WFMP Conference 2009

We'd like to thank all of the participants who came to our Workshop at this year's conference. We were more than a little strapped for time as it was near to impossible for us to leave the presence of the Keynote Speakers, Marc and Craig Kielberger, founders of Free the Children. But despite losing nearly a third of our presentation time, I feel we were able to at least touch upon some of the ideas we intended to share with our audience. Unfortunately, we weren't able to show or do some of the activities planned but we will be emailing those that signed up and forward on some useful resources.

More Support From the Ministry!

One of my professors once said that there is very little opportunity for original thought - most likely your good idea or great invention has already been thought of before you. Kind of discouraging huh? Well, in the last few years I have combed through curriculum trying to make connections to the environment to help my fellow teachers educate their students about the environment. THEN the Ministry thinks it's a good idea too and now it is back in the science curriculum. Great! So my TLLP partner and I figure we'll take it one step further and use a cross-curricular approach and put it into other areas of the curriculum as well and tie it to the science curriculum. Well guess what - yep. The Ministry is putting EE into ALL areas of the curriculum! So much for original thought. In the interest of the environment and quality education, however, this is great news! Look for it next year!

Finally! A comment!

This message is my first blog in a looooong time. After so few responses on our polls each week, I have to say I was really discouraged! Then came report cards, then came Christmas holidays, then came a lack of interest in the blog. No one seemed to be reading it anyway - what was the point? But thanks to a few of you, I realize I have been derelict in my duty and I am now back up and ready to refresh this tired page that hasn't been updated since November. Someone posted a comment on the blog reminding me that part of what I am trying to do is promote some of the really useful resources out there on our "website of the week". Earth Rangers is an amazing organization and I cannot say enough good things about it, but I will try to summarize all of their amazing qualities as our first "website of the week" for 2009! I have worked with them for over 2 years now and they deserve some acknowledgement, even if only 4 people read it. Look for it in the next day or two!