Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Lengthy Blog
I just wanted to add this little note: I know I need to do some work on this blog which will enable the posts to be hidden. I am trying to figure things out still. I am not very good with these kinds of things! Hopefully I will get some time tonight to play around with it!
The Proposal
At the request of many, I am posting a copy of my proposal. When I submitted it on the FFT website, I made several changes that I didn't save on my computer so this sopy is not exactly as the one I submitted but I did correct a few gramatical errors, reword some akward sound sentences/phrases, and chop some things completely since I was well over the length limit. I didn't change anything (even the errors) on this so you could see it as close to the real things as possible. I really have no idea exactly what I chopped or changed so I just thought I'd share the raw version with you. Just keep in mind as you come across a few weird sounding things os minor gramatical errors, they were most likely corrected. I also did not included the itemized budget since I feel it is not really relevant to this blog and I looked and most bloggers did not share that portion. If you are really curious about the amount, you can research the Houston Chronicle archives - they published it in the article they did about me.
So, without any further ado, I present to you my proposal!
Proposal
Fellowship Rationale and Purpose:
Raised at the knees of an educator, I have always had a passion for teaching. My earliest classrooms were very diverse. The majority of my students were bunnies, puppies, and bears, but thanks to a local student exchange program (my best friend), I was fortunate enough to welcome a koala into my classroom a time or two. Although my “students” were different on the outside - different colors, different sizes, different shapes - if you looked beyond the fur and beaded eyes, you would see that they were all filled with the same stuffing.
Since that time, my love of teaching has intensified and although my classroom make-up has changed, the concept is still the same. I still have many sizes, shapes, and colors – or as I now call it, “cultures.” However, instead of bunnies, puppies, and bears, each morning I welcome Caucasians, Hispanics, African-Americans, Asians, and any others that might walk through my door. And just as before, they may look different on the outside, but they, too, are all filled with the same “stuffing.”
Whereas teaching has always ranked first on my list, I have always loved the outdoors and have been especially fascinated by the splendor of the rainforest. It has always been a dream of mine to one day have the opportunity to see this magical place first hand, to revel in its beauty, to feel the sheer vastness of it all.
As a child I never really thought much about the harm humans were doing to the rainforest or how fragile of an ecosystem it was. I just knew some of the most beautiful creatures lived there and I would quite often fantasize about the amazing tree house you could build in one of “those tall, tall trees.” As I grew older and became aware of the devastation that was taking place in rainforests around the world, I was appalled by the lack of conscience the developers and industrialists demonstrated. Of course, being a child, I didn’t know what I could do to help the situation. I couldn’t see how one person thousands of miles away could make a difference. Now, I do.
As a teacher, I have many opportunities to enrich the lives of my students. From time-to-time, I have been faced with many challenges. One of the most frustrating issues I have had to tackle is getting the reluctant learner interested in learning and keeping the exuberant learner excited about learning. As I reflect on my teaching experience, I would like to learn some new, refreshing approaches to teaching and learning, ones that would capture the interest of all learners.
In an effort to better communicate with and relate to my Spanish-speaking students and their parents, it would be extremely beneficial for me to learn more about the Hispanic culture and language. 63% of our student population is Hispanic with a large majority of those students being bilingual. Quite often the children are able to speak English but the parents cannot. This can be extremely frustrating to both the parent and teacher. I would like to learn some better ways to communicate with the Spanish-speaking parents. With such a large percentage of the student population having a Hispanic background, I would like to become more culturally knowledgeable, thus increasing my sensitivity towards their customs and traditions.
Finally, I would also like to learn more about scientific research. I have done science fair projects and smaller, more localized projects but I would love to be involved in a project that takes place in the field requiring data collection on a larger scale with a greater purpose, such as conserving the remaining rainforest. I would like to capture that knowledge and bring it home to share with my students and colleagues.
Key Questions to explore:
What creative approaches can be taken when a student is struggling to learn the basics of the English language? How can these approaches be adapted to fit any teaching/learning situation?
What are some ways that I can keep the exuberant learner interested?
How can I bridge the communication gap between the Spanish-speaking parents and myself?
What can I do to become more culturally sensitive to the Hispanic culture?
How can I increase the excitement and love of Science in the classroom?
What can we do here at home to help preserve the rainforest?
Project Description
This summer my dream is to pursue an adventure which will take me deep into the heart of the Ecuadorian rainforest to teach the native children English and to conduct conservation research on the various aspects of the rainforest. During this time, I will be immersed in the Hispanic culture and their language.
In my quest for the perfect experience, I found Global Vision International (GVI). They offer a five-week research expedition that will take me deep into the rainforest, house me in a small, Spanish-speaking village, and give me the opportunity to share my knowledge and culture with the native people. In return, they will share theirs with me. Both sides benefit immensely. While engaging in the cultural exchange, I will be working on some on-going research projects that help to understand and protect the rainforest. With this experience, I could return to school in August, refreshed, with a new perspective on life and teaching, equipped with more enthusiasm and knowledge than ever before!
My journey will begin on July 9, 2008 as I board a plane and head to Quito, Ecuador. My flight will arrive late at night so I will head straight to the Hostel La Cosona de Mario where I will stay for two nights. On the 10th, I will wake up and spend the day getting to know some of the other expedition members and making last minute purchases.
The following morning all of the expedition members will be picked up at 10:00 A.M. at the aforementioned hostel. Before departure, we will be given a general orientation and then it is off to Tena. I will take a local bus to the small town of Tena where I will stay a night. The following day, I will head to the base camp where I will spend the first week going through an intensive training program on practical and theoretical science, forest navigation, and expedition living including health and safety and First Aid, all the while brushing up on the Spanish language.
Once I have demonstrated an understanding of research techniques and of forest life, including sound recognition and flora and fauna identification, I will begin doing research. The research will include identifying and cataloging various species of mammals, birds, insects, reptiles, and amphibians. Some of the research will be conducted at night, as is necessary to identify the nocturnal species. Since many of the species are small and hard to spot, much of the identification will be made through sounds. Additionally, we will be netting and tagging some of the animals, including birds and bats. There will also be overnight trips to remote satellite campsites deeper within the rainforest where further research will take place.
Throughout all of this time, we will be collating the data we have collected, including photos and various notes we have taken. We will have a daily debriefing session to review the day’s events.
When I am not engaged in research, I will be involved with the Yachana community. We will be involved in several community projects. The most involved task will be working with the native students and teaching them English. Throughout the duration of the program, I will take part in other projects based on the community’s needs. Past projects have included digging ditches, clearing small fields, and building houses or schools. In addition to the knowledge I will be sharing with them, I will be learning about their culture first hand and will be immersed in the Spanish language.
Sundays will be my day off in which we will spend time in the tiny community of Agua Santa. This is also the location of a market where the locals come for weekly provisions. Internet access is very limited in this area so this will likely be the only time to update my blog and catch up on any email and other correspondence.
Midway through my expedition, we will take a trip to Hector’s Island. This will allow time to relax and refresh before heading back into the remote rainforest. While there, Hector will teach us basic jungle survival skills and we will construct a shelter by weaving palm leaves. Upon departure, there will be a brief stopover in Coca to replenish provisions for the remainder of the expedition.
The expedition ends on August 15, 2008. At that time we will head back to Quito to await our departure. Due to the unpredictability of the rainforest, we have been instructed to book our flight about 48 hours after the end of the expedition to allow time for any unforeseen situations. If all goes as planned with none of the possible determents, we will arrive in Quito later that evening. I will once again stay at the Hostel La Casona de Mario. August 16th will be spent organizing my thoughts and updating my blog, shopping for small souvenirs, and preparing to go home! My flight will leave early on the 17th and I will arrive home by noon.
Throughout the entire five-week period, I will continually be working towards achieving my goals. I will persistently review them to ensure that I am working towards fulfilling each of them. It will be an ongoing process. As ideas strike me, I will record them in a small pocket journal I plan to keep with me at all times. Every evening, I will allot time for reviewing my notes from the day and organizing them in a more formal manner.
Teacher Growth and Learning
Through this experience, I will have learned new strategies in teaching my students. In teaching the native children that have minimal English skills, I will have to come up with new, creative ways to approach the task. This will be very useful when I return to the classroom and am confronted with a struggling learner. I can take those skills and tactics that I have learned and apply them to my daily teaching, modifying them as necessary to accommodate all types of students.
Although my students are predominately English speaking, many of their parents are not. This experience will expand my knowledge of the Spanish language and culture, which will help me connect with the parents. Then, when I am confronted with a parent who has minimal English skills, I can reflect on the ways I communicated the Yachana people and apply those tactics to the current situation. Although I will not be fluent, I will have picked up more of the Spanish language and learned key terms to help better my communication with a Spanish-speaking individual. In bridging this communication gap, I will gain the confidence of that parent who had once felt insecure in the parent/teacher relationship. They may then be more apt to come to me with issues and concerns. Additionally, I will have a better understanding of their culture. This will help me become more sensitive to the traditions, family units, and habits the students have.
During the expedition, I will be engaged in extensive scientific research. Through this, I will have a new understanding and love of science and the research method. I will bring that enthusiasm back to the classroom with me. Science will have an even more profound role in my classroom.
Student Growth and Learning
The students will benefit immensely from my experience. When they enter the classroom, they will have a teacher that has just had a life-long dream come true. The students will be confronted with new, creative approaches to learning. I will have new skills and a greater understanding of other cultures, which the students will see and experience. I will pour out my positive energy, offer it to them, and let us fuel each other as we approach a new task and learning.
The students will thrive in a science-rich classroom where they will have more opportunities to experiment and explore, which will help them as they progress through school and on to college. Through experimentation, they will be trained not be afraid to question the unknown and confident enough to investigate new concepts. They will be inspired to continuously seek answers to the things that confound them.
The students with Spanish-speaking parents will benefit from the improved communication skills I have obtained. By improving the relationship I have with their parents, I will be more informed and better able to meet their needs. As their parents model a positive outlook on things, the children’s attitudes will improve. Through this improved communication and cultural understanding, their learning experience will be more positive. The non-Hispanic students will also benefit as different cultural aspects are integrated into daily activities.
On a more personal level, the students will been given hope. The majority of our students come from economically disadvantaged households and many have challenging home lives. Unfortunately, many of them feel trapped in the small world they know, confined by lack of resources to get out and experience the world. I will present the students with optimism by giving a part of the world to them. They will have the opportunity to see pictures taken, not by a remote, unknown, professional National Geographic photographer, but by their very own teacher. They will see how close the world actually is to them and that if you persevere, you just might have a dream come true. In knowing that there is an attainable world out there, not hidden behind locked doors, they will know that their future can be limitless.
Benefits to the School Community
The benefits to the school community are numerous. It will impact not only the students, but the staff as well. Through sharing my experiences, my colleagues will be able to take my experiences and build on them, giving them a fresh perspective on teaching. In an effort to reach out to all of my colleagues, I would like to share the things I discovered about the culture, teaching, science, and about myself. Through this, I hope that other teachers take my experiences and knowledge, mesh it with their own, and develop it into a phenomenal, new approach to teaching.
To accomplish these goals, I will share the experience with my colleagues. Using PowerPoint, I plan to give a pictorial journey through my time spent in the rainforest, beginning with my landing in Quito and ending with my feet touching back on U.S. ground. I will share some of the approaches I took to teaching the students and the different strategies I used as I bridged the communication gap. I will include an activity in which we all break into smaller groups to brainstorm how to build on the successes and failures and turn them into better approaches to teaching. Then, everyone would share their ideas.
In addition to the teaching strategies I used, I will also share information about the research project I worked on. This will include a summary of what I did and what I accomplished. I will be sure to include the purpose of the research, the work done prior to my arrival, and the long-term goals of the program.
Another way I plan to contribute directly to the students is to form an environmentalist club. Many of the students do not have opportunities to be part of a group or club. After school they go home to empty houses. By organizing an after-school club, I will provide them not only with knowledge of the environment and ways we can help, but I will give them an option to going to an empty house.
The purpose of this club will be to inform the students and the community of environmental issues. We will organize service projects such as cleaning up a neighborhood park and implementing a campus-wide recycling program for all recyclable materials, not just paper.
To inform and excite the students about the club, I will share the story of my expedition and what I learned about our environment. I will give them facts about how rapidly the rainforest is being torn apart and let them know that there are things we can do to help. It is a win-win situation. The students will become more engaged in their community, learn a wealth of knowledge from a first-hand account, and be encouraged to become a part of something positive.
Documentation of Learning
While on my trip, my primary form of documentation will be with a simple journal. Electricity and internet access is very limited so I will have to rely on more conventional forms of record-keeping. I plan on keeping a daily journal to chronicle the events and record any data I find will be beneficial to my goals. When I have the opportunity to access the internet, I will update my blog with current photos, interesting facts, and news of my daily life and activities.
I will take numerous photos and extensive video footage of the teaching and the research, the side trips and excursions, and the flora and fauna. I will catalogue these in a digital image library on my laptop for easy access. These photos will be used for presentations and incorporated into my classroom whenever possible, such as making a new alphabet line by using real pictures from the rainforest for each letter.
I will continue to update my blog with the strategies I learned and have applied in the classroom. I will document the techniques and whether or not they worked, as well as list any modifications I may have made from the original ideas. With parental approval, I will post photos of my class engaged in activities or ideas I got from my adventure.
I will also organize a slide show using Power Point to serve as a tool for sharing my adventures and discoveries. This will be the presentation I will share with my fellow teachers and staff members.
Budget Narrative and Budget Sheet
When planning my trip, I looked for a program that would maximize my learning experience while minimizing my expenses. Based on the time I will be spending in the rainforest, the work I will be doing, and the knowledge and insight I will be gaining, I chose Global Vision International (GVI). GVI offers a five-week expedition with no extra costs for food, lodging, or transportation while part of the expedition. The majority of my expenses include the program costs and airfare. Additionally, I will need to purchase some supplies and gear, as well as the required travel insurance which will cover several areas, including emergency air-lift.
I already have a video recorder which I plan to take with me. I will need a quality digital camera. Since photos will be a vital part of my documentation, it will be of utmost importance that I have a camera with specific capabilities. I will be photographing a variety of species, some of which may be endangered. They might only appear for a few seconds and I want to ensure I capture that perfect moment, requiring a fast shutter speed. Additionally the camera will need a high magnification zoom lens to help catch the images that I am unable to get too close to. Batteries were also considered. I may not have the facilities to recharge batteries on a regular basis so I needed a camera that would take regular batteries. The final requirement was that it was a “point and click” camera. I do not have extensive photography experience so it was necessary that the camera I chose do the “work” itself. After researching the cameras currently available, I chose the one with the best performance and price that fit my needs.
So, without any further ado, I present to you my proposal!
Proposal
Fellowship Rationale and Purpose:
Raised at the knees of an educator, I have always had a passion for teaching. My earliest classrooms were very diverse. The majority of my students were bunnies, puppies, and bears, but thanks to a local student exchange program (my best friend), I was fortunate enough to welcome a koala into my classroom a time or two. Although my “students” were different on the outside - different colors, different sizes, different shapes - if you looked beyond the fur and beaded eyes, you would see that they were all filled with the same stuffing.
Since that time, my love of teaching has intensified and although my classroom make-up has changed, the concept is still the same. I still have many sizes, shapes, and colors – or as I now call it, “cultures.” However, instead of bunnies, puppies, and bears, each morning I welcome Caucasians, Hispanics, African-Americans, Asians, and any others that might walk through my door. And just as before, they may look different on the outside, but they, too, are all filled with the same “stuffing.”
Whereas teaching has always ranked first on my list, I have always loved the outdoors and have been especially fascinated by the splendor of the rainforest. It has always been a dream of mine to one day have the opportunity to see this magical place first hand, to revel in its beauty, to feel the sheer vastness of it all.
As a child I never really thought much about the harm humans were doing to the rainforest or how fragile of an ecosystem it was. I just knew some of the most beautiful creatures lived there and I would quite often fantasize about the amazing tree house you could build in one of “those tall, tall trees.” As I grew older and became aware of the devastation that was taking place in rainforests around the world, I was appalled by the lack of conscience the developers and industrialists demonstrated. Of course, being a child, I didn’t know what I could do to help the situation. I couldn’t see how one person thousands of miles away could make a difference. Now, I do.
As a teacher, I have many opportunities to enrich the lives of my students. From time-to-time, I have been faced with many challenges. One of the most frustrating issues I have had to tackle is getting the reluctant learner interested in learning and keeping the exuberant learner excited about learning. As I reflect on my teaching experience, I would like to learn some new, refreshing approaches to teaching and learning, ones that would capture the interest of all learners.
In an effort to better communicate with and relate to my Spanish-speaking students and their parents, it would be extremely beneficial for me to learn more about the Hispanic culture and language. 63% of our student population is Hispanic with a large majority of those students being bilingual. Quite often the children are able to speak English but the parents cannot. This can be extremely frustrating to both the parent and teacher. I would like to learn some better ways to communicate with the Spanish-speaking parents. With such a large percentage of the student population having a Hispanic background, I would like to become more culturally knowledgeable, thus increasing my sensitivity towards their customs and traditions.
Finally, I would also like to learn more about scientific research. I have done science fair projects and smaller, more localized projects but I would love to be involved in a project that takes place in the field requiring data collection on a larger scale with a greater purpose, such as conserving the remaining rainforest. I would like to capture that knowledge and bring it home to share with my students and colleagues.
Key Questions to explore:
What creative approaches can be taken when a student is struggling to learn the basics of the English language? How can these approaches be adapted to fit any teaching/learning situation?
What are some ways that I can keep the exuberant learner interested?
How can I bridge the communication gap between the Spanish-speaking parents and myself?
What can I do to become more culturally sensitive to the Hispanic culture?
How can I increase the excitement and love of Science in the classroom?
What can we do here at home to help preserve the rainforest?
Project Description
This summer my dream is to pursue an adventure which will take me deep into the heart of the Ecuadorian rainforest to teach the native children English and to conduct conservation research on the various aspects of the rainforest. During this time, I will be immersed in the Hispanic culture and their language.
In my quest for the perfect experience, I found Global Vision International (GVI). They offer a five-week research expedition that will take me deep into the rainforest, house me in a small, Spanish-speaking village, and give me the opportunity to share my knowledge and culture with the native people. In return, they will share theirs with me. Both sides benefit immensely. While engaging in the cultural exchange, I will be working on some on-going research projects that help to understand and protect the rainforest. With this experience, I could return to school in August, refreshed, with a new perspective on life and teaching, equipped with more enthusiasm and knowledge than ever before!
My journey will begin on July 9, 2008 as I board a plane and head to Quito, Ecuador. My flight will arrive late at night so I will head straight to the Hostel La Cosona de Mario where I will stay for two nights. On the 10th, I will wake up and spend the day getting to know some of the other expedition members and making last minute purchases.
The following morning all of the expedition members will be picked up at 10:00 A.M. at the aforementioned hostel. Before departure, we will be given a general orientation and then it is off to Tena. I will take a local bus to the small town of Tena where I will stay a night. The following day, I will head to the base camp where I will spend the first week going through an intensive training program on practical and theoretical science, forest navigation, and expedition living including health and safety and First Aid, all the while brushing up on the Spanish language.
Once I have demonstrated an understanding of research techniques and of forest life, including sound recognition and flora and fauna identification, I will begin doing research. The research will include identifying and cataloging various species of mammals, birds, insects, reptiles, and amphibians. Some of the research will be conducted at night, as is necessary to identify the nocturnal species. Since many of the species are small and hard to spot, much of the identification will be made through sounds. Additionally, we will be netting and tagging some of the animals, including birds and bats. There will also be overnight trips to remote satellite campsites deeper within the rainforest where further research will take place.
Throughout all of this time, we will be collating the data we have collected, including photos and various notes we have taken. We will have a daily debriefing session to review the day’s events.
When I am not engaged in research, I will be involved with the Yachana community. We will be involved in several community projects. The most involved task will be working with the native students and teaching them English. Throughout the duration of the program, I will take part in other projects based on the community’s needs. Past projects have included digging ditches, clearing small fields, and building houses or schools. In addition to the knowledge I will be sharing with them, I will be learning about their culture first hand and will be immersed in the Spanish language.
Sundays will be my day off in which we will spend time in the tiny community of Agua Santa. This is also the location of a market where the locals come for weekly provisions. Internet access is very limited in this area so this will likely be the only time to update my blog and catch up on any email and other correspondence.
Midway through my expedition, we will take a trip to Hector’s Island. This will allow time to relax and refresh before heading back into the remote rainforest. While there, Hector will teach us basic jungle survival skills and we will construct a shelter by weaving palm leaves. Upon departure, there will be a brief stopover in Coca to replenish provisions for the remainder of the expedition.
The expedition ends on August 15, 2008. At that time we will head back to Quito to await our departure. Due to the unpredictability of the rainforest, we have been instructed to book our flight about 48 hours after the end of the expedition to allow time for any unforeseen situations. If all goes as planned with none of the possible determents, we will arrive in Quito later that evening. I will once again stay at the Hostel La Casona de Mario. August 16th will be spent organizing my thoughts and updating my blog, shopping for small souvenirs, and preparing to go home! My flight will leave early on the 17th and I will arrive home by noon.
Throughout the entire five-week period, I will continually be working towards achieving my goals. I will persistently review them to ensure that I am working towards fulfilling each of them. It will be an ongoing process. As ideas strike me, I will record them in a small pocket journal I plan to keep with me at all times. Every evening, I will allot time for reviewing my notes from the day and organizing them in a more formal manner.
Teacher Growth and Learning
Through this experience, I will have learned new strategies in teaching my students. In teaching the native children that have minimal English skills, I will have to come up with new, creative ways to approach the task. This will be very useful when I return to the classroom and am confronted with a struggling learner. I can take those skills and tactics that I have learned and apply them to my daily teaching, modifying them as necessary to accommodate all types of students.
Although my students are predominately English speaking, many of their parents are not. This experience will expand my knowledge of the Spanish language and culture, which will help me connect with the parents. Then, when I am confronted with a parent who has minimal English skills, I can reflect on the ways I communicated the Yachana people and apply those tactics to the current situation. Although I will not be fluent, I will have picked up more of the Spanish language and learned key terms to help better my communication with a Spanish-speaking individual. In bridging this communication gap, I will gain the confidence of that parent who had once felt insecure in the parent/teacher relationship. They may then be more apt to come to me with issues and concerns. Additionally, I will have a better understanding of their culture. This will help me become more sensitive to the traditions, family units, and habits the students have.
During the expedition, I will be engaged in extensive scientific research. Through this, I will have a new understanding and love of science and the research method. I will bring that enthusiasm back to the classroom with me. Science will have an even more profound role in my classroom.
Student Growth and Learning
The students will benefit immensely from my experience. When they enter the classroom, they will have a teacher that has just had a life-long dream come true. The students will be confronted with new, creative approaches to learning. I will have new skills and a greater understanding of other cultures, which the students will see and experience. I will pour out my positive energy, offer it to them, and let us fuel each other as we approach a new task and learning.
The students will thrive in a science-rich classroom where they will have more opportunities to experiment and explore, which will help them as they progress through school and on to college. Through experimentation, they will be trained not be afraid to question the unknown and confident enough to investigate new concepts. They will be inspired to continuously seek answers to the things that confound them.
The students with Spanish-speaking parents will benefit from the improved communication skills I have obtained. By improving the relationship I have with their parents, I will be more informed and better able to meet their needs. As their parents model a positive outlook on things, the children’s attitudes will improve. Through this improved communication and cultural understanding, their learning experience will be more positive. The non-Hispanic students will also benefit as different cultural aspects are integrated into daily activities.
On a more personal level, the students will been given hope. The majority of our students come from economically disadvantaged households and many have challenging home lives. Unfortunately, many of them feel trapped in the small world they know, confined by lack of resources to get out and experience the world. I will present the students with optimism by giving a part of the world to them. They will have the opportunity to see pictures taken, not by a remote, unknown, professional National Geographic photographer, but by their very own teacher. They will see how close the world actually is to them and that if you persevere, you just might have a dream come true. In knowing that there is an attainable world out there, not hidden behind locked doors, they will know that their future can be limitless.
Benefits to the School Community
The benefits to the school community are numerous. It will impact not only the students, but the staff as well. Through sharing my experiences, my colleagues will be able to take my experiences and build on them, giving them a fresh perspective on teaching. In an effort to reach out to all of my colleagues, I would like to share the things I discovered about the culture, teaching, science, and about myself. Through this, I hope that other teachers take my experiences and knowledge, mesh it with their own, and develop it into a phenomenal, new approach to teaching.
To accomplish these goals, I will share the experience with my colleagues. Using PowerPoint, I plan to give a pictorial journey through my time spent in the rainforest, beginning with my landing in Quito and ending with my feet touching back on U.S. ground. I will share some of the approaches I took to teaching the students and the different strategies I used as I bridged the communication gap. I will include an activity in which we all break into smaller groups to brainstorm how to build on the successes and failures and turn them into better approaches to teaching. Then, everyone would share their ideas.
In addition to the teaching strategies I used, I will also share information about the research project I worked on. This will include a summary of what I did and what I accomplished. I will be sure to include the purpose of the research, the work done prior to my arrival, and the long-term goals of the program.
Another way I plan to contribute directly to the students is to form an environmentalist club. Many of the students do not have opportunities to be part of a group or club. After school they go home to empty houses. By organizing an after-school club, I will provide them not only with knowledge of the environment and ways we can help, but I will give them an option to going to an empty house.
The purpose of this club will be to inform the students and the community of environmental issues. We will organize service projects such as cleaning up a neighborhood park and implementing a campus-wide recycling program for all recyclable materials, not just paper.
To inform and excite the students about the club, I will share the story of my expedition and what I learned about our environment. I will give them facts about how rapidly the rainforest is being torn apart and let them know that there are things we can do to help. It is a win-win situation. The students will become more engaged in their community, learn a wealth of knowledge from a first-hand account, and be encouraged to become a part of something positive.
Documentation of Learning
While on my trip, my primary form of documentation will be with a simple journal. Electricity and internet access is very limited so I will have to rely on more conventional forms of record-keeping. I plan on keeping a daily journal to chronicle the events and record any data I find will be beneficial to my goals. When I have the opportunity to access the internet, I will update my blog with current photos, interesting facts, and news of my daily life and activities.
I will take numerous photos and extensive video footage of the teaching and the research, the side trips and excursions, and the flora and fauna. I will catalogue these in a digital image library on my laptop for easy access. These photos will be used for presentations and incorporated into my classroom whenever possible, such as making a new alphabet line by using real pictures from the rainforest for each letter.
I will continue to update my blog with the strategies I learned and have applied in the classroom. I will document the techniques and whether or not they worked, as well as list any modifications I may have made from the original ideas. With parental approval, I will post photos of my class engaged in activities or ideas I got from my adventure.
I will also organize a slide show using Power Point to serve as a tool for sharing my adventures and discoveries. This will be the presentation I will share with my fellow teachers and staff members.
Budget Narrative and Budget Sheet
When planning my trip, I looked for a program that would maximize my learning experience while minimizing my expenses. Based on the time I will be spending in the rainforest, the work I will be doing, and the knowledge and insight I will be gaining, I chose Global Vision International (GVI). GVI offers a five-week expedition with no extra costs for food, lodging, or transportation while part of the expedition. The majority of my expenses include the program costs and airfare. Additionally, I will need to purchase some supplies and gear, as well as the required travel insurance which will cover several areas, including emergency air-lift.
I already have a video recorder which I plan to take with me. I will need a quality digital camera. Since photos will be a vital part of my documentation, it will be of utmost importance that I have a camera with specific capabilities. I will be photographing a variety of species, some of which may be endangered. They might only appear for a few seconds and I want to ensure I capture that perfect moment, requiring a fast shutter speed. Additionally the camera will need a high magnification zoom lens to help catch the images that I am unable to get too close to. Batteries were also considered. I may not have the facilities to recharge batteries on a regular basis so I needed a camera that would take regular batteries. The final requirement was that it was a “point and click” camera. I do not have extensive photography experience so it was necessary that the camera I chose do the “work” itself. After researching the cameras currently available, I chose the one with the best performance and price that fit my needs.
Real Quick Notes
My, time is really flying!!! I just don't have enough hours in the day (or money in the bank) to get everything done. I still need quite a few things and I'm feeling guilty about not spending this time doing QUALITY things with my boys. They're so sick of being dragged along to doctor appointments and outdoors stores (REI, Gander Mountain, etc). I hope to finish up shopping tomorrow and finally have a few days devoted to them! I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
Anyway, I was thinking there might be some readers (I'm assuming I have some) that are interested in knowing more about what I am going to be doing. I have added something at the bottom of the blog with links to a film which offers a glimpse of life on the expedition and to GVI's Amazon site. Hopefully that will give you guys something to look at until I can post another long, rambling entry. I am also going to publish my proposal within the next day or two. I have had several requests for that!
Well, it is 2:45 AM and I still have some cleaning and ironing to do so I am going to do that so I can cuddle up with my husband for a couple of hours before he has to head to work! I'll do my best to get back to this tomorrow!
Anyway, I was thinking there might be some readers (I'm assuming I have some) that are interested in knowing more about what I am going to be doing. I have added something at the bottom of the blog with links to a film which offers a glimpse of life on the expedition and to GVI's Amazon site. Hopefully that will give you guys something to look at until I can post another long, rambling entry. I am also going to publish my proposal within the next day or two. I have had several requests for that!
Well, it is 2:45 AM and I still have some cleaning and ironing to do so I am going to do that so I can cuddle up with my husband for a couple of hours before he has to head to work! I'll do my best to get back to this tomorrow!
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