A Bluewater District School Board teacher who was selected earlier this year as a 2016 Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellow has returned from the Arctic Svalbard with many exciting experiences to share. Breanna Myles, who taught grade 7/8 at Bruce Peninsula District School in Lion's Head at the time of her selection, was one of only 35 teachers chosen from 720 applicants across Canada and the United States to participate in the professional development program. The honour, which recognizes kindergarten to grade 12 educators who have demonstrated excellence in geographic education, provides recipients with enhanced learning in this subject area through direct hands-on field experience.
The 10-day expedition this past June was preceded by a trip to the headquarters of National Geography Society in Washington, D.C. for workshops and networking. Participants were then accompanied by Lindblad-National Geographic expedition experts as they boarded the National Geographic Explorer for a once-in-a-lifetime fact finding mission in the Norwegian archipelago known as the Svalbard.
Day-by-day descriptions of the learning and adventures which took place during the trip as well as a myriad of photos can be found on Breanna's blog, http://mylesawayinthearctic.weebly.com. Some of the highlights include: spending the night in an area where there is 24 hours of daylight, walking on Arctic tundra to explore the fauna and flora, experiencing firsthand glaciers and the very real effects of climate change, kayaking on the Arctic Ocean and spotting polar bears, viewing various bird species of the Arctic, encountering walruses and humpback whales, and visiting the world's most northern settlement.
According to Breanna, the experience has been life changing. She admits, "Every time I travel or experience a new landscape, it is like a puzzle piece, and I fit one more piece of the puzzle, gradually giving me a holistic view of the world. Each experience affects my paradigm and shapes my thinking, and that changes me for the rest of my life."
In regard to the program, she says, "I believe great teachers are great storytellers, and the Grosvenor Teacher Program gives teachers the opportunity to learn the story for ourselves."
Beyond the excursion, participation in the program also entails a year round commitment involving a number of deliverables. These include assistance with the development of curriculum for National Geographic, the creation of an Outreach Action Plan and accompanying presentation, and a chance to bring new geographic awareness and literacy into our learning environments and communities. Breanna's experiences will be shared with both students and teachers within Bluewater District School Board, which includes a Professional Activity Day session for staff on September 30th, 2016.
source: media release, Bluewater District School Board
