A Portrait of SYEFEST, Michigan Hope College, 1994-1996 Holland, Michigan Narrative report Syefest at the Hope College, Michigan site was a teacher development program designed to help teachers learn how to use schoolyard resources for teaching investigative ecological science. The Hope program was led by Kathy Winnett-Murray (Lead Ecologist; Associate Professor of Biology) and Gail Van Genderen (Lead Teacher; elementary school teacher at Waukazoo School and Science Coordinator for West Ottawa Public School District). We were assisted by David Zwart (Assistant Professor of Education, Hope College) in establishing links with local schools, in setting up course credit for the pre-service teachers, and in evaluating student follow-up work. Our site was unusual among the 1994 groups in the significant involvement of undergraduate, pre-service elementary teachers. We believe that the pre-service component was a particular strength of the Hope program in at least 3 significant ways: Students provided needed assistance during the implementation phase at each teacher's school. Students gained significant hands-on experience teaching children ecological science outdoors and learned valuable insights on teaching and classroom management from their teacher-partners. Students became more positive about teaching science in general, and for most, this was their first exposure to inquiry-based science teaching. We believe this will have an overall positive impact on the quality of science teaching of these individuals. Planning the Summer Institute, 1994 The leads drafted and distributed fliers, letters and posters to advertise the 1994 Summer Institute in 3 school districts: West Ottawa Public Schools, Holland Public Schools, and Holland Christian School District. In addition, David Zwart advertised the Syefest program, and offered applications through the "Partners in Science" newsletter he edits as part of a Kellogg Foundation funded program. We distributed 200 applications at about 30 schools; the newsletter is received by about 300 individuals and schools. We received 13 applications from teachers in all 3 targeted districts and selected 10 participants based primarily upon evidence of commitment to the program. Students were selected on similar criteria, but we also considered GPA and education courses completed: 11 of 31 student applicants were accepted, but 4 students were unable to attend by the end of the summer, so we ended up with 7 students. Kathy and Gail attended the Syefest Leadership Workshop in Gainesville, FL during February 1994 and found that the time spent there living and working together was instrumental in forging our equality in the Syefest partnership. It also helped us lay the groundwork for concepts and contexts that would be important to both of us in producing a Summer Institute that attempted to reach multiple goals in science education. In retrospect, the Leadership Workshop was an absolute must. The personal and professional contacts formed with other Syefest teams ranked a close second in important outcomes of this conference. Kathy and Gail met several times during April and May of 1994 to plan the Summer Institute. During some of those meetings, Kathy visited Gail's first-grade classroom. Twice, we pilot-tested a Syefest activity (e.g. Ant Cafeteria) with Gail's class, and often, I observed Gail teaching science. This experience also had a tremendous impact on the equality of our professional relationship. We think it is imperative that Lead Ecologists spend at least a few hours observing how their partner operates in the classroom - it is the only way a college professor can gain an appreciation for HOW teachers accomplish what they do. In addition, it will help the ecologist "know where to aim" in terms of concepts and content that will be relevant to elementary students. Although Kathy was away conducting research in Costa Rica during June and July, she sent drafts of potential inquiries to Gail often and re-wrote them based on Gail's feedback. Kathy and Gail chose bulk supplies to order for the Summer Institute (we distributed the same items to all teacher participants in a "kit" at the end of the institute) and met again twice in August just before the Institute began. We continued to meet about every other day during the Institute to revise details of the schedule as needed. The Summer Institute, 1994 Our Summer Institute was 2 weeks, August 15-26. We began on the first day with inquiry brainstorming at a local schoolyard, and allowed small groups of participants to design and carry out their own investigations (OTS model, after Leadership Workshop I). Afterwards, we decided this was an essential starter. We presented 3 major themes in ecology and assigned each inquiry to an appropriate theme. We made a concerted effort to connect those themes to each teacher's building-specific curriculum, as well as to the Michigan Essential Goals and Objectives in Science Education (MEGOSE). On most institute days, we engaged in Activity Smorgasbords (small groups rotated through guided inquiries led by Kathy, Gail and David) at the schoolyards of teacher participants, followed and/or preceded by reflective discussions and journal-writing. The smorgasbords were interspersed with other activities, the highlights being: Small groups created "visuals" for defining inquiry learning. Schoolyard Organism Coffee Breaks (throughout the first week we displayed specimens of schoolyard organisms from the Hope collections, with natural history information), culminating in a Schoolyard Organism Q/A Contest. Schoolyard Resource Treasure Hunt (teacher-student partners) did these at their own school and returned with special finds and/or items that they wanted to have identified by professors at Hope. Teacher/Student partners designed and then led inquiries at a Day Camp - Kid Connection - at a local school. This opportunity also enabled us to reflect on classroom management skills and inquiry learning in larger groups. Each participant selected one schoolyard plant and one animal for which they researched the natural history and wrote an inquiry. All of these write-ups were compiled into an Institute booklet of participant-generated activities. The booklet is entitled "Schoolyard Ecology: Information and Activities for Schoolyard Plants and Animals of the Holland, Michigan Area", and has been distributed at all of the workshops listed in this report. It has also been distributed in each Methods in Science Teaching class that has been taught at Hope College. Resource Materials Coffee Break - During the second week we displayed science, natural history, and inquiry teaching resources in the break room. All participants received an introduction to the Van Wylen library's Curriculum and Media Resources Center by Ms. Linda Linklatter, Hope librarian, and received Hope library cards. Mini-workshop on assessment presented by Regina Calnin. Planning time for teacher-student partners to discuss their schedules and inquiry plans for the (minimum) five times that students would be visiting schools during the fall semester to assist in implementation. Syefest coordinator Catherine Corey visited our site during the first week of the Summer Institute. A schoolyard ecology kit was distributed to each teacher participant on the last day. The kits consisted primarily of materials required for the guided inquiries we presented for institute smorgasbords, but we also paid close attention to selecting items that could be used for a wide range of open inquiries (e.g. thermometers, hand lenses, insect nets, measuring devices, etc.). In addition, we gave participants numerous books, field guides, make-it, take-it items, and supplies purchased for the Institute guided inquiries - some as "prizes" for our daily "ON-TIME" drawings and for the Schoolyard Organism Q/A Contest. Of the various institute activities outlined above, those that we feel were the most important program ingredients in meeting our goals in teacher development were: Connecting inquiries and ecology themes to each teacher's curriculum. Planning time for implementation (teacher/student partners). Doing the activity smorgasbords at teacher's own schools. Allowing participants to choose creatures they were interested in for the self-generated inquiries. Open inquiry on Day 1. Allow teachers to define what inquiry is based on own experience (provided, at least in part, from the Day 1 activity). Lead Teacher and Lead Ecologist participate EQUALLY in planning agenda, giving presentations (e.g. I did science themes and Gail did educational themes/curriculum), and leading activities. Clear demonstration of partnership. Downplay the perceived need to attach a name to a creature BEFORE doing an inquiry on it. Doing the inquiries served as a way for generating interest in, and wanting to know more about, the natural history and ecology. We think that doing inquiries first helps create a "need" for content - hence, gives relevance to content. Spending part of one day with real kids doing inquiries. Follow-up workshops We held two all-participant follow-up workshops (1 October and 19 November 1994). Our third follow-up workshop was a planning workshop (7 February 1995) for the 10 participants who prepared presentations for the Michigan Science Teacher's Association Meeting. The Fall Syefest follow-upworkshopp was held at the J.H. Campbell Nature Center of Consumer's Power Co., Port Sheldon, MI, and attended by 15 of our 17 participants. Consumer's Power has established a classroom trailer on the site to facilitate use of the nature center by area science teachers. We shared our initial results of Syefest implementation at the schools. The leads presented an integrated thematic workshop on the question of "Who Eats What," a theme reflected in the elementary MEGOSE. Three new guided inquiries were presented as a "smorgasbord." We had a brainstorming session on Trouble-shooting Outdoor Classroom Management Problems. The list generated by our participants has become one of the handouts we distribute at our workshops! The Winter Syefest follow-up workshop was held at Southside Christian Elementary School on 19 November 1994 and was attended by 15 of our 17 participants. In addition to presenting a smorgasbord of winter inquiries, we enjoyed a mini-workshop presented by teachers Linda Jordan and Sheryl O'Connor on brain-compatible learning and children's learning styles. Follow-up visits, in-service workshops, and dissemination Visits made by the Lead Ecologist, Kathy Winnett-Murray, to schools of teacher participants are outlined in Appendices A and B. In addition, Gail planned, and Kathy assisted with, two teacher in-service workshops at Waukazoo Elementary School in the fall of 1994. Ten Michigan Syefest participants (Lead Teacher, Lead Ecologist, 3 teachers, and 5 students) presented 6 back-to-back workshops on Schoolyard Ecology at the March 1995 meeting of the Michigan Science Teacher's Association meeting in Lansing. All but one of the presentations was attended by over 50 elementary teachers. Kathy and Gail presented a contributed paper on Syefest for the 1995 meeting of the Ecological Society of America, organized and participated in the "Eco-Activities for Kids" event at ESA, presented an invited workshop in November 1995 for the Regional Math-Science Update for teachers at Grand Valley State University (Grand Rapids, MI), and another workshop for the National Science Teacher's Association meeting in St. Louis in March 1996 . At each meeting and workshop we have distributed Summer Institute booklets (about 100) and about 350 packets of guided inquiry handouts. We have received much positive feedback from attendees, including letters for requests for more information and more activity handouts. An additional 50 booklets have been distributed to elementary and secondary education classes taught by David Zwart each semester at Hope College. Pre-service teacher follow-up and development Students assisted teachers in the implementation of Syefest at local schools during the fall semester, met with Kathy and David throughout the fall semester for evaluation, critique of science education articles, and discussion of assessment methods, and were required to give Syefest presentations in their science education courses. Five of the students also presented at the MSTA meeting in March 1995. Several students did Syefest inquiries as part of their teaching placements during 1995, and one student taught a Syefest course as part of the summer enrichment program (Quest) for Holland Public Schools in 1995. Student evaluations indicate that this program was one of the most useful and rewarding learning experiences they had while at Hope College. In-service teachers evaluations of student performance are very positive.