Learning to teach the world around us

By
Amy Wallot
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By Amy Wallot
amy.wallot@education.ky.gov

It was cold and getting dark, but the educators gathered at Lake Cumberland State Resort Park couldn’t wait to get outside. The outside, after all, was what they were there to learn about.

I was there for the first day of a three-day environmental workshop. It was the first of the four-part series for this year’s Professional Environmental Educator Certification course offered through the Kentucky Environmental Education Council.

Elizabeth Schmitz, KEEC’s executive director, said the course was originally designed for non-formal classroom educators, but it’s also a great way for K-12 educators to get their feet wet with environmental education.

The remainder of the workshops will be held at Natural Bridge State Resort Park, the Louisville Zoo and Barren River State Resort Park.

Kara Sayles, with Bluegrass Greensourse, and Mary Jo Wimsatt, with Cane Run Elementary School (Jefferson County), take wind measurements of a forest ecosystem during the Professional Environmental Educator Certification workshop at Lake Cumberland State Resort Park. Photo by Amy Wallot Nov. 13, 2014
Kara Sayles, with Bluegrass Greensource, and Mary Jo Wimsatt, with Cane Run Elementary School (Jefferson County), take wind measurements of a forest ecosystem during the Professional Environmental Educator Certification workshop at Lake Cumberland State Resort Park.
Photo by Amy Wallot, Nov. 13, 2014
Eastern Kentucky University professor and director of natural ares Melinda Wilder talks with educators about their observations during a Field, Forest and Stream activity during the Professional Environmental Educator Certification workshop at Lake Cumberland State Resort Park. Photo by Amy Wallot Nov. 13, 2014
Melinda Wilder, Eastern Kentucky University professor and director of EKU’s Division of Natural Areas, talks with educators about their observations during a Field, Forest and Stream activity.
Photo by Amy Wallot, Nov. 13, 2014
A group of environmental educators record observations, including wind speed, soil moisture content and wildlife counts during the Professional Environmental Educator Certification workshop at Lake Cumberland State Resort Park. Photo by Amy Wallot Nov. 13, 2014
Environmental educators record modern methods to take measurements, including wind speed and soil moisture content.
Photo by Amy Wallot, Nov. 13, 2014
Doug McCoy, standing, a professor at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, gives directions to a group, including Washington County High School science teacher Stella Chikuni, sitting in blue, on an activity during the Professional Environmental Educator Certification workshop at Lake Cumberland State Resort Park. Photo by Amy Wallot Nov. 13, 2014
Doug McCoy, standing, a professor at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, gives directions to a group, including Washington County High School science teacher Stella Chikuni, sitting in blue, on an activity related to collecting information.
Photo by Amy Wallot Nov. 13, 2014
Educators review the weekend's schedule during the Professional Environmental Educator Certification workshop at Lake Cumberland State Resort Park. Photo by Amy Wallot Nov. 13, 2014
Educators review the weekend’s schedule.
Photo by Amy Wallot Nov. 13, 2014

 

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