Teachers flying high with aerospace knowledge

By Margaret hobbs Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

Warren County teachers completing the MTSU aerospace education workshop are, from left, Jamie Branin, Julia Robbins, Phyl Taylor, Diane Knowles, Vera Kuhn and Kelly Stewart. Jennifer Paris is not pictured.

Several area teachers were among 46 Tennessee kindergarten through 12th-grade educators attending a three-week aerospace education workshop. After completion they earned four hours graduate credit via a scholarship sponsored by Tennessee Department of Transportation and Middle Tennessee State University.

During the three weeks, the teachers were awarded two hours of flying lessons in MTSU?s trainer planes; experienced refueling mission involving a KC135 and an E707 with Knoxville?s McGhee Tyson Air Guard unit and visited the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola, Fla. The group also enjoyed lectures from NASA?s five-time space shuttle commander, Hoot Gipson; local DARE program pilot Col. John Black, and officials from TDOT, FAA, USAF, NASA, FBO and MTSU.

?The workshop is a wonderful opportunity for teachers to gain motivational techniques that can reach across the curriculum,? said 16-year workshop veteran Phyl Taylor.

?It provides free materials, curriculum guides and activities designed to assist leaders incorporating aerospace into regular classroom activities. The guest lectures are also available for visitations to individual schools and classrooms,? concluded Taylor.

Attendees construct model planes, rockets and hot air balloons. They also develop a vehicle designed to safely carry an ?eggstronaut? to the ground from a six-story building. All activities are geared toward teachers returning to the classroom and allow students to perform.

The ultimate goal is for teachers to become equipped with knowledge, materials, curriculum guides and activities to successfully incorporate aerospace into existing curriculum.

MTSU offers a master?s degree in aerospace and several teachers elect to pursue this degree after attending the program. Eastside Elementary teacher Diane Knowles and Warren County Middle School teacher Jennifer Paris have chosen to do this. Taylor received a second master?s degree in aerospace after participating in the workshop and has been on the staff for 15 years.

Teachers attending the oldest aerospace workshop in the nation include: Jamie Branin, Julia Robbins, WCHS; Phyl Taylor, WCHS and workshop director; Diane Knowles and Vera Kuhn of Eastside, Kelly Stewart and Jennifer Parris, WCMS.

For further information about the program, Taylor can be contacted at [email protected].