April 14th, 2008
“You call ladybugs, ladybirds that’s really neat. We like ladybirds!” Our first school visit was to Odyssey Charter School in Galveston, Texas. The quote is from Kindergarteners (5year olds) who were doing a Venn diagram comparison between a fiction and non-fiction book on ‘ladybugs’. Odyssey was about as close as we got to an English primary equivalent; I’ve never been on a school visit where they open their doors and you just can just wander between classrooms as you fancy.
What I can’t quite reconcile is how teaching to the test makes students more confident classroom readers despite English being their second language. Perhaps it’s because they are exposed to a much wider reading diet than our students and have had so much practice its second nature? I’ll have to think more about that one.
What will I take away? That our kids have it tough and that we seem to make assumptions about their learning far too early. However, they do get a much better experience in the classroom – a more varied diet to stimulate and engage their minds.
My mind has certainly been engaged and stimulated this week from conversations on astrophysics with a rocket engineer to watching astronauts train underwater and CPD guidance off a dynamic ex-teacher now working at the National Space Centre, Leicester. It’s all about balance and no one method has got it all right yet.
Claire Percy - Gosforth High School
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April 14th, 2008
“The children are the future” once again the words of Kevin Mellett say it all. This trip has reinforced the importance of education the world over. It is comforting to see that the problems I encounter in my classroom, teachers from the far reaches of the planet are encountering the same difficulties. I will take back with me a greater understanding of education which I have gleaned from the interesting and thought provoking people I have met on this journey.
Joe Shimwell
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April 9th, 2008
It may sound like a line from a poor joke, but believe us it’s not! Last night we had the pleasure and honour of an in-depth discussion with two times astronaut Mark Kelly, Kevin Mellet (our resident rocket scientist) and George Abbey (the ex-director of the Johnson Space Centre).
What an evening it was! As the astronaut entered the entire group fell silent, star-struck by the presence of a man who has taken two trips to the International Space Station. As the night progressed we fired question after question at the three men, each was answered in detail (even our more obscure questions).
Once again Kevin astounded us with his knowledge of space travel – almost as expansive as the universe itself. We spoke of lunar landings, life on other planets and the bowel movements of astronauts!
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April 9th, 2008
“I’m sorry sir the answer to that question is classified.”
Kevin Mellett (All round good guy and the most interesting man any of us have ever met!)
Overcast yet full of excitement, we began our day with a quest to infiltrate the Johnson Space Centre; with our level 9 passes and sweaty palms we strode purposefully to our destiny!
As astronauts ready for take off we had much to prepare for our big launch. First we needed to be trained in neutral buoyancy – how to cope with our bodies and jobs in the zero gravity environment of space. Next we ate food fit for an astronaut.
Fuel filled we moved on to the classroom. Having never visited the International Space Station (ISS) before it was necessary for us to familiarise ourselves with it’s layout and function. This section of our training would take place in the model testing facility (‘the classroom’); where we would come face to face with the exact replica of the ISS. It was imperative that the module Harmony was fully tested before being blasted off from the launch site in Kazakhstan. We need to push the module to the extreme in the vacuum chamber – where the largest simulated sun vented its force. The chamber gazed down on us as a the International Space Station does so from its orbit around the planet.
“Houston we had a problem here” did not enter our heads as we moved to the historical Mission Control. As we gazed at the screens we watched footage of the first moon landing. Watching the flight of the ISS on the screen was amazing as the Station moved from over the UK to Saudi Arabia in approx 6mins. The Station circumnavigates the earth in 90mins. The digital display on the wall counted the seconds to the next mission launch.
WOW!! Seems such a small word to describe the emotion as we gazed on the Saturn 5 rocket – the rocket filled a purpose built warehouse and created another historical landmark in the 50 year history of American and now global space travel. Our training was complete.
“A man must rise above the earth to the top of the atmosphere and beyond, for only thus will he fully understand the world in which he lives.”
Socrates circa.399 BC
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April 9th, 2008
From a history lesson we moved swiftly to our next educational episode. Much of Texas was originally Prairie land – the Oasis that is Armand Bayou is a preservation and conservation centre; one that is incongruously sited in a heavily industrialised area (mainly oil refineries).
The Bayou is an attempt to reclaim a natural heritage of Texas and to educate Texans both young and old in the wonders of nature on their very own doorsteps. Our meander through the reserve was punctuated by a series of very different experiences that included:
- A ‘detailed’ exposition by the snake lady – Joe stroked a ‘white’ snake.
- Snake, turtle and alligator hunting through the dense brush surrounding the Bayou.
- A David Attenborough style stop at the Bayou where we watched entranced, as a young alligator stalked his prey – a wise and crafty Heron, who only fled the scene when disturbed by a crashing sound from the undergrowth (another one of Joe’s jokes had bombed), the alligator went off in search of an easier lunch!
- Making cheese with milk and lemons (which tasted better than it sounds).
- A tour of a Prairie House which had an English country garden and Bison in the back yard - Which was lucky as we needed to wash our hands!!!!!!
Once home, a quick change saw us off to dinner – an amazing Chinese and Sushi banquet. Little did we know that later that evening we would receive our final lesson of the day. A crash course in Astrophysics delivered using two candles and a wine glass! By the most interesting man we’ve ever met – KEVIN MELLETT the Rocket Scientist.
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April 8th, 2008
As the sun set we took our first steps onto Texan soil. Within seconds Steve had rented us a fine ve-hicle and we were on our way.
As the sun rose we took our first mouthfuls of a healthy American breakfast – Texas shaped waffles! With our stomachs fully loaded we set off for first lesson in Texan history.
Arriving at the San Jacinto monument we were branded the “naughty group” as we wandered off from the super efficient Steve, already sevens steps ahead of us purchasing the tickets which would allow us our ascent up the 570 ft monument. The aged elevator attendant tore himself away from his good book to escort us on a 37 second, gut wrenching, journey to the observation platform.
The monument, museum and multimedia show gave us a great sense of the uniqueness of Texas and its place within American history.
From the observation platform we spied a battleship, a remnant from WWI. Time constraints denied us the pleasure of short Pearl Harbour re-enactment (the gun mounts were interactive!!!).
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