Contacts: Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821 Quincy Spurlin, (505) 277-4976 Kathleen Roland/Eileen Wood, (505) 832-6827

October 10, 2002 MOUNTAINVIEW TEACHERS USE UNM SCIENCE ACADEMY TO IMPROVE SCIENCE EDUCATION Two New Mexico teachers from Mountainview Elementary School in Moriarty recently participated in one of four science academies at the University of New Mexico’s College of Education (COE). Kathleen Roland and Eileen Wood completed the final summer of a two-year commitment in the academy designed to give teachers in New Mexico more and better tools to educate the youth of the state. Roland, a second grade teacher and Wood, a sixth grade teacher, and other elementary, mid and high school teachers across the state, were provided with professional development through a $1.17 million grant provided by the U.S. Department of Education and spearheaded by Rep. Heather Wilson. The science academy was taught by UNM COE Associate Professor Quincy Spurlin and it focused on ecological monitoring and field studies. “The point of the academies is to improve the teaching and learning of mathematics based national standards for professional development,” said Spurlin. “I designed my academy to reflect recommendations from the National Science Standards. The work the teachers do in the academy is what we want to see them implement in their classrooms.  We focused on the ecology that teachers and students experience every day by using hands-on, minds-on field studies and problem solving in schoolyards, nearby arroyos or other natural areas.” The collaboration amongst the participating teachers helped to make the academy an enriching experience for the participants. “It was a unique professional development experience because it brought a group of teachers together who are genuinely interested in the sciences to collaborate over two-plus years,” said Roland. “We heard from excellent guest speakers from various professions who were all experts in their respective fields.” “The science academy has provided me with a network of elementary science educators from around the state that I can use as resources,” said Wood. “They are my partners in science education. It has provided numerous materials to enrich education in the classroom and has offered many new ideas on classroom activities. Most importantly, it has helped to rekindle a passion for hands-on activities in elementary science education.” Participants in the science academy studied ecology and environmental education from the perspective of scientists by participating in field studies to monitor water quality, collecting weather data, and plant and soil samples. They were also provided with equipment and training including digital cameras, resource books and field guides, microscopes, insect nets and viewers, wind and rain gauges, and many other tools for use in and out of the classroom. They learned to use the equipment and have developed projects in their classrooms using it. “Our students work outdoors on the Mountainview Nature Trail learning about our environment and our sense of place and connection to our school and the East Mountains,” said Roland. “We study our habitat and its resources and how we can be stewards of our soil and water, while pursuing environmental education with an inquiry based approach asking ‘powerful questions’ to guide our study.” “Our class will use a GPS satellite system in science and math class for studying compass work and map skills,” said Wood. “It will be used for making latitude and longitude a concrete experience. We will also use a Kestral 3000 Unit, which will be used for weather recording and information gathering for plot studies on our nature trail studies.”  Together the two classes will work together to identify native plants, identify the local watershed, collect weather data, graph data, keep science journals and focus on interconnectedness. They also plan to get involved with local East Mountain agencies including Talking Talons, Edgewood Soil and Water Conservation and Wildlife West to supplement their instruction in the science area. Overall the science academy was a very worthwhile experience that should help ensure a more rounded science education for schoolchildren at Mountainview Elementary and across the state. “Personally, the academy has helped me utilize my science background with my students,” said Roland. “I feel better equipped to provide rich experiences that will foster not only an appreciation and understanding of our natural environment, but also a sense of excitement. Children have a natural curiosity about their environment.” “I have to say that throughout both academies, I kept wanting to pinch myself,” said Wood. “I could not believe my good fortune in being able to participate in such an incredible learning experience and to be given so many materials to continue the learning in my classroom. “The students can’t help but benefit from the enthusiasm I feel about teaching science. They will be able to utilize a much larger variety of equipment than we had available before the academy. The academy was the most useful education training I’ve ever received.” # # #

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