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Nothing Short STORY BY KATHY ANDREWS "The workshop was the most all-inclusive workshop I have attended in my 16 years of teaching.... ENTICE was nothing short of a miracle. I've been challenged, shocked and amazed all three days. What a learning experience for life-long learners." The premier sessions of ENTICE drew rave reviews from educators.
Glowing remarks such as these summed up the enthusiasm of participants in the initial training session for ENTICE, the Environment and Nature Training Institute for Conservation Education, which premiered in July at Wildlife Prairie Park west of Peoria. More than 130 educators from throughout the state benefitted from the initiative. ENTICE is a pilot teacher training program that focuses on incorporating long-term, standards-based natural resource education into Illinois classrooms. It provides educators an interdisciplinary program founded on sound scientific principles that can be used in helping youth discover their environment. Educators from the Department of Natural Resources and Wildlife Prairie Park demonstrated hands-on techniques for bringing the information on Illinois' cultural and nat-
ural resources alive in the classroom. Participants waded knee deep in a wetland to examine aquatic plants and macroinvertebrates. Migration became a realistic concept through a game of Migration Hopscotch. A simulation of cowbird parasitism demonstrated a fun yet realistic teaching tool of how bird populations are affected by habitat alteration. Low-cost tools were demonstrated showing mathematical connections to the study of trees. Teachers learned how to use computer technology to discover natural resources through exploration of the ENTICE web page and educational CD-ROMs. Bringing natural resources into classrooms each day of the school year will now be possible by accessing lesson plans posted on the ENTICE web page. An ENTICE manual containing background information on the biodiversity of Illinois, the activities conducted throughout the workshop and other classroom activity suggestions was distributed to participants. Other natural resource education materials, such as posters, activity books, education kits and videotapes were made available for use in planning upcoming school year lesson plans. Career connections and services provided by DNR were highlighted at a Share Fair.
The State Board of Education has made development of quality educators a top priority in Illinois. Educators are now required to submit a five-year plan identifying comprehensive continuing development activities to ensure that students receive a high standard education. ENTICE is designed to provide educators with exciting, timely and quality training that meets these mandates. The Department is actively promoting natural resource education as a means for Illinois' teaching community to earn credit toward these five-year plans. "You have a winning program and I look forward to continuing my professional development in future DNR programs. Personally, you have given me another passion to share with my students—appreciation and care of the environment." The July training program provided a fundamental knowledge of Illinois' biodiversity. Future training will furnish layers of additional knowledge—from basic ecological concepts to in-depth exploration of specific habitats, plants or animals. However, no education process is complete without putting knowledge to use. ENTICE will provide educators and students opportunities to join DNR in conducting natural resource investigations rich in the scientific process and valuable to monitoring the health of Illinois' resources. For further information on ENTICE and to learn how the first year's participants have brought the environment into their classrooms, visit www.illlinoisentice.org. Educators interested in participating in future sessions may be placed on the mailing list by calling (217) 557-6798 or by sending an email message to illinoisentice@dnr-mail.state.il.us. Kathy Andrews is head of DNR's Educational Services Section.
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