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MITeachers.org Outstanding Educational Program
Sponsored by The Department of Teacher Education & Professional Development at Central Michigan University |
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SchoolShip.org offers students and teachers the opportunity to be a scientist on the Great Lakes. Students sail aboard the Inland Sea on the Great Lakes, collect data about the weather, water, and animal life in the lakes, make records, and analyze their findings.
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All About SchoolShip.org
Inland Seas Education Association (ISEA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide a floating classroom where people of all ages can gain first-hand training and experience in the Great Lakes ecosystem. The knowledge gained through these experiences will provide the leadership, understanding and commitment needed for the long-term stewardship of the Great Lakes. ISEA was established in 1989 to provide aquatic science, environmental awareness and sail training classes for learners of all ages. Classes are conducted aboard tall ships to complement traditional classroom studies in ecology, history, geography, geology, biology, chemistry and meteorology. Students learn through hands on experiences. Over 45,000 students have already participated in ISEA's shipboard programs, which are taught by one-hundred-fifty trained volunteer instructors and ISEA's professional staff. Members and friends support ISEA's mission of Great Lakes education with financial contributions and by volunteering as instructors, organizers, fund-raisers and office helpers. |
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LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CURRICULUM - Capt. Tom Kelly [from the Newsletter]
We have worked hard over the years to develop the Schoolship curriculum into an exciting, fun and effective learning experience for students. Our program is carefully structured to fit the Michigan Curriculum Framework Science Content Benchmarks (formerly MEGOSE), thus aiding classroom teachers in accomplishing their teaching goals. Each of our onboard learning stations has a clearly stated list of objectives, and the instructors are taught to follow these objectives in presenting the subject material. This being said, I have felt over the years that many important lessons learned aboard our vessels were outside the written formal curriculum. For some kids, and for us as instructors and crew, these lessons may have been more important than the stated learning objectives. I would like to share some of these thoughts with you. On any given class trip, with 30 students aboard, one would expect quite a range of backgrounds, interests and preconceptions. Some kids may have family boats or friends with boats, but for many, this is their first boat trip. Just overcoming the fear of the unknown is sometimes a big thing for them. And to turn that fear into joy when they actually get to take the wheel and drive the boat with all their classmates aboard. Those are the moments I wish you I make much longer. For some students just being in another environment is major revelation for them. When we have a class from a rural farm community or the inner city, you can tell that just coming to northern Michigan and being on the lake are milestones in these kids' lives. Just from the looks on their faces you can tell they are surprised that a place like this even exists. I remember one time apologizing to a Girl Scout leader for not having more women as crew and instructors to act as role models, and I stated I had tried to find all women instructors for their trip. The leader informed me that the girls did not need to see role models of strong, resourceful women. After all, she said, most of these girls are from homes headed by single moms who do everything. What they need to see, she said, are men and women working together cooperatively on a common goal. That is a rare commodity in their lives. A little light went on inside my head. Of course, we can do that, I thought, we do that every day. Another incident, from many years ago has always stuck with me. This occurred aboard Malabar, when she was the only ship we used. I was below in the main cabin checking on the art station (remember that?) and I noticed one young girl that was not really involved with the project. She was standing by the galley, watching the cook prepare lunch. She asked the cook why she wanted to work on a boat. After a moment the cook replied that she liked working on the boat because it was like being part of a big family. She had missed out on family life growing up, she said, because of alcoholism in her family. At that the student burst into tears, and said she also came from an alcoholic family. The cook hugged the student, and the two of them worked together in the galley for the rest of the trip. I slipped away, knowing I had witnessed the most important learning that happened on the boat that day, but it wasn't in our curriculum. I have many more stories, and no doubt many instructors have similar stories that I am not aware of. Showing our students we value them, providing positive adult role models, motivating high achievement in challenging situations, sharing responsibility and having a sense of purpose are values that support our educational program. Thanks to the dedication of ISEA's crew and volunteer staff, these things seem to come naturally aboard the Schoolships. |
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| Students may monitor the lakes after the field trip by accessing one of many weather buoys throughout the Great Lakes. To find and check buoys in Huron, Erie, and Ontario, go here. To find and check out buoys in Michigan and Superior, go here. To find buoys around the world, go here.
Station 45002 - N MICHIGAN- Halfway between North Manitou and Washington Islands. |
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