Heron Conference
By Jacky Kelley
When an innovative educational concept was established in Madison several years ago, many classrooms were deeply engaged in studying our local watershed. One of its species, the Great Blue Heron, became a symbol for the network.
To continue the Heron Network tradition, now in its 11th year, more than 100 Madison elementary school students, all bundled in Arctic-ready outerwear, arrived at the Arboretum Visitor Center at 9:30 sharp, February 9, full of enthusiasm and small talk. An important day lay ahead.
The children would become part of an ongoing program organized by Madison school teachers - the Heron Network -- in which students would be encouraged to do their own research by asking questions and finding answers. The Arboretum and the Earth Partnership for Schools sponsored the Heron Conference this year.
The theme of the 2007 conference was "Passions," an attempt to discover from committed adults just what they're interested in, what questions inspire them, how they try to answer such questions, what they do when they get stuck and how they stay motivated -- a tall order but typical of Heron projects. One of the discussion leaders, for example, was UW professor of music and world-renowned bass viola player Richard Davis, an African American who is also a facilitator for the Institute on the Healing of Racism. His group talked about the ramification of skin color.
Other discussion leaders included Brenda Baker talking about Madison Children's Museum exhibits, Edgewood professor Jim Lorman discussing Lake Wingra, artist Eileen Dawson explaining how a book is made, and many more experts in widely varied fields - each a passionate presenter who asks questions and finds answers. Arboretum guides also accompanied many sessions, especially those exploring outdoors. Each child attended several sessions.
After the children leave, they will formulate their own questions (if they haven't already) and search for answers. The results will be published in May in Great Blue: A Journal of Student Inquiry. Some of the many topics investigated last year were Penguins, Animals in Cherokee Marsh, How Many Break-dance Styles Are There?, How Do Scary Movies Affect People?, Why Do We Read?, and Civil Rights Movement.
Mark Wagler, a recently retired Madison teacher long associated with the Heron Network, explained that the network's main purpose is to interest the students in working on a long-term investigation -- a first-hand exercise in problem solving.
"The students will become deeply engaged in something they really care about," he said. "Along the way they will find that everything is connected to everything else, learn how to make someone else care as well, and become involved in authentic writing that will be read by fellow students. They have become part of something important."
Wagler added that he thought the Arboretum was a good choice for this year's site because it is a calm, different kind of arranged outdoor space for both learning and for pleasure that seems to say "this is a good place for you."
Reprinted with permission of the author.