An Explorer's Mindset ~ Guest Post by Susan Koch

“We teach kids about the world and how it works, empowering them to succeed and to make it a better place.”  

Public Domain Pictures.net

That's the mission of the National Geographic Society's Educator Certification Program, which provides a learning framework and resources to help K-12 teachers inspire “the next generation of explorers, conservationists, and global citizens.”

Last month, in GROG's back-to-school post, Christy Mihaly interviewed me about my expedition to the Arctic as a participant in National Geographic's Grosvenor Teacher Fellow Program. Applicants for the Grosvenor program need to be National Geographic Certified Educators, and we promised to come back this month and explain more about the certification program. So here goes.

Enjoying outdoor education

The National Geographic teacher certification program uses a learning framework with three elements: Attitudes, Skills and Knowledge. The program trains teachers new techniques to get students excited while learning about geography and nature. I loved the idea as soon as I heard about it, because I'm passionate about getting students outdoors for learning. I am most excited when my students can explore, inquire, and make discoveries about their world.

First grade ECO explorers

Almost ten years ago, I helped developed an outdoor education program in my community of Montpelier, Vermont. This ECO (Educating Children Outdoors) program has become a school-wide opportunity for learners to develop a sense of place by interacting with the natural environment. 

In applying to be a Grosvenor Fellow, I submitted a video about my work with the ECO program. The application required a statement about my passion, and I decided I would need to go outside to tell the story. I bundled up with a down jacket and a hat, cleared some snow from the back deck, propped up my laptop and turned to the camera. 

To watch my video about ECO, click this link

In ECO, classes spend time weekly at outdoor learning sites, to explore, inquire and make connections. Learning outside in nature helps us to create a community that values earth stewardship and sustainability. The National Geographic certification program is so appealing because it helps teachers foster this kind of learning. 

Here are the elements of the National Geographic educator framework.

ATTITUDES: The program seeks to create students who are 

Heading out for ECO

Curious: excited about new challenges and adventures.

Responsible: respectful of differences and concerned with the welfare of others.

Empowered: willing and able to work to make a difference.

ECO students observing and recording

SKILLS: The program helps students develop their abilities to

Observe: see and make sense of their observations.

Communicate: tell stories! (through spoken or written words, video, songs, and more)

Collaborate: work together to achieve their goals. 




KNOWLEDGE: The program focuses on three subject areas:

What's this find, in a Vermont forest?

The Human Journey: where we are, where we're going.

Our Changing Planet: the earth and the interconnected life forms it sustains.

Wildlife and Wild Places: far-off and in our own backyard.

Educators in the certification program complete classroom activities based on this framework. They also present a capstone project in video form, using the framework to tell the story of their students' learning. 

ECO is all year round!

National Geographic believes that telling stories is an effective way to convey our knowledge -- and listening to stories is a great way to learn. The program helps educators discover their own stories. Often learners don't believe they have stories to tell; educators can help them discover their own stories. 

A recent favorite picture book develops this idea beautifully: Everywhere, Wonder, by Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr. 

With poetic language and beautiful illustrations, the book makes the point that each person's story is made of all the things they notice and imagine. It urges readers to "open your eyes and open your window and let your story out into the world." What better summary of how our stories are shaped by our world.

If you have questions about the National Geographic program, feel free to ask me in the comment section below!

The Picture Book as "Object?" Yes, THE STEAM of PBs by Kathy Halsey

We picture book writers have probably analyzed our genre in a gazillion ways. But, have you thought of the picture book as an "object?" If we examine a picture book in its totality via the STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art Math) lens, we notice that the "book as object" is

• engineered
• produced
• designed
• and is a multimodal format.
  

My own educational process in mining the picture book as object began with Megan Dowd Lambert's groundbreaking professional title READING PICTURE BOOKS WITH CHILDREN, 2015, Charlesbridge. Megan, a mom of five, is a multitalented authors/educator with an MA in Children's Literature from Simmons and almost a decade at the Eric Carle Museum. She knows the picture book and created a new approach for storytime that educators, librarian, AND writers can adapt for their own purposes. In librarian parlance, this book is "E," for "everybody" connected to children's literature.

By studying the format via the "engineer-design" process, students of all ages will better see why we librarians have designated the picture book for "everybody," also. The book or "paratext" may become a more significant subject to older students and educators across the curriculum via this point of view. STEM and STEAM are currently educational buzz words that rightly belong to books, especially picture books with their specific format of 32 pages, illustrations, end papers, back/front matter, and typography. 

For Educators/Librarians (Visiting Authors, too)

• Megan created/field-tested "The Whole Book Approach,"   during her Carle Museum tenure. (Peruse the SLJ article here.)  
• Instead of using storytime for "artificial" themes such as zoo animals or holidays, invite children to look at picture books as museum pieces that tell a story. 
• Ask questions such as: "What's going on in this picture?" and "What makes you say that?" Then wait for the response. (based on the Visual Thinking Strategies of Housen and Yenawine)
• Take time to explore/examine a book's paratexts, the material beyond art & main text, before you read aloud. Children will be fascinated by what covers, jackets, endpapers, and front matter lend to the totality of story.
• Expect these strategies may take time. However, interruption of the story proper can be a form of engagement by your audience as well as a great way to approach questions!

For Picture Book Writers

• Dive into this book and use it for the craft of writing especially if you are a writer only, not an illustrator. After studying this for my craft, I realized I need to trust the design layout as well as the illustrator to say what my words may not.
• Use the "Glossary of Book and Storytime Terminology" for design terms that may be unfamiliar. (Do you know the terms "knockout type," "recto," and "intraiconic?")  
• Much of "show don't tell" for which we writers strive can happen with the physical elements of typography, use of the gutter and other physical book constructs.
•  Here are two examples:
• Notice the font size changes in BULLY by Laura Vaccaro Seeger. As a writer, she doesn't need to say the bull yelled or when the character changes his approach to the other animals. Typography does it for her.
  
• Or examine Chris Raschka's YO YES for character change and development. Placement of characters on opposite sides of the gutter and then on the same side of the gutter show us visually the progression of friendship. No words are needed. 

Megan Dowd Lambert @ NESCBWI

I can honestly say that READING PICTURE BOOKS WITH CHILDREN has freed me as a writer to approach my manuscripts differently. I can let my words breathe better on the page knowing the "codex" (look in the glossary...) will also project my plot to readers. And, as an educator and speaker, I can draw readers and audiences into the picture book world in an engaging new way!

ReFoReMo ~By Suzy Leopold

Calling all picture book writers! Grab your writer's toolbox, a journal to take notes and your favorite pen. It's time for some picture book research. 

ReFoReMo

WHO? Picture Book Writers 

Fiction and Nonfiction

WHAT? Reading For Research Month

A writing challenge to help you reform your writing and learn how to use mentor texts. 

WHEN? March 1st through March 31st 

Registration opens February 15, 2015

To kick off the event prior to registration and be eligible for some prizes consider spreading the news through social media. To find out how to do so and enter for prizes go to ReFoReMo.

WHERE? Your choice for a favorite place to read and write.

WHY? Whether you are an experienced published author or a writer who is honing the craft of writing, you will find that studying and researching the newest picture books on the market is an excellent tool to have in your writer's toolbox.

HOW? Reading and researching mentor texts. Both fiction and nonfiction picture books. Recently published, highly recommended picture books will be studied.

A Tall Stack of Mentor Texts

Authors, educators, and librarians will share daily posts along with recommendations for five quality picture books. Inspiration, tips and excellent book recommendations will be made.

Read more about this upcoming event at ReFoReMo and find out who the twenty-eight guests are. Wow! What a line up!

Mark your calendars for this upcoming event! You won't want to miss it. Thank you, Carrie! 

Carrie Charley Brown