Educator Workshop: BEETLES

NOTE: This Educator Workshop is intended specifically for educators — not the general public.

BEETLES (Better Environmental Education, Teaching, Learning and Expertise Sharing) provides learning resources devoted to improving the quality of outdoor science education for field instructors, leaders and classroom teachers. The BEETLES learning sessions encourage educators to look at specific aspects of research-based science pedagogy and inspire deeper thought about individuals’ teaching and learning.

We will go over the learning cycle and how it helps with designing effective curriculum in the Teaching and Learning Professional Learning Session. We will then spend the afternoon experiencing how field journaling can be used to improve our powers of observation and support learner engagement in the Field Journaling Professional Learning Session.

Instructors: Lauren Farrell (GMSF Interpretation and Education Programs Manager) and Michelle Malalang (GMSF Education Specialist)

This workshop can count towards NC Environmental Education Certification Criteria I or II and for those needing CEU Credits.

This workshop is free to attend, although advance registration is required. Limited to 25 participants.

Registration opens here February 6 at 10 a.m. Registration closes at noon the day before the event OR when the event becomes full.
Click here to register for this event.

Attendees are asked to bring their own lunch, although there is a restaurant on site.

What to Bring?
Your time will be spent indoors and outdoors and all programs are held rain, snow or shine. You should be prepared for a variety of mountain weather conditions and temperatures. Appropriate clothing, equipment, and footwear are very important. Please bring a daypack with enough room to carry extra clothing (i.e., extra layers, rain gear), water, lunch, notepad/paper, pen/pencil, etc. Mildred’s Grill will be open and participants may purchase food from the restaurant for lunch if they prefer to do so.

Additional Information
Educational Experience Forms will be available for certification hours and Continuing Education Credit for the instructor to sign off on. Grandfather Mountain may also serve as Criteria III – Site visit hours, but these hours must be gained outside of the time that the workshop takes place (i.e., prior to or after the workshop). Staff will be available to sign off on these site visit forms.

Refunds/Cancellations
If you cannot attend the educator workshop that you are registered for, please let us know five days in advance of the workshop if at all possible, by calling 828-733-2013 Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

About Grandfather Mountain Educator Workshops
Grandfather Mountain’s Educator Workshop series invites educators to take advantage of the mountain’s classroom in the clouds. This is an opportunity to learn and have fun, while earning certification as an environmental educator in North Carolina. These programs offer credits with Criteria I, II and III programs. All workshops take place at Grandfather Mountain and may include some walking, so participants are encouraged to bring appropriate footwear and be prepared for inclement weather. Learn more.