Environmental Science in a room with no windows-Day before the 2023-2024 School year

 August 15, 2023

Typically we have 3 professional development days before the school year but I had the opportunity to attend an Inland Seas week of learning in Suttons Bay, Michigan. There I learned various ways to protect the water entering Great Lakes watersheds. The most fascinating things that I learned from were a waste treatment plant and walking around with a group holding umbrellas and watching the way water flows into Suttons Bay. The most fun thing we did was to go on a sailboat and learn how it works and the way Inland Seas uses it to teach students about Lake Michigan. Those days were amazing and then I came back on Monday.

I went into the building excited to begin the school year. Having taught for over 20 years and teaching environmental science and zoology for the majority of that I get to teach what I love. Over the weekend I even ran into some former students who told me how much they loved my classes and remember things I taught them. Looking at my schedule one of my environmental classes are now being taught in a room without windows instead of the room that is supposed to be for environmental science. A newer teacher is teaching in that room during that class. So 2 of my environmental classes are in the room with windows and all the supplies and one of them are in a room with no windows. One of my favorite lessons for studens is to create moss jars and to grow plants in the room. I was told by a teacher normally in the room with no windows that I "can't have a grow cart in the room". How can I teach the class the same as the other 2?

We now have professional teams that make decisions about classes. My philosophy of teaching is student centered based on compassion and empathy. The most important thing to me is that students learn to be stewards of the environment and advocates for the living things on the planet. Mitakuye Oyassin is Lakoda for We are all Related. We must educate young people to know and love the planet as it belongs to them. The classes I teach have a variety of students that are ELL, ESL, neurodivergent, handicapable, marginalized, have IEPs, 504s,coming from difficult family situations, and students wanting to learn about the content. For this reason the class has been taught in chunks using scaffolding to teach to various levels and abilities focusing on my philosophy. Punishments and penalties have not been used on "late" work as there are no specific due dates. While I was getting supplies the Zoology "team" decided to enact a late work policy to "teach" students respoonsibility. My way of teaching students responsibility has always been to let them see how the missing work affects their grade and working with them if they are struggling. It makes me sad that there are people that are now new to teaching "my class" that do not align with a philosophy that makes the class open to all learners. 

We were also introduced to a way to manage passes and students in the hallway that involves the use of cell phones. It is my grave concern that now the cell phone issues in class will be further exacerbated but I will maintain an open mind. 

Unfortunately teachers now "sharing" my classrooms have torn down a board I created with educational content and put up a map that does not show all the great lakes. 

Students come to class today. They are the reason I will go each day now for these last 3 years heading to retirement.