Laura Guertin: Thank you, Thomas Jefferson! September 19, 2014

NOAA Teacher at Sea
Laura Guertin
Departing the NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson
September 2 – September 19, 2014

Mission: Hydrographic Survey
Geographical area of cruise: North Atlantic Ocean
Date: September 19, 2014 – Day #263
Location of ship (in port at Norfolk): 36^o 51.18′ N, 76^o 17.911′ W

My time on the NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson has come to an end.  It is an amazing amount of sadness I feel, leaving this incredible ship with its incredible crew.  Although my physical time on the ship is complete, I know the experience I’ve had will continue to inform my teaching and allow me to educate others about NOAA and the “what” and “why” of hydrographic surveying.

There are several people I have to thank.  First, I would like to thank NOAA for having the Teacher at Sea program, and for allowing higher education faculty to participate.  University faculty will have different takeaways from this experience than K-12 teachers, as we will view our time on the ship with a different lens and share different materials.  My Penn State Brandywine students, as well as other students from other universities, are important recipients of information from their professor that participates as a Teacher at Sea.  Why?  My students share their knowledge with others, whether it is in their other college courses, with their friends on social media, or socializing with friends and family.  My students are everything from future teachers, to future businessmen, to future politicians, and many are still deciding upon careers!  My students have the opportunity to vote.  My students can be advocates for the ocean.  My students, whether they are science majors or not, can really make a difference for our oceans with a better understanding of the process of science and who the people are that are collecting data for scientists to sailors to the everyday citizen.  For 99.9% of my students, my Oceanography course is their first and last formal introduction to the oceans.  My time as a TAS has provided me a valuable, authentic experience that I can share with students, and I am able to provide students this semester and in future semesters a course like no other they will receive in college.

I can’t thank enough the amazing people of the Thomas Jefferson (and you all know who you are!).  For a short time, the Thomas Jefferson was my classroom – but this time, I was the student and all of you, the NOAA Corps and crew, were my teachers.  Thank you for your patience, enthusiasm, hospitality, support, and laughter.  You allowed this complete stranger into your home, into your family, and you welcomed me without any hesitation.  You are an amazing group of mentors, and I feel so fortunate to have learned from each of you.  I wish I knew how to express my deepest appreciation for all that you have given me, which will now be shared with students, in-service teachers, and the greater community.

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Finally, I need to thank my students in GEOSC 040 this semester at Penn State Brandywine.  Thank you for your understanding and support of me participating in this experience.  I know you did not sign up for a course that was going to be taught online for three weeks, but I’m hoping I have effectively shared with you some of my teaching goals for this cruise:

• Provide students additional information about NOAA, the NOAA Corps, and wage mariners
• Help students understand the process of hydrographic surveying
  • The different roles and varied areas of expertise of people involved
  • The different types of equipment utilized
• Demonstrate to students why hydrographic surveying is needed and relevant
• Call attention to the intersections between the Ocean Science Literacy Principles and NOAA’s National Ocean Service

I cannot wait to join you back in the classroom for the remainder of the semester to continue sharing what I have learned.  I know this semester is a teaching experience I will never forget, and I am hoping that at the same time, this is a learning experience for you that you will also remember for years to come.

And so, the sun sets on my time at sea…