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9 9 9 L A O U T S T A N D I N G E D U
C A T O R
Marie Tizzard has been selected as Louisiana Outstanding PLT
educator for 1998 and will represent Louisiana in the national
competition. Marie attended a PLT educators workshop in the spring
of 1996. In 1997 she became a PLT facilitator. Her workshops have
ranged from work with pre-service teachers at area universities to
coordinating and conducing three day integrated workshops for
Project Learning Tree, WILD and WET. As the sponsor of the school
science club, Marie uses PLT activities to spark interest in
environmental education.
Marie currently serve on 4 community
organizations that specifically target environmental concerns: the
Greater New Orleans Agricouncil, the Jefferson Parish Greenspace
Task Force, the Parish 4H Advisory Council and the Parish
Cooperative Extension Service Advisory Board.
As an instructor for Becoming an
Outdoor Woman (BOW), Marie plans and conducts a course for single
parents entitles "Taking Kids into the Outdoors". Marie
also plans and conducts activities with middle school students
during the summer for a program entitled HOOT "Hands-on Outdoor
Training"
Marie’s students are also currently
working with Louisiana Nature and Science Center in New Orleans to
prepare a new exhibit on Louisiana Habitats. Students are creating
background information sheets as well as pre- and post- visit
activities for area middle school teachers who wish to use the
exhibit as a field trip.
As one of 9 teacher-student teams
participating in Louisiana’s Youth Environmental Summit (YES),
Marie partnered with a student to learn about local issues and plan
a research project that would contribute to understanding of such
issues.
This year Marie is using the
Exploring Environmental Issues: Municipal Solid Waste in her
classroom. As an outgrowth of the study of this topic, Marie’s
classes are coordinating a project with school newspaper, a social
studies teacher and the school administrator to collect data about
waste generated within the school.
Marie has also made a big impact at
the state and parish level in shaping curriculum./ She helped write
the science curriculum for Jefferson Parish, emphasizing the need to
include environmental science concepts and demonstrating to other
committee members how PLT could =be used to meet the parish
standards.
Through a partnership with the
University of New Orleans, Marie has the opportunity to share her
expertise with novice and beginning teachers. Dr. Paul Biesenherz
sends 2-3 students per year to observe Marie’s teaching. These
students are required to spend 25 hours observing and participating
in class routines. After the 25 required hours of observation, Marie
stays in contact with the students and continues to influence their
professional growth. Since Dr. Biesenherz offers his students PLT as
part of his class, Marie has an opportunity to reinforce the
principles of the program with these students and offer them a
chance to see PLT in action.
Marie Tizzard is a role model for
novice and veteran teachers throughout Louisiana. She is
knowledgeable of the ecosystems, issues and governmental structure
in Louisiana. Her tireless efforts in promoting environmental
education, in general, and PLT, in particular, are inspiring to all
of us.
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