Wisconsin teachers heading to South Africa

Eight teachers from Wisconsin along with a teacher in Indianapolis and another in Arizona connected in a four-way teleconference with teachers in South Africa.

The event was part of an orientation for the Global Environmental Teachings (GET) program, which has coordinated a three-week trip to South Africa to foster a global awareness of environmental education curriculum and practices.

The enthusiasm in Room 113 of the Communication Arts Center at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and in the U.S. Consulate in Cape Town was palpable. The teaches shared their passions for education, oceanography, indigenous plants, gardens, combating invasive species and a host of other environmental issues.

"I'm glad to finally see you, because I've had countless sleepless nights getting ready for your arrival," said South African teacher Lorraine Bailey through the television monitor. "I can't wait for the date you arrive."

After touching down on June 22, the 10 U.S. teachers will spend a week at Rhodes University. In the final two weeks, each teacher will pair up with a South African counterpart who was matched up by similar educational and personal interests.

Participants were selected largely for their enthusiasm in environmental education.

"I like to instill in my students to think globally," said Pat Arndt, a science teacher from Berlin. "I challenge them to look at their lifestyles and the consumptive way we live in the United States."

Kathy Kruthoff, a fifth-grade teacher at Washington Service Learning Center in Stevens Point, said she is looking forward to learning different methods of teaching and lifestyles.

"We're enriched whenever we can explore our differences," she said, stressing the importance of bringing back the global experience to her students.

Other teachers incorporate environmental education into history or even art classes.

"An artist has a very powerful visual voice to help people understand environmental issues," said Paula Hanson, an art teacher from Berlin. "I emphasize the connection between art and science. I feel they go hand in hand."

The teachers will also have the opportunity to visit vineyards, go whale watching, and scuba dive in the shark tank at the Two Oceans Aquarium, among several other activities.

"It's a cultural, educational and environmental program," said GET Program Director Susan Ermer. "I think it's going to be memorable for everyone involved."

The GET program is a component of the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education at UWSP, and has similar trips for teachers to Puerto Rico, Mexico and China. Prior to departure, participants take an online class about their destination country. The class is a cultural, historical and ecological exposure to the issues of that country.