Jennifer Burgin, NBCT, is an elementary educator at Oakridge Elementary in Arlington, Virginia, a part of Arlington Public School. She was named a 2017 Grosvenor Teacher Fellow, made possible by National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions. Her expedition was to the Galápagos from June 2-11, 2017. Jennifer is a lifelong learner, co-author of the nonfiction children's ABC book A is for Arlington, 2017 Deeper Learning Ambassador and a National Board Support Cohort co-leader. She was named the Oakridge Teacher of the Year in 2015 and the Arlington Teacher of the Year in 2016. Jennifer, a once self-described house cat, was first called an explorer in March 2017 by her National Geographic Education leaders and it is a description she has clung to since! You can follow Jennifer's teaching adventures on Twitter @MrsJBurgin and her new blog, Educator Explorer at https://sites.google.com/view/mrsjburgin/home, which currently details her expeditions to the Galápagos and in her local community.
Educators as Explorers – Developing a “Deeper, More Discerning Matrix of Understanding”
September 22, 2017
“I’m about to say something that requires you to be mature. Can you handle it? I know you can.” “I saw a blue-footed booby!” I proclaimed. “It did a special dance to show off its blue feet to a potential mate as if to say, ‘Hey there, I have bright blue feet which means I’m very healthy and we should lay eggs together!’ and then it pushed back its tush and raised up its sweet head and honked as a sign of interest!” The rising 1st and 2nd graders all burst into contained giggles, attempting to keep the promise of…
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