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Woodbridge Twp. Teacher’s Environmental Literacy is "For The Birds" on Earthwatch Educator Fellow

By Cheryl-Lynn Mecka
For Immediate Release
Contact: Cheryl-Lynn Mecka
908-358-6188; [email protected]
Going Places For Kids Productions
Woodbridge Twp. Teacher’s Environmental Literacy is "For The Birds" on Earthwatch Fellowship
It literally was for the birds that led Woodbridge Township teacher Cheryl-Lynn Mecka to pursue an Educator Fellowship from Earthwatch Institute, an environmental non-profit volunteer organization supporting the scientific research community for the past 40 years (www.earthwatch.org). Through a generous sponsorship from The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation she worked with 11 other tri-state area teachers nest searching riparian bird species on The Spirit of The Rockies: Songbirds, Mountain Lions and More expedition this past July in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
"What I found rewarding is that our work for the 9 days searching these nests really counted! I realized our impact when we marked one incorrectly on the GPS. Our field leader had us return to that site and remark it so the data could be inputed," she explained. "We were responsible for our actions. It wasn’t just "for fun", although it was quite so."
Cheryl-Lynn is determined to bring this placed-based learning concept back to her third grade classroom at Oak Ridge Heights in Colonia this Fall.
"We (teachers) sometimes get overwhelmed by the textbooks and state test curriculum that we lose confidence to teach students the content through our own relatable experiences," she said. "This expedition gave me better insight into how learners inquire and retain more information when they are involved in the process, like we were with the scientists, and become owners of their learning.”
The team also attended learning sessions on environmental literacy. Their goal is to implement a school or community action plan with this new knowledge as a guide. Cheryl-lynn already produces nature-based educational videos for her students and hopes to collaborate with the township’s Green Team, who already have well-established events, to continue promoting this message in the local community.
To learn more about her projects and experiences, visit www.eclecticteaching.wordpress.com.