I have had the opportunity to visit the New England Aquarium several times. None were anything like the experience I had yesterday, however. Yesterday I had the pleasure of not only being an observer of a fantastic organization but a collaborator, as I met with Corrine Steever, Teacher Services Supervisor at the New England Aquarium.
Corrine has supported my project to advance science education at the elementary level, as well as my efforts to create a free rocky shore ecosystem for curriculum available for teachers and students. Her assistance for the past two years in advocating for my sabbatical application was extremely appreciated and needed.
In our meeting Corrine agreed to help with revising and editing the rocky shore curriculum. She also provided me with a lot of helpful ideas of how to proceed with organizing the curriculum for educators. The New England Aquarium’s teacher resource center will also be a valuable resource – just as it has been to numerous educators and students for several years.
At the end of Corrine’s letter of support for my sabbatical application process, she stated “Any professional development that will help raise teacher and student knowledge about the Oceans benefits all by allowing a deeper understanding of how to protect the planet.” And this is perhaps the most important aspect of this project – education that will improve the health of our planet. The New England Aquarium will certainly prove to be an invaluable collaborator for this endeavor.
Thom R. Smith 