Heron classrooms are lively places. Classroom projects, independent investigations, fieldtrips, and authentic presentations prompt active learning. By now, thousands of our students have become young scientists, artists, ethnographers, mathematicians, and media critics—and have published their research and presented their findings in student journals and conferences. When teachers have multiage classrooms or loop with their whole class to the next grade level, a stronger community develops.
Heron teachers maintain classroom traditions, year after year, because of their strong friendships and professional connections. A few served as student teachers to present or former Heron teachers. Many took part in the summer Heron Institutes at Edgewood College or the Kid-to-Kid Video Exchange Project at UW-Madison. Teachers keep in touch via the Heron listserv, regular meetings, and a spring weekend when they edit and lay out the student journal.
The Heron Network is more than curious students and hardworking teachers. It takes a whole city to support complex student inquiries. Parents are essential partners—they volunteer in class, help their own children at home, and type up articles. Over the years, classroom projects have also been supported by community partners at many departments and programs at UW-Madison, Edgewood College, UW-Oshkosh, Madison Children’s Museum, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Wisconsin Arts Board, local businesses, and many others.