2009 Fire Ecology Institute for Educators

Musings and other thoughts about Fire Ecology Institute

Because I believe good teachers are naturally “pack rats”, I knew this Institute was going to be my kind of class as soon as I saw the myriad of “stuff” that surrounded Shawna upon checking in Sunday, June 7th 2009. I believe Shawna stated in one communication, the participants would receive many “goodies” to assist will their fire education efforts. “Goodies” this teacher found priceless and would soon become the topic of many discussions with a husband who believes you downsize as you prepare for retirement, not add fuel to the fire, a basement already choke full of “stuff”!

Now that I’ve had time to go through, read, reread and begin to digest a little bit of the information I obtained during the week I spent in Durango; my brain has moved out of the hyperactive mode and my thoughts include things other than fire education.

What to do with this knowledge? I have lots of ideas, but what will I be able to implement in my classroom. Because I believe Denver Public Schools is becoming a district that prescribes curriculum and strongly suggests time frames in which to teach the curriculum, teachers’ creativity is often frowned upon. Creativity will be a must for me if I’m to include more environmental education for my fifth graders that doesn’t easily fit into the Science TRACKS program and my schedule for the 2009/10 school year that does not include teaching science.

In addition to creativity, change will also be important. A quote by Plato I read in “The Book of Fire” is apropos. “Unless one comes to an understanding concerning the nature of change, one will have many difficulties.” William H. Cottrell Jr. used the Plato quote in relationship to fire in forests, but it also applies to me, a teacher wondering how to deliver vital information to her fifth graders.

I will team teach with two other fifth grade teachers, one who will teach literacy and the other will teach the content areas: Science and Social Studies. I will teach math and my schedule is suppose to include a 45 minute per day challenge group. My principal shared what he envisioned the 45 minute challenge group would look like before the close of this school year, but my “challenge” will be not having the same group of students for more than three weeks. The first 45 minutes of each day will be used for RTI groups and my one challenge group. My recent thoughts include being the “hook” to assist the science teacher in kicking off the Heat and Changes and Weather Systems TRACKS units.

What student wouldn’t be “fired up” about any hands on, inquiry based activity? Testing FIRE!, The Matchstick Forest Experiment and the many PLT activities found in the Environmental Activity Guide. The visual learners would also be enamored by the colorful posters and books to peruse. The “goodies” are PRICELESS!

What makes a class well received and not soon forgotten? People! I especially enjoyed Kent Grant, CSFS, Ros Wu, USFS, Craig Goodell, BLM and John Eye. Thank you, Shawna, Gabi, Lu, Amanda, Kelsey and anyone else who worked tirelessly to present the Fire Ecology Institute to an eclectic group from Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. Perhaps I’ll be blessed to meet Gabi one day and thank her personally.
Some of the connections I made during Fire Ecology Institute week are budding into friendships. Friendships I’ll cherish!

Many, many thanks for a meaningful class.