Monday, November 22, 2010

Do you want to help teach others about the wonders of birds?

World Bird Sanctuary is now a Flying WILD City Partner
The World Bird Sanctuary is delighted to announce our first Flying WILD Facilitator Workshop in the St. Louis area.  


Flying WILD is a new program of the Council for Environmental Education (known to many as the national office of Project WILD).  Flying WILD introduces students to bird conservation through cross-curricular, standards-based classroom activities, school bird festivals and environmental stewardship projects.  While targeting middle school students, Flying WILD is easily adapted for other grades. 

www.flyingwild.org

Who are Flying WILD facilitators?
Flying WILD facilitators are typically nonformal educators from local conservation and educational organizations such as nature centers, zoos, aquariums and museums.  


They are often volunteers and may also include scout leaders, youth group leaders, park departments and Audubon Chapter members.  Formal educators, particularly college professors who instruct pre-service teachers, as well as curriculum specialists and an occasional classroom teacher, will also acquire certifications as a facilitator.

www.flyingwild.org

The Role of Facilitators In the Flying WILD Network
Responsible for providing Flying WILD Educator Workshops, Flying WILD Facilitators are at the front line of Flying WILD implementation.  


Facilitators introduce formal and nonformal educators to the Flying WILD program through workshops based on the training model developed by the Council for Environmental Education.  This helps the professionals in attendance make their own observations and discoveries about Flying WILD as well as realize Flying WILD’s potential for various audiences.  Facilitators plan and carry out an agenda for each Flying WILD Educator’s workshop that enables educators to participate in Flying WILD activities and familiarize themselves with the many options for implementing the program.

What is a Flying WILD Educators Workshop?
Flying WILD Educator Workshops allow particiapants to gain experience in hand-on activities from the activity guide that teaches basic biology, identification and ecology, bird conservation and service learning activities.   By attending a Flying WILD workshop you receive the curriculum guide to take back to your school or organization.  Educator workshops are a minimum length of three hours but can be four or more and may be credited toward continuing professional education requirements for the state.

www.flyingwild.org

World Bird Sanctuary’s first Facilitator workshop will be held from 8:00am to 5:00pm on November 30th 2010 at the Powder Valley Nature Center.  The registration fee is $15.00.  This fee covers the cost of all teaching materials.  Each educator will leave with a copy of Flying WILD:  An Educator’s Guide to Celebrating Birds.  

For more information and to register please contact Teri Schroer, Director of Education, at tschroer@worldbirdsanctuary.org or 636-225-4390 ext: 103.

If you are interested in becoming a Flying WILD Educator look for our Educator Workshop notices coming in 2011!  Or contact Teri Schroer to be placed on the notification list.  

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