I Want More PLT Schools in My State

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I Want More PLT Schoolsin My State

• Beth Lesure
• NH Project Learning Tree

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I Want More PLT Schools

• What is a PLT School?
• NH examples of incorporating PLT in the schools
• Common threads
• Strategies and solutions to common obstacles

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NHs continuum of professional development
opportunities from brief, low intensity contact
to lengthy, high intensity interaction
Samplers
A Walk in the Forest
Traditional Workshops
Brokering Relationships
Thematic or Site-based Workshops
Sustained PD for Teachers
College Course
Connecting Schools to People and Place
Adapted from 2006 NHPLT Annual Work Plan
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Brokering Relationships Site-based Workshops

• Antrim Elementary School Reverence of Place
• The Nature of Things Creative Learning Center
  Curriculum Consultation
• Henniker Community School Connecting to the
  Local Industry

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Antrim Elementary School

• Reverence of Place
• PLT workshop
• Local UNHCE forester
• Focus on AES curriculum
• Guided tour of local McCabe forest

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The Nature of Things Creative Learning Center

• New science curriculum
• 4 staff attended PLT/WET/WILD workshop
• PLT staff as consultants as they create explore
  new curriculum

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Henniker Community School

• New Hampshire History Connection to the forest
  industry
• Tour of local sawmill
• PLT as pre and post visit activities
• PLT staff as go-between for teachers and sawmill
  staff

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Sustained PD

• Ongoing, multiple contacts with a cohort
• Content knowledge
• Classroom-ready teacher-developed units/lessons
• Local resource people, places, and programs

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Summer Institute

• Thematic
• Curriculum Connections through Schoolyard
  Investigations
• Linking Science with Math and Language Arts
• 5-day residential
• Teams of teachers

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A Forest for Every Classroom

• Inspiration, knowledge and skills to transform
  teaching into effective and exciting place-based
  education
• 11 days (4 sessions)
• Teams of teachers

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Connecting Schools to People and Place

• Sustained, intensive, multi-year professional
  development
• Goals include
• Enhance and ground the teaching of core subjects
  through use of PLT.
• Strengthen teacher knowledge and skills through
  sustained training and modeling.

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Common Threads

• School-based, teacher-focused
• What do they want, not what do we want
• Develop lessons/units meaningful to their
  teaching
• Ample time for
• Reflection
• Processing
• Planning and modifying
• Team approach provides camaraderie, support
• Local people, places and programs to provide
  ongoing support

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Getting PLT into the Schools

• What have you done?
• What has worked?
• What obstacles have you encountered?
• What are strategies for overcoming these
  obstacles?

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For more information

• Beth Lesure
• NH Project Learning Tree
• 54 Portsmouth St.
• Concord, NH 03301
• 603-226-0160
• info_at_nhplt.org
• http//www.nhplt.org