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The Helena National Forest--The Early Days
by Vicky MacLean

A Forest For Every Classroom

A Place-Based Professional Development Workshop Series

FFEC is a professional development program for educators focused on place-based education. Teachers who participate in FFEC develop curriculum that foster student understanding of and appreciation for the public lands in their communities. The teacher-developed curricula integrate hands-on natural and cultural explorations that address concepts in ecology, sense of place, stewards, and civics. At the heart of the FFEC program is the belief that students who are immersed in the interdisciplinary study of “place” are more eager to learn and be involved in the stewardship of their communities and public lands.

April 2010 will see the kickoff of the second FFEC series based in the Elkhorn Mountains. Applications are now open and more information will be posted as it becomes available. Here are the dates for the 2010-2011 workshop series:

 

Spring Workshop April 23 - 24, 2010 Summer Workshop June 17 - 18, 2010 and June 21 - 23, 2010 Fall Workshop September 24 - 25, 2010 Winter Workshop January 28 - 29, 2011

Locations to be announced for all workshops.

For more information about this program, please consider visiting some of the related web sites listed below:

The Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park is the location of the first Forest For Every Classroom Series. This site has sample curricula as well as two evaluations of the FFEC program performed by the Place-based Education Evaluation Collaborative.

The New Hampshire Project Learning Tree has replicated the program for their state.

The Helena National Forest hosts the web site for the FFEC workshops in this area. Please visit their site for more local information.