2007 Workshop Participants

The 2007 workshop consisted of a diverse group of educators: about one-third teach in Maine and others came from Georgia, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. All participants represented states with inquiry, marine science, or "earth as a system" criteria in their science education standards. Each attendee's classroom experience ranged from one year to well over twenty years. This group teaches students in grades eight through twelve covering the topics of physics, earth science, physical science, and biology.  

What did the participants expect coming into the workshop?

Not many of the participants were completely comfortable with the idea of teaching through inquiry. Some didn't realize that they were already doing it! They chose to attend the workshop to discover ways to get their kids excited about learning seemingly difficult physical concepts. They also wanted to bring to their classrooms the excitement of exploration and inquiring about the world around us. Many felt that there is no better way to capture the imagination of students then through the use of hands on activities and experimentation. Along with lab sessions, pedagogy discussions delivered a better understanding of the process of "learning through inquiry" and how to implement specific activities in a classroom setting. In addition to specific implementation ideas, many teachers also expressed a personal vested interest in increasing their own knowledge of the world's oceans.

The photo to the left is Nancy Sills from Hamilton, GA. Nancy has been in service for 22 years and is currently teaching middle school science. According to Nancy: "Too often when you attend a workshop that sounds good on paper they have a tendency not be what you were expecting. That was not the case with this workshop. I returned from Maine with a boat load of activities, a better understanding of ocean science, and a wonderful new network of teachers to help me when I need it. It was all it was promised plus more."