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The Island School Hosts BREEF Teacher Conference
By Caleb Oberst, The Island School
Feb 25, 2013 - 9:47:21 PM

Advanced Teacher Training Course participants included: Lindsey Borsz – Forest Heights Academy, Abaco Shenika Hepburn-McMullan, Abaco Central High Deon Williams – Abraham’s Bay All Age, Mayaguana Sophia Butler – North Long Island High Beverly Mattis – NGM Major, Long Island Indira Newbold – RM Bailey, Nassau Nicola Bowe – Central Andros High Dametra Moss – North Andros High Collette Pickstock – South Andros High Cheryl Ingraham – Preston H. Albury High, Eleuthera Sharon Scott – Central Eleuthera High Anastacia Gibson – Harbour Island All Age Denise Nairn- North Eleuthera High School

Eleuthera, Bahamas - The Island School, in collaboration with The Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation (BREEF), hosted their first Marine Conservation Advanced Teacher Training Course February 17-20^th. Thirteen secondary science teachers from across The Bahamas came together to discuss developments in marine science education, research and conservation, and to exchange ideas on implementing best practices in place-based learning. The US Embassy provided funding to make the workshop possible.

Participants were hosted on-site at the Cape Eleuthera Institute’s Hallig Hall which opened in 2012 with a goal of supporting opportunities for scientific and educational collaboration on campus. The teacher training course coincided with a visit from six representatives of the Harvard School of Design who were touring The Island School to see how their innovative systems model sustainable coastal development in the region. The two groups collaborated for a question and answer session wherein they discussed local sustainability issues.

Educational programming was facilitated by BREEF’s Executive Director, Casuarina McKinney-Lambert, Outreach Manager, Marcia Musgrove, BESS intern, Christina Roberts and Kalin Griffin from the Cape Eleuthera Institute. Course activities included campus tours highlighting sustainable systems at The Island School & Cape Eleuthera Institute, a field-based exercise focused on conch research and conservation, snorkeling and Discover SCUBA. Teachers were also engaged through discussions about marine research and current conservation issues while exploring pedagogical approaches to engaging high school students in local ecosystems. 

Beverly Mattis, NGM Major High School and Sophia Butler, North Long Island High School learn about coral reefs first hand by snorkeling.

“It has now become clear to me how we can evaluate student skills through these field- based experiences and apply them directly to their BGSC Exams,” described Beverly Mattis of Long Island who first participated in BREEF’s Marine Conservation Summer Teacher Training Workshop thirteen years ago in 2000. She was eager and excited to return for advanced training because of the profound impact her initial course had on how she now teaches: “Had I not been exposed to the BREEF program, I would not have had the confidence to take my students outside.”

Similar to Mattis, many participants had already received basic training through BREEF’s annual course at Gerace Research Center on San Salvador Island. The Island School and BREEF envisioned this second phase of training as a next step to advance national marine conservation education. “Course attendees not only gained strategies for helping students to learn in and from the coastal environment but also committed to serve as teacher mentors in marine-related curriculum areas on their respective islands” explained BREEF Executive Director, Casuarina McKinney-Lambert. 

Field-based lesson plans created by course participants, along with other educational resources, will be made available through web-based media.  Participants are expected to become leaders in a regional movement towards conservation education. Teachers were also encouraged to initiate the process of obtaining an Eco-School certification in their schools.

Shenika Hepburn- McMullen, Abaco Central High School and Lindsey Borsz from Forest Heights Academy measure conch shells from a conch midden to determine size and maturity level.

Members from the Harvard Graduate School of Design included: Harvard School of Design representatives included: Mohsen Mostafavi - Dean GSD Pat Roberts - Executive Dean Gareth Doherty - Lecturer at GSD Felipe Vera - Research Assistant Tomas Folch -Research Associate Jose Maria Cotro - Research Assistant Rochelle Newbold - Project Manager

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