All 35 selected 2016 Grosvenor
Teacher Fellows met together from April 14th to the 17th
for the first and very likely…the last time. We were invited to National Geographic
Society headquarters in Washington, D.C. for a Grosvenor Teacher Fellow
Workshop to meet with Lindblad expedition naturalists, previous educators who
have participated in the program, and attend a photography workshop.
 |
| Courtesy of Winn Brewer |
There, we learned about the
program—its purpose, expectations, and even its origins. In fact, this year
marks the 10th year of the Grosvenor Teacher Fellow Program, established to
honor former National Geographic Society Chairman Gilbert M. Grosvenor’s
lifetime commitment to geographic education. The expeditions were donated in
perpetuity to the National Geographic Society by Sven-Olof Lindblad and
Lindblad Expeditions to mark Grosvenor’s 75th birthday in 2006 and to honor his
service in enhancing and improving geographic education across the United
States.
One question I had been frequently
asked by family, friends, and colleagues leading up to the D.C. workshop was, “So,
what exactly will you be doing in Antarctica?” Fortunately, the workshop
described life aboard our ship, the National Geographic Explorer. I learned how
Lindblad-National Geographic’s polar expedition team will enable me to:
o
See legendary landscapes and habitats.
o
Encounter iconic penguins, leopard seals, and
marine mammals.
o
Kayak among icebergs, Zodiac cruise past resting
leopard seals, and hike on the continent with the best ice team on Earth.
o
Experience the seldom-seen Antarctic undersea,
too––through the efforts of an undersea specialist.
I was even selected to participate
in an “Antarctic Fashion Show” which demonstrated the proper gear needed when
visiting the White Continent.
 |
| Courtesy of Dave Walker |
Most importantly perhaps, I was
granted the opportunity to collaborate with other Fellows regarding my
Classroom Action Plan and Outreach Activities. These esteemed teachers and
librarians offered invaluable advice about my proposed Antarctica curriculum as
well as suggestions for other instructional plans related to geographic
literacy.
As teacher-librarian, I promote
inquiry-based learning by challenging students to “discover” information via
collaboration and research models. This experience will be invaluable to my
student’s mastery of information-seeking strategies and inquiry skills founded
in project-based learning. The knowledge I gain about geography and resources
suitable for my students will support my development of research projects that
embrace aspects of physical Earth and the people who settle it.
Like my students, I too will soon discover
more of the world once I embark on my voyage to Antarctica. The 2016 Grosvenor
Teacher Fellows have found ourselves in a remarkable position—to share our
discoveries with each other, our students, colleagues, and communities. In
doing so, we will make remote places from around the world seem just a
little closer to home for all to explore.
