5 February 2012 Orientation - Throwing Off the Bowlines

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” That Mark Twain quote displayed during one of our orientation sessions today really resonated with me. Much like hearing Bob Dylan being blasted over a river at -19 degrees to start the Yukon Quest sled dog race, it just felt right. As my toes went numb standing on a frozen river and watching those teams embark on a 1,000 mile journey in these conditions, I was motivated by their spirit of adventure. It has been hard to wrap my head around what I’m in for ever since receiving the call to let me know that I would be spending a significant portion of my summer as part of a research team in the Arctic Circle!

Since arriving in Fairbanks 48 hours ago, I have had some of the most inspiring conversations of my professional career. I learned more at breakfast this morning than I learn in the course of most weeks. As I took my first sip of coffee I heard someone say “Oh I just missed you by a few days in Antarctica last year.” The conversation only got more interesting. As I sat in on this exchange between people who had participated in research in the Arctic and Antarctic, I thought of what an amazing experience it would be for my students to hear this. By the end of the day, I realized that they would.

Sending teachers into the field with researchers is a step in the right direction for the future of education in the U.S. Meeting and working with such a talented group of individuals will return a wealth of resources to my students that will help remove science from an abstract notion in a textbook to the work of real, accessible people. Real people who are also enthusiastic about sharing what they do with my students!

I’m not sure what the trade winds will blow my way, but I’m certain that throwing off the bowlines will benefit my students in ways that the safe harbor cannot.