Hi, Diana Wolterman here. Since I am currently on my inaugural STEM trip with PAST, I have been asked to record my impressions of today as a "guest blogger". Early morning found me and Annalies and Sheli heading south and west (barely missing the border of Nebraska) on our way to Bonesteel and the South Central School District. We spent the morning meeting with teachers in various stages of transforming their teaching methods to problem- based learning. Sheli worked her magic on the slightly reluctant ones and even they could clearly read the look in her eye: "I'm going to win you over and resistance is futile." Others were obviously already converts and gleefully recounted the exciting projects their students have been working on. Annalies and Sheli shared ideas about how next year will be even stronger due to collaboration across the innovation lab schools.
For lunch, we swapped war stories with Sam Shaw from the SD Dept. of Ed. over burgers and onion chips at Bonesteel's renowned "TeePee Cafe". He seems very pleased with PAST's work in South Dakota.
Afterward we visited some classrooms to see the kids in action. Our favorite of the day was Mrs. Johnson's kindergarten class, where they are currently learning about the rain forest by coloring and hanging tropical animals under an improvised palm tree made from a beach umbrella. We met Baronn, who proudly told us he lives in Fairfax and it is 4 whole miles away! After the class finishes the rain forest they will tackle "Kindergardenville" and they all invited us to come back and see their completed neighborhood.
On our trip home, we saw a sign for a lookout point over the Missouri River at the Ft. Randall Dam and since we haven't refused an opportunity to have an adventure yet, we said "Heck yeah!" we were rewarded with a picturesque vista and got several photos that reflect what a beautiful sunny day it's been in South Dakota. This rookie is having a great time!
by Guest Blogger, Diana Wolterman, 2012
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