Tim Couillard was 22 years old when he taught his first physics and chemistry classes at James River High School in Virginia. Two decades later, this TED-Ed Innovative Educator is still there, happily teaching science and ethics to teenagers.

The goal of my project was to explore the impact that role playing games (RPGs) could have in the classroom,” says Tim.

Here are Tim’s tips on how to replicate an innovative project in your school:

  • Start small. Don’t feel pressured to overhaul everything. Pick a lesson and start there.
  • Get comfortable with an “experiment/fail/learn/repeat” mindset. Embrace the iterative process. Finding the good stuff means knowing what doesn’t work.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask students for feedback. Find the fun.

Read the full article by Laura McClure and Tim Couillard about teaching STEM from TEDEd