School is going great. My class has been fabulous with only 11 students. We've done a lot of things you couldn't do with a full class. Lots of hands on and discussions. The students really seem to enjoy it. I've been approved to teach it again next semester. I've decided not to teach a lab next semester so I can actually have two days off each week, not that I'll know what to do with it. I'm getting evaluated this week and next in both lab and lecture just to make sure I'm really teaching what I'm supposed to.
Work is amazing. I am so lucky to have this job. We went to Asheville last week and went to the Western North Carolina Nature Center. We learned about a cool program called Frog Watch and then met with other educators from 11 different zoos and aquariums in North and South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. It was amazing to talk with people who are working in the same field as I am and see what they're doing differently as well as the same. I got a lot of great ideas for some new projects at work. We also went on a wolf howl at the Nature Center. You howl at the wolves and see if they call back. We didn't hear anything or even see them.... the keepers forgot we were coming and put them up for the night.... oh well, we got lots of great pictures the next day. This one's a coyote but I thought they were more adorable.
One of the projects I got a lot of ideas for is our new million dollar stingray touch pool we're putting in. If there's anything you've ever wanted to know about stingrays or wanted to be able to do with one, let me know and I'll pass on the ideas. We have a template for any new exhibit we come up with and it includes a specific team of people. I'm the developer for this exhibit. My job is to create the educational story behind the exhibit. I got to be on the team since Ripley's had Splash with the Rays. Tomorrow we're going down to Ripleys Aquarium at Myrtle Beach. I'll actually get to get in with the rays. I always had to do the educational side of things in Gatlinburg. So I'm looking forward to it.
The other project I'm working on is the Coastal America partnership. My students are amazing. We've gone up the river on a boat to see how saltwater intrusion will impact our area and yesterday we went to Baldhead Island to look at the maritime forest. They were amazing. They got it. They connected with the issue and saw how changing climate is going to impact us, here. And they are so eager to do something about it. Our film is going to be awesome! The federal coordinator for the project likes what we're doing so much that she wants to share it with everyone else. I do too. We're keeping a blog and a wiki. Make sure you check both of them out and follow what we're doing. These are some amazing kids!
In other news, I finally bought a washer and dryer. I feel like a real grownup. They'll be here Saturday. Life is good as usual. I'm going to Florida to be with the Family and home for Christmas. Can't ask much more than a great job and people who love you. I guess you could, but that'd be greedy :-)
