 mph in low Earth orbit,” he said.

Arnold said one of the skills you need while working in any extreme environment is flexibility.

“During this time, we all have to take a moment and see what changes we can make and adapt to a situation that none of us are really prepared for,” Arnold advised.

Staying in touch while distant

NASA has much experience with people being in isolation in unique environments, he said, so he it’s critical to keep connected — even while doing it remotely.

While aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Arnold said he was able to reach out regularly to family and friends.

“I also spent some time in space reaching out to people I haven’t spoken to in a long time, just to reestablish old connections,” he said.

“Sometimes they wouldn’t answer the phone because they didn’t recognize the phone number. So I would leave them a message, saying ‘I’m calling from the Space Station. You don’t owe me any money, I’m just calling to say hi,'” Arnold said.

“That would be the most amazing voicemail to catch, and then you’d kick yourself, ‘I didn’t answer the phone. I could’ve talked to a space man,'” Lee said.

Arnold said he actually called the front desk of the high school, middle school and elementary school he attended. He said the high school hung up twice before he was able to get a person to answer.

“I said, ‘Please don’t hang up. I’m really calling from the Space Station. Go to Google and look me up. I actually went to high school there.'”

He called to thank the schools and tell them about the huge part they played in getting him where he is today and for them to think about the possibilities for the students who are with them today.

Live Mic with Lee Lonsberry can be heard weekdays from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on KSL NewsRadio. Users can find the show on the KSL NewsRadio website and app.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Health

Myrtle Spurge is often touted as deer-resistant and drought-tolerant, but the plant is rapidly inva...

Eliza Pace

Salt Lake County Health warns of harmful myrtle spurge plant

Myrtle spurge was originally introduced to Utah as a decorative plant but is an invasive species that has spread to natural areas.

1 day ago

Dairy cows across the country, specifically in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico are getting sick with a...

Alexandrea Bonilla

Cows across the country are getting sick with a “flu-like” illness

Utah is altering the requirements for livestock brought into the state after multiple cows across the country have gotten sick with a flu-like illness.  

2 days ago

Over 30% of people in Utah are considred prediabetic because of the amount of soda they drink....

Amanda Dickson

Is Utah’s soda obsession behind our levels of prediabetes?

Here in Utah, our soda drinking habits might be making us particularly at risk for prediabetes and diabetes.

2 days ago

A hand holds a tablet stamped with "MF," standing for mifepristone....

CNN

Study shows how self-managed abortion became more common, as Supreme Court abortion drug hearing looms

Medication abortion has become increasingly common since it first became available in the United States two decades ago.

3 days ago

Small screens...

Don Brinkerhoff

Small screens impacting the mental health of kids says study

The increased use of small screens by kids and teens may be linked to increased mental health issues according to a study.

3 days ago

bottles of prescription medication at a desk. 16.2% of Utahns are unable to get the prescription me...

Tammy Kikuchi and Emma Keddington

Utah ranks second in the nation for prescription medication shortages

The hardest prescription medication to get is for ADHD, cancer and high blood pressure.

4 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

Live Mic: Astronaut-teacher talks about lessons from space