Teacher Training Workshops on the Use of Wondrous West Indian Wetlands: Teachers' Resource Book
The project is offering workshops on the use of our book Wondrous West Indian Wetlands: Teachers' Resource Book. This 276-page workbook, published in July 2001, was written by the WIWD Working Group for teachers and educators in the West Indies. A fully revised and updated Second Edition of the book was printed in November 2004; the Spanish version (Los Maravillosos Humedales del Caribe Insular: Libro de Trabajo para el Maestro) was published in November 2003.
The workbook provides resources for conducting a complete wetlands education unit in the classroom, including background information on ecological concepts and natural history, field techniques, and detailed instructions for student activities and projects. The diversity of wetland types found in the West Indies is surveyed, along with their inhabitants, their ecology, and the many ecosystem functions they perform. Classroom and field activities emphasize factors contributing to the loss of regional wetlands and the consequences of these losses for biodiversity, ecosystems and, ultimately, for people. The workbook considers conservation issues specifically pertinent to wetlands in the Caribbean, and provides ideas for student action projects in local communities. Global warming, invasive alien species, other causes of species endangerment, as well as local conservation success stories, and the importance of international treaties and conventions (e.g., Ramsar Convention) to the region are also discussed. The comprehensive and detailed nature of the information also makes the book a valuable resource for decision-makers in government and for members of the public participating in grassroots conservation efforts. The main messages in this book are that there are almost always alternatives to wetland destruction, degradation or unsustainable use, and that protecting the environment safeguards human health and makes economic sense.
Talented wetlands educator, Michele Kading (Head Interpretor) and her staff at Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre have helped to develop the curriculum for a 2-day educators' workshop focusing specifically on the use of Wondrous West Indian Wetlands. The workshop agenda for Day 1 includes a presentation on wetland teaching/interpretation techniques, an overview of the workbook's contents, activities and demonstrations for the whole group, and an opportunity for teachers (working in small groups; all instructions and materials supplied) to demonstrate to the larger group a sample activity of their choice from the book. All of Day 2 is spent at a local wetland. Participants have the opportunity to try out all of the field activities that are in the workbook (e.g., line and quadrat plant transects, keeping field records, wetland monitoring, sound maps, wetland words and poetry, wetland assessment) as well as learn to identify the four species of mangroves and other wetland plants and animals. Learning to use binoculars and identifying birds from their field marks is also emphasized. Workshops have now been held in 12 Caribbean countries; response from participants has been overwhelmingly positive. All participants receive a package of materials including a copy of Wondrous West Indian Wetlands: Teachers’ Resource Book, Wetlands Field Trip Notebook, WIWD coloring book, postcard, conservation button, and poster, Mangrove Identification Guide, and Birds of the Caribbean identification cards (wetland birds, seabirds, and ducks).
Some sample comments from the evaluations:
- This wetland workshop was a very interesting experience for me. Prior to the workshop I viewed wetlands as murky, stagnant, mosquito-infested areas to be avoided. Now I am fully aware of their importance to the environment.
- As a facilitator, I shall return to my community a more knowledgeable person, and better able to disseminate information.
- I learned many things that I did not know before and the workshop, being so interactive, was very exciting.
- This introduction to wetlands was informative and served as an eye-opener to what is just "outside" my door. Thanks.
- Being able to see [on the fieldtrip] what was discussed in the workshop has made me aware of the importance of wetlands.
- The activities were very interesting and helped tremendously to highlight essential concepts. Activities would be very suitable for class sessions, especially pour-a-pond.
- I gained a vast amount of knowledge from this experience. I came here not knowing much and left with information about birds, mangroves and how important our wetlands are to our country. I can now educate my students on why these things are so important to us. A big thank you!
Photo: Bahamian schoolteachers try out the quadrat plant sampling technique during the wetlands field trip portion of the Wetlands Education Workshops at the Bahamas National Trust.