Anybody have a map?

When I was a kid, I used to go to school then come home and play school. I would, as teacher, create a worksheet and then I would, as the student, do the worksheet before I, as teacher, would grade the worksheet. Sometimes I got answers wrong and graded accordingly.

I studied my teachers just as much as I studied any subject, and, over the course of my life, I have created a colorful and odd mosaic of what it means to be a Teacher. Teacher means you could be, among other things:

• a nun
• a former nun
• over 6'7" tall or under 5' (or somewhere in between)
• a person who pulls on children's ears
• kind
• a professional writer
• an MMA fighter, after hours, of course
• an ice hockey referee
• a copy machine whisperer/ technician/ executioner/ victim
• loud
• a musician
• a stand-up comedian
• a woman who has a coffin in her mobile home
• stylish
• stressed
• a bingo-caller
• a mentor
• an outdoor adventurer
• happy
• unforgettable

 
After two decades as a teacher, I can safely say this - teachers are incredibly....human. And our Teacher Journey is unique because we get to plot our own course. We make our own map. It's messy, painful and white hair-inducing. It's glorious, creative, thrilling, and never boring.

My journey now includes being a Grosvenor Teacher Fellow (GTF) and I couldn't be more excited. My experience with this two-year professional development experience  started in Washington, DC, in March at our Pre-Expedition Workshop.
This year, 40 teachers from across the US and Canada are going on expeditions to extraordinary places across the earth so that we can come back home and share our experiences with our students and communities.

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Photo by JT Hardin

Our workshop was fast-paced and awe-inspiring, filled with sessions on photography, videography, writing for impact, Google training,geo-inquiry, Sciencetelling Bootcamp, and visual note-taking. There were teacher conversations over breakfasts and lunches and cupcakes and dinners. And  there were sessions about life on board the ship, our specific expeditions, and what to pack!

We were treated to inspiring talks and visually stunning photography at every turn. We were gifted time together filled with wonder and fun. We met alumni who told their stories with joy and passion. It is humbling and exhilarating to be part of the excellence and legacy of National Geographic and Linblad Expeditions.

A highlight of the workshop was meeting my ship and adventure mate, Danielle. It's a thrill to be connected through this awesome experience and we're literally counting down the days to when we will board the National Geographic Explorer for our exploration of Svalbard (we leave in 33 days.)

Through the GTF program, being a teacher now means being an adventurer and explorer. How awesome is that?

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Teachers, are you feeling inspired?

• Access a variety of lesson plans, activities and resources at National Geographic Education.
  

          Some of my favorite resources are the MapMaker Kits and MapMaker Interactive.

• Learn more about how to become a National Geographic Certified Educator.

          I completed my certification in December. You can see my Capstone Project here.

• Connect with teachers passionate about geography education at Google + Nat Geo Educator Community.