[Odonata-l] [se-odonata] Re: [SoWestOdes] annual odonate surveys

[Dennis Paulson]

I'll continue the non-odonate thread just a bit, as it's so  
important. Maybe after a change in administration we can get the  
program changed to

NO CHILD LEFT INDOORS

Of course I say mostly this in jest, because the emphasis on  
molecular biology is not going to go away, as long as it is linked to  
human health. Why the powers that be don't understand that the  
environment is also linked to human health has always been beyond me.  
And, as E. O. Wilson has pointed out, we have to understand that our  
psychic health is also linked to the environment.

We just have to keep trying. I assume everyone on these lists who is  
a US citizen is voting today.

Dennis
> -----
Dennis Paulson
1724 NE 98 St.
Seattle, WA 98115
206-528-1382
dennispaulson at comcast.net


On Nov 7, 2006, at 9:16 AM, Steve & Marcia M. Hummel wrote:
> Hi all,
> This is a bit off subject, but I felt I needed to reply to the
> education comments of Chris's. It isn't just AZ, but probably most
> states where abadonment of field biology has happened. The rise of
> molecular biology and its stressing in state (or in IA) and local
> standards, as well as no child left behind, is very much to blame.
> Additionally, many administrators don't understand the value of
> nature study. I spent 25 years teaching high school science and found
> it difficult to get permission to take the students out of the
> classroom. I did finally get to establish an environmental science
> class and made the first quarter of the school year based on an insect
> collection connected to later study of biodiversity. 4 years ago my
> position with the school was cut due to declining enrollment and the
> environmental science class was dropped.
>
> I've worked as a county naturalist for the last 3.5 years doing
> environmental education. I try to get kids (I'm working with
> pre-school through high school) outside as much as possible. The
> kids, of course, love it, but we have to be rather creative to connect
> what we are doing to "standards". My personal feelings is that the
> narrow standards and NCLB is nearly criminal in what they have done to
> the study of the natural world and the consequent lack of
> understanding and appreciation in the younger population of this
> country.
>
> Everyone that is interested in nature should be contacting school
> administrators and science teachers expressing their concern about
> nature study not being an important part of the curriculum.
>
> We need many more young people to have an interest in the natural
> world (and drogonflies, butterflies, etc) and this needs to be started
> in school if they aren't getting it elsewhere.
>
> Thanks,
> Steve Hummel
> Lake View, IA
> DSA board member
>
>

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