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Chattanooga,
Tenn. (April 24th, 2008) – A room full of
boisterous students fall quiet suddenly as Thad
Taylor appears holding a six-inch round, green
and brown lump of bumpy skin. “This is an
ornate horned frog,” explains the Tennessee
Aquarium educator. “They have an enormous
mouth and quickly gobble up their prey. That’s
how they get their nickname – the Pac-Man
Frog.”
These wide-eyed students aren’t
aware they’re in school and learning biology. |
They may not
realize visiting this unusual classroom could help them achieve
a higher science score on their next standardized test, but
that’s what happens when class is in session at the
Tennessee Aquarium.
There may not be any desks,
chalkboards or lockers in the halls, but the Tennessee
Aquarium is indeed a school in every other sense of the
word. “The work that
we do here in our classrooms, gallery programs, distance
learning, educational outreach and summer programs are
tied to the state education science standards of all of
the states around us as well as the national science standards,” said
Tim Baker, the Aquarium’s director of education. “We
want to maintain a world-class level of performance in
education while connecting people with nature.”
Hard work by an experienced staff has paid off.
The Tennessee Aquarium is now the only aquarium or zoo
in the United States certified as a Supplementary Education
School after completing a multi-phased accreditation process
performed by AdvancED. This education organization is dedicated
to establishing unified quality standards for education
on a global level. AdvancED represents 23,000 public and
private schools that serve nearly 15 million students.
This review process of the Tennessee Aquarium included:
- Submission
of a written school assessment report
- A
thorough campus inspection by AdvancED team members
- Interviews
with Aquarium educators and other staff
- Interviews
with teachers and other stakeholders
The
Tennessee Aquarium’s
education programs were measured against seven standards:
- Vision
and purpose
- Governance
and Leadership
- Teaching
and Learning
- Documenting
and Using Results
- Resource
and Support Systems
- Stakeholder
Communications and Relationships
- Commitment
to Continuous Improvement
The Tennessee Aquarium’s report card from
AdvancED was straight A’s (Highly Functional) in
five of the seven standards, and B’s (Operational)
in the two others. “One thing they observed
was our passion to educate and that really points to our
staff. But the assessment team was also impressed with
our distance learning and our educational outreach efforts,” said
Baker.
The AdvancED Review Team also commended the Tennessee
Aquarium for the following accomplishments:
- Best
Environmental Education Course – a graduate level
course taught at Alabama A&M
- Informal
Environmental Educator of the Year – Chattanooga
Environmental Educators Association
- Participation
in the Hamilton County Museum Magnet Program
- Providing
more than $400,000 in free educational programs and services
for schools and the community in 2007.
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The Tennessee Aquarium inspires wonder and
appreciation for the natural world. Admission is $19.95 per
adult and $12.95 per child, ages 3-12. Each ticket purchased
helps support Aquarium conservation programs. The IMAX® 3D
Theater is next door to the Aquarium. Ticket prices are
$8.50 per adult and $6.00 per child. Aquarium/IMAX combo
tickets are $25.95 for adults and $17.95 for children.
Advance tickets may be purchased online at www.tnaqua.org
or by phone at 1-800-262-0695. The Aquarium, located on
the banks of the Tennessee River in Chattanooga, is a non-profit
organization. Open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas,
the Aquarium and IMAX are accessible to people with disabilities.
Members enjoy unlimited visits and other benefits. Call
267-FISH to join. |
