Photo: Candice Cetinkaya and Chrissy Brownson arriving at Hog Island for Educators’ Week
ASNV issued grants to send two teachers to Educator’s Week at Hog Island, Audubon’s Camp in Bremen, Maine. Here is what they had to say about their visit, the week of July 17.
Candice Cetinkaya and Chrissy Brownson arriving at Hog Island for Educators’ Week
Chrissy Brownson, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) and Science Resource Teacher, Providence Elementary, Fairfax County Public Schools
When we learned that some of the paragons of environmental science had spent time researching on Hog Island, it was no surprise that the week was packed with learning. To think that we were walking in the footsteps of Rachel Carson and Roger Tory Peterson enriched our learning and lent to the magic that Hog Island exudes. From examining a preserved passenger pigeon to seeing the thriving renewed puffin colony, the opportunities for learning and wonder were numerous.
Each day we spent time on the island or in the water deepening our science knowledge and learning how we could bring these lessons back to our schools. Teaching is a craft, and we had the opportunity to learn from several gifted educators and environmental scientists. I have done pond studies before, both as the teacher and as an adult learner, but doing it with the instructors from the Audubon camp was like taking a master class. I found myself jotting take-aways in between identifying macroinvertebrates and planning for how I could bring this same level of enabling discovery back to my students.
I am so appreciative of this opportunity, both to learn from the amazing team at the camp and to collaborate with passionate educators from across the country. I can’t wait to share this with our school and ignite a passion for the world around them.
Candice Cetinkaya, Science Resource Teacher for Region 5 Elementary Schools and Three Middle Schools in Alexandria
A big thank you from the bottom of my heart for enabling me to experience the Educator’s Week at Hog Island. The highlights of the week were countless, but some of my favorites included: exploring the tide pools; uncovering the geologic history of the islands while scrambling over granite boulders with basalt intrusions; learning about, and then witnessing, the return of puffins to Easter Egg Island; tramping through shoulder-high ferns, only to emerge into a field of milkweed with swarms of monarch butterflies; watching harbor seals, osprey, and (from the deck of the Queen cabin where I slept each night) the departure of the lobster boats.
Beyond the amazing opportunity to immerse myself in nature was the learning that occurred by connecting with naturalists and educators from across the country and from diverse backgrounds. The experiences, conversations with others, and periods of reflection nourished my mind, body, and soul and prepared me to share my love of nature with students. Again, thank you for providing this enriching, motivational, and soul nourishing experience. I can’t wait to share it with my students.