Guerilla Educators

Guerilla Educators Around the World

The Guerilla Educators blog has now been seen in 122 countries and counting!  Welcome, Cambodia!  Hello, Kazakhstan!  Good Morning, VietNam!

Educational Commissioning

In early August, one of the last emails I received from my dearly departed friend and colleague, Dr. Jeff Lackney was the continuation of an ongoing conversation we were having about the nature of "Educational Commissioning".  At that time, Jeff exhorted me to "focus like a third grader".  I suggested that educational spaces should be tested to support a variety of pedagogical and social goals.  Jeff came back and said that my thoughts were essentially 1/2 of the equation and that the task was then to describe the physical spaces that would support those education based objectives and then monitor effectiveness of the spaces, data-based on student achievement.  This, I think is the essence of Educational Commissioning.  Looking back over those communications, what emerges is that I was, in effect, developing a set of experiential best practices against which to both design teaching and learning spaces and then test the spaces for effectiveness against those criteria on relevant data pertaining to student achievement in those spaces.  Dr. Lackney's point to me was that the criteria were "only half of the whole" and that he then wanted me to describe specific space templates that would be catalysts for student achievement based on the criteria.  While I strongly agree that educational spaces should be flexible enough to accommodate a range of teaching and learning activities and even to evolve over time, I also think that this flexibility should have focused, consistent academic and civic goals; i.e. to prepare our students to have rich, rewarding and FUN scholastic careers in preparation for them to be literate, productive citizen/leaders.  So this design agility should always be tested against whether the teaching/learning spaces supports these goals.  The criteria I have established are based on my "9 Hallmarks of Effective Teaching and Learning".  In this regard then, the spaces should support:

• student academic and civic engagement
• student ownership in their educational processes
• student achievement in grade appropriate proficiency of curricular and standards based objectives
• student proficiency on nationally normed tests
• flexible technology applications
• Higher Order Thinking Skills
• Project Based Learning
• Community Partnerships
• Collaborative Teaching
• Cooperative Learning
• FUN

On his School Studio Blog Jeff came very close to the idea of seeing the educational facility (the school) and the academic and social development that takes place inside the physical structure (the School) as an organic whole but he still started with the physical design concepts as being the primary driver rather than exactly the other way around.  In Jeff's view, teachers should be Professionally Developed to learn how to use the teaching and learning spaces effectively.  My view is that educational facilities planners/designers/architects should have Professional Development about the mission and vision of the School and about the pedagogies specific to the needs of the school.  In this way, they can then more effectively design spaces that will be in synergy with the goals and objectives to achieve what I call the Essential Non-Difference between the physical facility and the teaching and learning going on within the walls.

As far as which space templates should be developed to accommodate the Hallmarks, my position is that world class teaching and learning can take place under a tree.  This statement does not discount the vital importance of creating physical spaces that support the Hallmarks.  It does take into account that rich, rigorous, and rewarding scholastic experiences can happen regardless of the spaces in which they take place.

Alpha Academy of Science, Arts, and Technology

A new charter school, the Alpha Academy of Science, Arts, and Technology, is on the verge of approval in Atlanta, Georgia, and will serve student populations in Clayton, and Fulton Counties.  Scheduled to open its doors in August, 2010, this k-8 facility plans to use a schoolwide enrichment model, (SEM) as its overarching method of delivering rigorous academic and civic competencies to the student body.  In this iteration of schoolwide enrichment, every student is seen as mentally gifted in some capacity, so the individualized teaching and learning strategies employed at Alpha Academy, like any good mentally gifted program, will be hands-on and Project Based, where students are engaged, take personal responsibility for their educational advancement, have ownership in their educational processes, and are having FUN.  As the name implies, Alpha Academy will focus on science, art, and technology.  We here at Guerilla Educators wish Alpha Academy Director, Cathy Dalmida-Montgomery and her staff all the best as this exciting educational initiative becomes a reality.

Friendship Tech Prep Student Energy Auditor Training

Students at Friendship Tech Prep Academy Charter School participated in the Alliance to Save Energy's, Student Energy Auditor Training (SEAT).  These students are the core of Tech Prep's Energy Leadership Team and will be responsible for the energy conservation initiatives that will take place at the school this year.  While the rest of the Tech Prep student body was learning about the general principles of energy use and conservation, the Energy Leadership Team received a broader, more in-depth understanding of energy. The Energy Leadership Team will now devise conservation strategies specific to their school.  Click here to see the video of the whole school participation in hands-on energy projects.

Wissahickon Chiropractic

 
This is an unsolicited endorsement for Dr. Anthony Galzarano at Wissahickon Chiropractic, located at 610 Barnes St on the corner of Henry Ave. in Philadelphia.  Dr. Galzarano has been treating me mostly for maintenance spinal adjustments for about 25 years and occasionally for more serious back, neck, and joint pain.  He is now treating my daughter who has had painful back and neck problems and the results are very good.  I can't say enough about Dr. Galzarano's skill, compassion, and ability to relieve pain and restore health and would recommend him to anyone.    

Friendship Tech Prep Academy Student Energy Projects

 On November 20, 2009, under the auspices of the Alliance to Save Energy and Guerilla Educators students at Friendship Tech Prep Academy conducted energy conservation projects at their school in the Anacostia section of Washington, DC.  Every student learned about energy use and conservation, then every student was able to actually test for, hands-on, and gather data around wattage, light levels, temperature, and energy loads of incandescent, cfl, and led bulbs.  This took an extraordinary degree of commitment, cooperation, and collaboration on the part of the admin team and those hard working teachers and really demonstrates the effective leadership of Principal Natalie Gordon and Vice Principal Widelene Desarmes that makes Tech Prep an oasis of academic and social stability in a very challenging neighborhood.

Special thanks to the Alliance's Emily Curley whose hard work made this extraordinary day possible.

Take a look...

Click here to see video of Friendship Charter Schools Professional Development around Project Based Learning that preceded the student project activities.  The training was conducted by Guerilla Educators.

Educon 2.2

We are pleased to announce that John Sole, President and CEO of Guerilla Educators in collaboration with the architect, David Schrader will be leading a "conversation" at Educon 2.2, one of the most innovative and important educational conferences taking place in the country.  Our starting point of the conversation is Educational Commissioning.

Conversation Description: The main idea is that, in a perfect pedagogical world there is an essential non-difference between the physical facility (the school) and the teaching and learning that takes place inside the walls (the School). Our conversation will focus on how the structure of the school, the very walls, should be a 3 dimensional teaching and learning tool. We will also take a look at how students should be involved from the very beginning of the school design process both to authentically inform educational facilities design and to use the design process as a powerful "real time" method to achieve rigorous grade appropriate curricular and civic proficiencies.

Conversational Practice: Authentic Youtube style video examples of students conducting architecture projects across the grades and participating in school design charrettes will frame and contextualize the conversations. We will also use the physical facility of the SLA with the participants as a vehicle to demonstrate the permeable nature between teaching and learning and the structure where that takes place.

Educon 2.2 will be held between January 29 - 31 at Science Leadership Academy, in Philadelphia.

The Language of School Design; Design Patterns for the 21st Century

We recently received the revised edition of "The Language of School Design; Design Patterns for the 21st Century, by Prakash Nair, Randall Fielding, and Jeffery Lackney.  WOW!  My concern was that you would somehow lose the simplicity of the Design Patterns that I think was one of the hallmarks of the first edition.  This straightforward explication of the Design Patterns is what made the book not only a resource for edfacs but for educators as well.  The 2nd edition maintains that universal relevance and the illustrations enhances the patterns very nicely.  Bravo! ...and thanks, guys.  Here is a short video of Randy explaining the design patterns to a group in Regina, Saskatchewan.

BARACK OBAMA GREEN CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL UPDATE

Strategic Planning accelerates as the Barack Obama Green Charter High School prepares for their debut in Plainfield, New Jersey in September, 2010.  On Friday, October 23 and Monday, October 26, the Founders are holding a reception at the Plainfield Public Library.  The gathering will be a joyful celebration marking their official charter grant, a way to say "thanks" to the many people and organizations who have assisted to this point in making Obama High a reality, and a recognition of their present and future Community Partners whose assistance will be crucial as we approach 9/10 and beyond.

Project Based Learning Quick Start Guide

Based on the many Project Based Service Learning Professional Developments Guerilla Educators conducts, it has been apparent for some time that educators need a "Quick Start" reference guide about how to begin the process of using projects with their students.  To that end, I have developed this guide...

Project Steps

 Brainstorming:

• What type of project do you want to conduct with your students?
  
• Why (rationale)
• Will you be collaborating with other teachers in, or out of your school?

 Project Goals:

• What do you want to accomplish with your students?
• How will you get there?
• How will students participate in the creation of Project Goals?

 Essential Questions:

• Take a real-world topic and begin an in-depth investigation.
• Base your question on an authentic situation or topic. What is happening in your classroom?  In your community?
• Select a question about an issue that students will believe, by answering, they are having an impact on. Make it relevant for them.
• The question should be a "now" question -- a question that has meaning in your students' lives.

 Curriculum Connections:

• What curricular areas can be addressed based on the project theme and activities? 
• Project activities can and should be synchronized to curricular objectives.
• Build planning time in to address curriculum connections.   

 Community Partnerships/Resources:

• Which community organization(s) can help you with your project?
• In what ways will the Community Partners model good citizenship/leadership?
• What resources do you need to see the project through to completion?
• Will project related class trips be taken?

 Project Timeline

• Overall length of time
• Time per week
• Weekly Schedule

 Project Activities:

• Planned to achieve overall project objectives.
• Connected to grade appropriate curricular objectives.
• to achieve proficiency in standards and curriculum across at least 2 subject areas.
• FUN!

 Benchmarks:

• Set clear time referenced deadlines for each task and/or product.
• Should be scaffolds to build on previously achieved objectives towards success of the project.
•  Help build the frameworks and parameters in which the project can take place

 Reflection/Journals:

• Student journals will offer students the opportunity to continuously reflect and assess their progress toward completion of the project.
• Teachers can use student journals as valuable assessment tools.
• Offer students the opportunity to learn from the strategies that did and, perhaps more importantly, did not work to achieve project objectives.

 Assessment/Rubrics:

• An effective assessment program uses multiple strategies to demonstrate growth and performance, and should be closely correlated to your stated goals. Projects in which students create multimedia presentations, Web pages, artwork or songs may be evaluated differently than traditional written, typed, or even word-processed papers. Assessment strategies can include performance tasks, teacher observations, personal communications, standardized testing, and student and teacher developed evaluation rubrics, and others.
• Rubrics are an effective assessment and evaluation tool used for PBL. 
• Rubrics allow students to be involved in their creation, which creates buy-in and clarifies expectations all around.
  

Reporting Out/Celebration – Students will report out to peers, school staff, and the larger community:

•  What they learned.
• How they addressed the problems or issues.
• Their final products.

The students will be celebrated and recognized for their important work!

Precious Metals

 

Gold broke the magical $1,000 barrier and has established a firm foundation at that plateau.  Still a good time to hedge some funds to precious metals as a bulwark against stock volatility.  Five years ago, gold traded at around $400.  This morning it stood above $1,050.  This is a nice perk to have advanced 2 1/2 times over in that time period, but the real reason to diversify some resources into precious metals is as a bulwark against the value of the dollar and market fluctuations.  Silver has done even better, outperforming gold over 5 years by advancing about 2 3/4 times its value in that time.  Remember, these personal opinions and $4.08 will get you a nice cup of coffee.

Re:Vision Architecture "Best of Philly" Award

 
Congratulations to friends and colleagues, Scott Kelly, Jenn Rezeli, and the folks at Re:Vision Architecture.  Re:Vision was recently awarded Philadelphia Magazine's 2009 "Best of Philly" award as the city's best Green Architect.  View some of Re:Vision's featured projects here.

The Cell Rap

Sometimes, innovative educators must go to great and small lengths to reach their students.  This video shows the lengths great and small that Lisa, recently an educator deep in the Mississippi Delta went to teach her high school students about cells:

Some standard information about cells

In South Delta High School, studying up
On the kingdoms, Prokaryote and Eukaryote
Spittin' back facts and rehearsing our stuff
Like how Prokaryotes are Archae and Eubacteria
When we realize there's a whole 'nother group
Including Protists, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia
These are all part of the Eukaryotes
They've got bigger cells, organelles, and lots of other stuff
Like  a nucleus- tell em cuz- it holds the DNA
Bacteria- prokaryotes- aint got one of them.
All cells have a membrane, DNA and ribosomes
Stuck up in the cytoplasm, even small Prokaryotes.
...and now, MITOSIS!

Some standard information about mitosis

Prophase: chromosomes condense
Metaphase: they line up straight
Anaphase: they separate
Telophase: they isolate

What's that again?
Prophase: chromosomes condense
Metaphase: they line up straight
Anaphase: they separate
Telophase: they isolate

BREAKING NEWS: BARACK OBAMA GREEN CHARTER SCHOOL GRANTED CHARTER

On September 22, 2009 the New Jersey Department of Education approved the Barack Obama Green Charter High School.  Obama High is projected to start with 120 students in grades 9 and 10 and expand to 240 students in grades 9 to 12.  The school is projected to open its doors in September, 2010.  Congratulations to Ms Safiyah Sadiq, Mr. Steven King, and Ms Alisa Barnes the hard working co-founders!  Guerilla Educators is proud to be associated with this worthy educational endeavor.

Map Rap Map

I recently had the privilege of re-connecting with Amy, who was a student in my 4th grade class in 1994 at Cook-Wissahickon Elementary School in Philadelphia.  Amy has graduated from Penn State, is a working professional, and is out on her own making her mark.  Lo and behold, in her bedroom at her parents house there hangs the map -THE MAP- she created in Room 211 of the United States of America.  In Amy's words...

The giant loopy little-kid handwriting that used to proclaim "The Country Of The United States Of America" across the top, as well as firmly marking both oceans and the Gulf of Mexico, has faded into near-oblivion. Also, why did I only label one of the Great Lakes? ALSO, I tried to number them in the order they appear in the Map Rap, but I'm pretty sure I fudged that too.

But! I still have it on display- that's got to count for something, right?

This was part of what I termed the Geography Literacy Series and included (heaven help my self esteem) the Map Rap and the Eur-Rap.

If any other former students still have their maps from their time in Room 211 at Cook_Wiss, send them along.

Gold

Last week, gold hit $1,000/oz and has basically stayed above that magic number ever since. WOW!  I'd be happy to share whatever insights I may have to anyone who wants to diversify some assets into precious metals. I think numismatic gold is the play.

Barter for Firewood

Pending availability, I would consider trading time at my oceanfront condo on Little Cayman for seasoned, split hardwood delivered to my home in Philadelphia.  Condo del Sole is located on the western tip of Little Cayman and has the best sunset views in the Caribbean.  One night per cord. 

Friendship Tech Prep Charter School Professional Development

Day 2 of the Friendship Tech Prep Academy Charter School Project Based Service Learning Workshop, presented by Guerilla Educators consisted in large part, of authentic hands-on demonstrations (thanks to Emily Curley of the Alliance to Save Energy) of what the participants learned in Day 1 about the Project Based methodologies.  Take a look...  Under the leadership of Ms Natalie Gordon, the Principal and co-founder of Friendship Tech, educators there took part in this Professional Development which was designed to give them the tools to conduct hands-on projects with their students.  Special thanks also to Ms Alicia Adams, Director of Professional Development for Friendship Charter Schools.  Good luck in your first year of operation, Tech!

A Typical Mystical Walk in the Woods With Jeff Lackney, "North of 60"

One of the things Jeff and I always did wherever we were, in (or out of) the country was to take a walk and have a look around.  I came to relish those walks because they were times of sharing and, of course, laughing.  We were about as different as two people could be from each other- me, South Philly crude and Jeff the epitome of Midwest nice.  For some reason though, the combination worked just fine.  Some years ago, Lackney and I were giving a workshop for educational facilities designers in Yellowknife, Canada in the Northwest Territories, "north of 60".  We heard that there was a beautiful waterfall about an hour north of Yellowknife, so we were determined that our walk that day would be a hike in the Great North Woods to the majestic Cameron Falls.  We arrived at the trailhead to the waterfall- me in business casual and Jeff in wingtips, a suit, and a nice gabardine overcoat!  As soon as we were on the trail, a robin-sized gray bird landed in a tree about 12 inches from us.  We thought that was "interesting" and assumed that the bird would have a look at these 2 hiking knuckleheads looking like we were going to meet clients instead of taking a moderately difficult almost 2 mile trek in the snow.  As we set out on the trail, we must have really amused this bird, dressed as we were because he followed along with us closely the whole way to the waterfall, about 90 minutes away.  We eventually made it to that magnificent place, then sat and admired Cameron Falls for almost an hour.  Of course that bird stayed with us at the Falls, occasionally joining in our conversation (just kidding!).  We then made ready to head back to the car and got back on the trail with our guide, who accompanied us back to the trailhead, hopping from tree to tree, so close that we could touch him.  As we were in the car on the road back to Yellowknife, our feathered friend flew directly and knowingly in front of our windshield.  Just another mystical, typical time together with my good friend, Jeff Lackney.  Damn!, I'm going to miss that guy.

Dr. Jeff Lackney

 

Guerilla Educators mourns the loss of good friend and colleague, Dr Jeff Lackney.

Guerilla Educators Featured on CNN

Guerilla Educators is now featured on CNN Online, as part of their series,"What if our education system worked better?"

Project Based Learning Workshop for Educators and School Designers

 Guerilla Educators

Project Based Service Learning Workshop

Guerilla Educators is pleased to announce the next iteration of our renowned Project Based Service Learning Workshop. This 1.5 Day Professional Development is designed to give educators and educational facilities designers the pedagogical knowledge, understanding, and foundational basis of the Project Based Service Learning methodology.  You will receive practical teaching and learning strategies by your own “hands-on” project based experience in the sessions, and you will see real students conducting real projects in and out of real classrooms.  Participants will then create their own projects and refine them through the Hallmarks of Effective Teaching and Learning.
 
You will learn:

•    Project Based Service Learning; What it is and Why I Need It

•    Pedagogical Underpinnings of Project Based Service Learning; why PBSL works

•    Application of PBSL Across a Wide Variety of Disciplines

•    Integrating Curriculum Standards with Projects

•    Differentiated Instruction for ALL Learners and PBSL

•    The Critical Role of Community Partners in PBSL

•    Networking Projects Across the Grades

•    PBSL and your students.  Getting Started

•    Types of Projects.  What interests YOU as a teacher?

•    The School as a 3 Dimensional Textbook

•    Critical Role of Technology in PBSL

•    Projects, Ownership, and Student Engagement

•    Real World Problem Solving

•    Critical Thinking Skills

•    Citizenship

•    Inclusion

•    Multiple Intelligences

•    FUN

Leave us a message for more info and schedules.

The 9 Hallmarks of Effective Teaching and Learning

Sound, effective educational best practices share certain characteristics regardless of the educator's pedagogical approach to teaching and learning.  To this end, we have identified nine of these hallmarks, listed below. 

The 9 Hallmarks of Effective Teaching and Learning:

Hallmark 1: FUN - First things first.  As a 4th grader concisely put it some years ago, "Teacher John, if it ain't fun, why would we do it?"  School and  Fun?  While the terms are usually perceived to be in diametric opposition to each other, students having FUN within the framework of their school-based activities is an integral aspect of Effective Teaching and Learning and, with Project Based Learning are the overarching links that facilitate academic and civic success. 

Hallmark 2: PROJECT BASED LEARNING - We believe that Project Based Service Learning is the most effective pedagogical strategy for ALL students to achieve rigorous academic and civic success across all grade levels and regardless of demographic variables.  The Project based methodology is also the overarching portal to realize the other Hallmarks.Projects: 

• Effectively account for the needs of students who have a wide array of individual learning styles.
• Offers the teacher the opportunity of differentiating instruction based on those individualized learning styles.
• Addresses students’ multiple intelligences (body, kinesthetic, verbal, etc).
• Employs multiple modalities where many senses are involved in the learning process, thereby increasing the learner's ability to retain knowledge.

Hallmark 3: OWNERSHIP - When students are interested and invested in the completion of a school-based project, they begin to own their educational processes.  With ownership, all aspects of their school career, including mastery of curriculum become important to them. With ownership comes:

• Personal responsibility.
• Employment of strategies like critical thinking, hypothesis, extension of learning becomes commonplace.
• Motivation to succeed.
• Facility to achieve mastery of curriculum

Ownership starts with YOU, the teacher!  Get invested in the processes of PBSL.  Initiate projects with your students that interest you, so you can authentically model ownership.

Hallmark 4: ENGAGEMENT - Ownership and engagement are essentially 2 sides of the same coin.  When students take ownership and personal responsibility for the successful outcome of their project, it follows that they are engaged and interested.  Any good Service Learning project will present students with many opportunities to think critically, make hypotheses, and extend what they have learned.  Engagement is the door to performing these important skills, which in turn, engender academic and civic success.

Hallmark 5: COOPERATIVE TEACHING/LEARNING - Teacher collaborations present powerful opportunities for educators to learn from each other, which can increase the strategies available in their pedagogical toolboxes.

Students working cooperatively in small groups to achieve project-based goals is a powerful strategy to achieve curricular and standards based objectives.  Moreover, when students are focused on the goals of a project, they are more inclined to negotiate with their peers and make persuasive arguments to get their point of view adopted by the group.  The cooperative nature of small groups working together for successful completion of the project has an extremely positive effect on the classroom climate and behavior issues are significantly mitigated.

Hallmark 6: CITIZENSHIP/COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS - Development of good citizenship skills as part of the fabric of teaching and learning is critical to the long term, real-life success of our students.

• Civic skills give greater depth, context and meaning to student mastery of curriculum and standards.
• Integral to a Service Learning project is the inclusion of Community Partnerships. 
• Professionals who freely give their time and expertise to benefit students are models of good citizenship.
• Community Partners model good citizenship in action.

Hallmark 7: MASTERY OF CURRICULUM - The primary rationale to employ the Service Learning is, in fact, as a tool for student achievement, both academically and socially.  A project's success is ultimately determined by whether the project-based activities are connected to grade appropriate curriculum and state standards and more importantly, whether these connections enable students to achieve mastery across a range of academic disciplines.  We have seen that when students work within the Project Based methodology they own their educational processes, are engaged in a project's activities, work cooperatively to achieve success, and see citizenship modeled by the Community Partners, then mastery of curriculum becomes more likely because the students are more self motivated achieve success in all aspects of their scholastic experience.

Hallmark 8: HIGHER ORDER THINKING SKILLS (HOTS) – Universal access to the internet by our students has changed the equation of how they learn, whether we, as educators, are ready for this change or not.  Unlike the traditional teaching and learning experience, with the Project Based methodology students are gaining knowledge experientially. Rather than feeding the students disconnected facts to be regurgitated on a test, Project Teachers coach the students to apply that knowledge to real world situations which engenders Higher Order Thinking Skills like evaluation, synthesis, and analysis.  Many of the videos on the Guerilla Educators blog authentically demonstrate HOTS in Action.

Hallmark 9: TECHNOLOGY - Technology is the #2 pencil of the 21st century.  As such, any good Service Learning project will be embedded with a wide array of real-world technology-based applications.  

To see powerful, authentic demonstrations of the Hallmarks in action, take a look at this "Seeds to Trees" horticulture project... and click on our Service Learning video Compilation, as well.  Let us show you how to incorporate the Hallmarks into your teaching/learning program.  Our 1 1/2 day Professional Development Workshops demonstrate in a practical, hands-on way how educators, using the Hallmarks as touchstones, can be more effective.  Contact John Sole at: tcherjohn@aol.com for more info.

Barack Obama Green Charter High School

The Barack Obama Green Charter High School, located in Plainfield, New Jersey and scheduled to open its doors in September, 2010, will be that state's first high school that will be driven by sustainable, "green" real-world concerns.  Using the Project Based Learning methodology as the primary teaching and learning strategy available in the pedagogical toolbox, students will achieve curricular and social proficiencies while addressing the critical issues of sustainability which affect their neighborhood, the nation, and the world.  With world class Community Partners, students will conduct "hands on" projects in areas like sustainable design, green architecture, alternative energy, and water quality.  Students will not only get a first rate education at Barack Obama Green Charter High School, they will also become the leadership cadre at the forefront of sustainability.   

Guerilla Educators is proud to be a part of this unique educational initiative by providing professional consulting services to assist across a wide range of education related issues.

Rocket Park Mini Golf

With the Rocket Park Mini Golf Course, the Lee H Skolnick Architecture +Design Partnership has shown once again why their student centered, education based projects are the coolest, most engaging, and FUN places for children of all ages to be.  Constructed on the site of the 1964 New York World's Fair next to the New York Hall of Science, Rocket Park Mini Golf is replete with real Atlas and Titan rockets fully 10 stories high that help provide authentic intergalactic ambiance. 

As stated on the Hall of Science website, "Players will explore key science concepts such as propulsion, gravity, escape velocity, launch window, gravitational assist, and more as they putt their way the through nine holes:

• Launch Window – In order to reach Saturn, players must pick the right time to launch their “rocket” through turning, intersecting elliptical orbits with planets and other celestial matter that will hinder its trajectory

• Blast Off! – Visitors will be challenged to shoot their ball up an inclined ramp with just the right amount of velocity to "blast off" a model rocket up a gantry
  
• Zero Gravity – Visitors will attempt to putt their golf ball at the correct speed and path to send their ball through a loop-the-loop structure that simulates the effects of “zero” gravity
  
• Earth’s Orbit – Players will attempt to putt their golf ball at the correct speed and angle to send their “rocket” up a ramp and into geosynchronous orbit
  
• Space Docking – Spaceflight sometimes involves complex and exacting maneuvers and at this hole players must putt into one of four space shuttle-shaped targets on a rotating disk in order to reach an International Space Station model
  
• Space Junk – To avoid a collision, players must putt their ball over a rotating disk cluttered with simulated “space junk”
  
• Gravity Whip – Spacecrafts can use the gravitational pull of a planet  to change their course. This hole challenges players to use gravitational assist in the form of a curving path around the Moon to curve the trajectory of their ball in the right direction towards Jupiter
  
• Re-Entry Angle – Players must putt their ball at a proper re-entry angle through the one correct “entry area” so that their “rocket” is slowed down by the simulated atmosphere to safely land on Earth
  
• Splash Down – Visitors will aim to shoot their golf ball across the putting green and into a skee-ball type mechanism with a model of the Earth as its main target"
  

In John Tierney's June 16, 2009 article in The New York Times, "Golfing Through the Statosphere",  renowned astrophysicist Dr. Michael Shara of the American Museum of Natural History, after playing a round with 2 fourth graders concludes, “The golf is fulfilling the museum’s mission.  Kids will learn a little. Adults will learn a little. The golf is good fun. And the rockets are cool”.  We must assume that there will be many life changing "Eureka!" moments on the part many of the youngsters who will experience Rocket Park.  Moments that could open new worlds of possibility for many of them.
Projects such as Rocket Park demonstrate how the Skolnick Partnership infuse their designs with the imponderables of childhood and captures the playfulness and whimsy that makes childhood such a special time.

Cayman Islands Sustainable Resort Institute (a proposal)

 Cayman Islands Sustainable Resort Institute;
A Comprehensive Approach to Addressing the Needs of the Caribbean Tourist Industry in the 21st Century

  

The del Sole Group, with essential support from the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, the Ministry of Education, and the Governor’s Office proposes to establish The Cayman Islands Sustainable Resort Institute (CISRI).  The CISRI campus will be located on the pristine North Coast of Little Cayman and will be a functioning small Resort with a 0 carbon footprint that is designed to be a transparent teaching and learning tool.  The Institute at del Sole will let resort operators learn about and see sustainable design in action that will enable them to implement practical "green", carbon neutral, sustainable practices into their own operations regardless of size.  Via world-class Courses of Study, Sustainable Design Symposiums, and Workshops at del Sole- a showcase working resort that incorporates sustainable design into every aspect of its operation- CISRI will demonstrate in a “hands on” method to any type of resort owner how to profitably tap into the strong marketplace consumer and societal demands for eco-resort destinations.  Additionally, CISRI will give resort owners practical tools and strategies to address this market by incorporating sustainability into their operations and connecting these strategies as a powerful marketing tool.  CISRI therefore, will brand Cayman as a true "green" resort destination leader and tap into the global eco-resort vacation market looking for karma-free Caribbean lifestyle, beauty and comfort.  The Institute will be at the forefront of the Government’s initiatives to grow the resort industry while preserving the pristine environment that makes the Cayman Islands a very special place and a prime worldwide vacation destination.   CISRI will be the land complement to the Caribbean Marine Institute and del Sole will feature state of the art water usage and disposal. A Living Machine will recycle wastewater in a safe and sanitary manner and will be used to irrigate the native flora on the grounds.  Electricity and hot water needs will be completely “off grid” and will be generated via wind and solar power.  Horticultural pathways into the island’s interior at del Sole will be planted with native species that will show the unparalleled, fragile beauty of Little Cayman.  The pathways will also lead to the solar arrays and wind turbine that will provide the energy needs of CISRI.  Just by strolling the grounds on a relaxing self guided walking tour, learners and vacationers at del Sole will become aware of and informed about the incredible flora and fauna of the
Cayman Islands and see sustainability in action.  These pathways will serve as a living, 3 dimensional textbook for the eco-resort industry.  Even the transportation to and from the airfield will be by non-polluting vehicles.
CISRI will be a true teaching and learning institution.  There will be strong connections to the Cayman School Districts and to tertiary institutions.  In this way, CISRI will be in the forefront to create the indigenous Caymanian student leadership cadre to take the Cayman resort industry to the next cutting edge phase, i.e. authentic sustainable design.  Post high school credited courses at CISRI will be used as part of a baccalaureate degree in association with the Temple University and George Washington Universities’ Schools of Tourism and Hospitality Management.

Visit Condo del Sole for more info about oceanfront accommodations on Little Cayman.

Little Cayman Sunsets II

Click here to see the world's most awesome sunsets from the balcony of Condo del Sole.  These photos have been taken over the past 3 years and as recently as April, 2009. 

Guerilla Educators Consulting Services

Below is a partial list of clients who have employed the expertise of Guerilla Educators Consulting Services to advance their architectural design and/or educational programs:

• American Institute of Architects
• The School District of Philadelphia
• Council of Educational Facilities Planners International
• Delaware Valley Green Building Council
• SchraderGroup Architects
• Fielding Nair International
• Philadelphia University
• District of Columbia Public School System
  
• Milwaukee School District
• Alliance to Save Energy
• York Suburban School District
• University of Wisconsin
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Education Environment Planning Consultants
• Regina Board of Education
• Philadelphia Zoo
• Re:Vision Architecture
• Wallace Roberts & Todd Design
• LOTI (Levels of Technology Integration)
• IQity
• Journal of Teacher Education
• Edutopia
  
• Barack Obama Green Charter High School
• MaST Community (Math, Science, and Technology) Charter School
• Friendship Public Charter Schools
  

Call us today at, 215-510-2059 to see how we can help you!

Saving Energy in DC Schools Video Compilation

On May 7, the Alliance to Save Energy's, Saving Energy in DC Schools program came to a successful conclusion for the 2008-2009 school year with a reporting out / celebration by participating schools.  This video is a compilation of the SEDS program components starting with the Teacher Training in October, 2008, followed by the Student Energy Audit Training, students project activities, the Mid-Year meeting, technology demonstration, and finishing with the Earth Day celebration at Horace Mann Elementary School.  Take a look...

This year, fifteen public, private, and charter schools participated in the program across all grade levels.  The Saving Energy in DC Schools Program had critical support from the District Department of the Environment, Washington Gas, and DCPS.

Click here to view an article in the May 14, 2009 issue of the Washington Post.

Horace Mann Elementary School Earth Day

This video was taken at the Horace Mann Elementary School's first Earth Day celebration in Washington, DC.  Throughout the school year, 6th grade students at Mann have been conducting energy audits at their school and making recommendations to conserve energy based on the data they have gathered.  Take a look...

Principal Interview at Horace Mann Elementary School

The Alliance to Save Energy's Saving Energy in DC Schools Team caught up with Principal Liz Whisnant at Horace Mann Elementary School in Washington, DC during Earth Day activities there. Ms Whisnant spoke about many of the sustainable and green programs going on with the students at Mann, including their gardening, recycling, and energy conservation projects. Very inspiring that Ms Whisnant is integrating sustainability activities directly into the school day at Mann to help achieve curricular objectives while teaching students the importance of being good stewards of the environment.  Take a look...

Saving Energy in DC Schools (SEDS) Teacher Training

This video documents the Saving Energy in DC Schools kick off in mid-October, 2008, with the teacher training session at Wilson High School. The Alliance to Save Energy's education team worked with teachers to explain the program, use energy tools, and plan the year's SEDS based activities.  Take a look...

Saving Energy in DC Schools Projects

...at Horace Mann Elementary School

The Saving Energy in DC Schools (SEDS) project continues.  Fifteen DC schools are participating in this year long project through the Alliance to Save Energy and the District Department of the Environment, with support from Guerilla Educators and other Community Partners.  After taking their Student Energy Audit Trainings (SEAT), the students then devise energy conservation strategies specific to their school.  In this video, students at Horace Mann Elementary School demonstrate project activities and discuss their energy saving strategies.  Powerful!  Take a look...

 

After taking their Student Energy Audit Trainings (SEAT), the students then devise energy conservation strategies specific to their school.  In this video, students at Horace Mann Elementary School demonstrate project activities and discuss their energy saving strategies.  Powerful!  Take a look...

... at Center City Public Charter School

These interviews took place outside of Center City Public Charter School. First, Teacher Vanessa McCrea explains the various aspects of the energy conservation initiatives taking place at Center City Charter, then 2 participating students describe the experience from the student's point of view.  Take a look...

...at Francis Scott Key Elementary School

Students at Francis Scott Key Elementary School in Washington, DC explain their energy conservation strategies as part of the Alliance to Save Energy's, Saving Energy in DC Schools Program. The Key students show how to use energy tools to gather data from which they will recommend an action plan for the school. Great project!

...at Gonzaga College High School

In this video, students from Gonzaga College High School in Washington, DC explain the projects they are conducting at their school as part of their Saving Energy in DC Schools Program.

Click the links to see the SEDS Student Energy Audit Training and the Mid-Year Meeting videos.

Schrader/Sole Presentation at CEFPI Conference

The 2009 CEFPI NorthEast Regional Conference is being held on May 3-5 in New Brunswick, NJ.  This year's conference theme is "Schools on the Edge".  On May 3, John Sole, Founder of Guerilla Educators and David Schrader, CEO, SchraderGroup Architects will present a major breakout session called, Educational Facility Design and Project Based Learning; "The Real Connection".  At the session, we will demonstrate how to use Project Based Service Learning to integrate the design and construction process directly into the classroom to achieve curricular and social outcomes which provides a methodology for ALL students to perform at rigorous academic and civic levels regardless of demographic.  The case will also be made for incorporating students in the conceptual design process, beginning with the charrette.  This student involvement in the design process gives educational facilities planners an essential perspective to design more effective teaching and learning spaces. 

Register online at CEFPI.  Don't miss this important event!

Ed Kirkbride Nominated for The Purpose Prize

Educational Facilities Planner, the architect Ed Kirkbride has been nominated for a 2009 Purpose Prize.  According to the creators of the this distinguished award, The Purpose Prize^® provides five awards... to people over 60 who are taking on society’s biggest challenges. It’s for those with the passion and experience to discover new opportunities, create new programs, and make lasting change." 
A group people and organizations out of the many who have been transformed by knowing Ed as a friend, colleague, and mentor (including Guerilla Educators) have submitted his name to the nominating committee and hope that he will chosen be as one of the finalists as Ed is richly deserving of this award.  For more information about the Purpose Prize visit: http://www.purposeprize.org/index.cfm. 
Good Luck, Ed!

Visit Guerilla Educators here, here and here to see interviews with Ed.

Schrader Sole Global

Schrader Sole Global

This is a core statement that delineates the mission and vision of Schrader Sole Global (SSG), an international educational facilities organization that works with clients to help design effective teaching and learning programming strategies and then to work with Educational facilities designers, planners, and architects and other stakeholders to design the physical facilities in which teaching and learning will take place.  Our goal is to create an essential non-difference between the physical structure of the school and the teaching/learning activities that take place within the walls.
Our strategies for action include designing affordable, sustainable, flexible educational facilities where the teaching and learning spaces will be able to accommodate individual learning styles and give teachers the ability to transform the many of those same spaces for multi-uses like quiet reflection, group activities, spaces for cooperative hands-on projects, more traditional pedagogical teaching, etc. as the needs arise.  We are obviously not re-inventing the wheel here, as there are many fine educational facilities designers whose goal is to employ similar design concepts.  We think that the critical difference between SSG and other educational facilities designers is that, in fact if not in theory, for most educational facilities designers function invariably follows form so that what we end up with are very aesthetically pleasing schools that are monuments to the design team but have ultimately missed the point of the structure in crucial ways.  Before a shovel is turned, SSG authentically begins with the programming needs and involves all interested community partners every step of the way (including and especially students) in the design process, then uses design to inform teaching and learning.  This powerful, open loop begins to blur the boundary between the physical facility and educational programming.  We introduce Educational Commissioning at the very beginning of the process rather than at the end, where commissioning functions to address any problems in the design.  Instead of "cleaning up the mess" at the conclusion of the design, this continuous quality educational programming check mitigates design problems as the design evolves.

For more information about the conceptual basis of Schrader Sole Global, read our article in the latest CEFPI Educational Facilities Planner Magazine...
http://guerillaeducators.typepad.com/ge/2009/01/cefpi-educational-facility-planner.html 

Contact us here at Guerilla Educators let to see how Schrader Sole Global can help you help your students every step of the way to achieve at rigorous academic and social levels in teaching and learning spaces that enhance academic and social advancement.

Saving Energy in DC Schools (SEDS) Mid Year Meeting

The Saving Energy in DC Schools (SEDS) program continues in Washington schools with the Mid Year meeting.  This is part of ongoing support for participating DC students and teachers.  In November, students took part in the Student Energy Audit Training (SEAT) to prepare them for subsequent projects throughout the 2008-2009 school year.  Students at participating schools reported out projects and activities they have already completed as part of the program and began to plan energy conservation projects going forward into the Spring semester.  Students are taking leadership positions as concerned citizens, are actually saving money at their schools as part of their energy conservation strategies, are learning across the curriculum, are working cooperatively to solve problems and are having FUN in the process.  Service Learning initiatives like this in DC schools are part of the transformation currently taking place in the District.  Take a look...

To see more great Alliance to Save Energy Green Schools project activities in a number of DC schools, click here.

CEFPI Educational Facility Planner

With the architect, David Schrader, John Sole co-wrote an article for the latest CEFPI Educational Facility Planner magazine (Volume 43/Issues 2 & 3).  Entitled "Educational Facility Design and Project Based Learning; the Real Connection", the article makes the case that school design should complement effective teaching and learning pedagogies, especially Project Based Service Learning... 

World-class teaching and learning can take place under a tree.  This seems like an odd premise to begin making the case for more effective educational facility design, however understanding the notion that a student's ability to learn is not fully contingent upon but can be shaped and informed by the building in which that learning takes place is the first step in better school design.  Click here to read the full story.

Download CEFPI 2009 Magazine

Aerzen Building Nominated for Award

The Aerzen Building, located in Coatesville, PA has been nominated for a Philadelphia Sustainability Award.  According to the nominator, Mattie May Silverman "...This project is being nominated because it far surpassed the green benchmark of LEED Gold certification and set an example of what it means to be a “triple bottom line” project and did it in a cost effective way. It incorporates education about sustainability issues to all parties involved from the local code official and contractor to the employees and the visitors from all over the world.  Click here to see a virtual tour of the Aerzen Building in an onsite, video conversation between John Sole and lead architect, Scott Kelly.  Scott is co-founder of Re:Vision Architecture.

3 Questions About Project Based Learning (updated)

We here at Guerilla Educators are consistently asked 3 basic questions about the Project Based Learning methodology:

• What is Project Based Learning?

• How can educators use projects to assess mastery of curriculum?

• Where can research data be found to confirm (or deny) the effectiveness of PBL as a successful pedgogical strategy with students?

To answer these questions, we turn to the great online education magazine, "Edutopia", for assistance: 

• What is PBL?
  

In the article, "Why Teach with Project Learning?" an article by the Edutopia editorial staff defines PBL like this; Project learning, also known as project-based learning, is a dynamic approach to teaching in which students explore real-world problems and challenges, simultaneously developing cross-curriculum skills while working in small collaborative groups. 
To this definition, we would add that the incorporation of a Service component (i.e. Service learning) with Community Partnerships into projects models what good citizenship looks like and is a crucial element in the Project-Based teaching and learning.

• How can educators use projects to assess mastery of curriculum?

To learn about how projects can be used to assess student academic progress, take a look at Eeva Reeder's students at Mountlake Terrace High School, near Seattle, Washington. 
In our view, a project's success ultimately has value to the extent that it can advance students towards mastery across a range of curricula and that this progress can be assessed.

• Where can research data be found to confirm (or deny) the effectiveness of PBL as a successful pedgogical strategy with students?

A great place to begin investigating the growing body of research that supports the use of projects with students can be found in the Edutopia article, "PBL Research Summary: Studies Validate Project Based Learning".

Guerilla Educators is the best global resource available to see Project Based and Service Learning in action.

Ecoman and the Skeptic

Friend and colleague, Rob Fleming is now on internet radio with a new show about sustainability called Ecoman and the Skeptic.  According to co-host, professor of engineering Chris Pastore (aka "The Skeptic") "The purpose of Ecoman and the Skeptic is to explore a range of topics related to sustainability in an entertaining way.  We will have a wide range of expert guests, internal debates, quizzes, and will respond to calls and emails from listeners."  Ecoman and the Skeptic airs on Thursdays through April, 2009 between 3 and 4pm EST.  To listen live each week, go to: www.PhilaU.edu/EcoManAndTheSkeptic/.  The show is presented under the auspices of Philadelphia University.

Student Green Design/Build Award Nomination

The Philadelphia Sustainability Awards nominations have been posted and the students who participated in the design/build project as part of Rob Fleming's Masters Program have been nominated.
The Green Design Build course at Philadelphia University was taken by the inaugural class of the Masters of Science in Sustainable Design Program in the summer of 2008. The course consisted of a sustainable design and construction project for Weavers Way farm which taught students about the entire sustainable design process from charrette through integrated design, into materials procurement, and was finalized with construction. The completed wash station now provides a useful and tangible product for Weavers Way Co-op, the community, and anyone that eats and enjoys produce from this urban farm. Students led all aspects of this remarkable green project.

Congratulations to the students, to Rob, and to Rob's Adjunct Faculty, Scott Kelly and Sandy Wiggins.

This project was nominated for a Philadelphia Sustainability Award.  Read all about it here.

Student Green Design/Build at Philadelphia University

Download CharetteWorkbook.pdf

On June 14, 2008, graduate students from Rob Fleming's "Green Design Build" course participated in and had leadership responsibility for a design charrette at Awbury Arboretum. The charrette was to create a design scheme for a permanent wash station for Weaver's Way Coop Farm at Awbury. Rob is the Director of the Master of Science in Sustainable Design Program at Philadelphia University and the lead teacher/creator of the Design/Build course. The charrette was the "design" part of a process that continued in early August, as the students were then tasked to "build" the wash station from recycled building materials, whose design was based on concepts developed at the charrette. The process was one of the most powerful examples of the hands on project based Service Learning methodology we here at Guerilla Educators have been involved with, to date. For the students, none of whom had participated in either a charrette or in a construction project of such magnitude, the program was transformative. This video shows the full sweep of the design/build process, from concept through to completion of the physical facility. Wow!             
One key aspect of Philadelphia University's mission and vision as a private institution of higher learning is that they are committed to providing an experiential education for their students.  As a result, Philly U is recognized as a leader in the architecture, design, engineering, business, textiles, and health and sciences fields and is fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.   Courses like Green Design Build powerfully demonstrate why they are also on the cutting edge of developing the next generation of sustainable designers.
This project was nominated for a Philadelphia Sustainability Award. Read all about it here.

The Architect, Richard Huffman

After 37 years, the world renowned architect/planner/designer Richard Huffman recently retired from the Wallace Roberts & Todd Design Firm.  This video is part of a talk by Richard and a celebration given in his honor at WRT.  Take a look...

Richard Huffman; Anecdotes

As part of the architect, Richard Huffman's retirement celebration, he gave a presentation looking back on his 37 remarkable years at Wallace, Roberts, and Todd.  This video recounts some of Richard's, and his colleagues', poignant, humorous anecdotes about his professional career.  Take a look...

Energy Thinking - Students Creating Their Future

Guerilla Eduicators' John Sole provided key assistance to the PA Department of Education and the NorthEast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) to help create an Energy_Thinking curriculum.  The projects unfold and are completely aligned to the State of Pennsylvania's Environment and Ecology Standards across the grades.  For more info and illustrated video, visit the GreenTreks Network.

Little Cayman Vacation

Just spent a week on the beautiful island of Little Cayman at Condo del Sole.  Absolutely magnificent. 

Click on photos for full size:

To see other photos and stories about Little c, visit our Little Cayman Blog.

The Design Evolution of a Teaching/Learning Space

This video depicts the evolution of a space from a school construction site to a state of the art teaching and learning place for k-2 students.  After a great deal of ongoing consultations, listening sessions, and feedback loops with educators and community groups Jay Litman, Senior Planning Consultant and Architect with Fielding Nair International re-designed the k-2 Suite at Forest Elementary School in Middletown, Rhode Island.  Take a look...

Teacher Environmental Competence in Elementary School Environments

Good friend and colleague, Dr. Jeff Lackney has just gotten this paper published in Children, Youth, Environments Journal from the University of Colorado.

This intro is from Dr. Lackney: 

"Attached is a publication of mine that has been 12 years in the making (I'm a bit slow when I want to be). Finally got it published. Clearly I've recast much of my work from the mid-90s to include my more recent thoughts on teacher training in educational planning - an area that I think gets NO attention. The main thing of note is that it is a subtle attempt to frame my notion of "educational commissioning" (EdCx) as a process of educating educators to effectively use space for their pedagogies. This paper could only deal with a limited set of pedagogies being employed in these inner city schools. A second paper would want to jump into the work we are all doing regarding the raising of awareness around PBL and other methods and space as we plan and design new environments. It's an academic journal paper, but its easily readable, I think. My thought was to extend the work we've done at Cristo Rey High School in Minneapolis and focus squarely on EdCx as a process that spans the entire educational planning/design process."

Abstract
Teacher environmental competence, the ability to understand and effectively use physical instructional space for a pedagogical advantage, continues to receive limited attention in education. Exploring the perceptions of 20 teachers at five urban elementary schools, this study investigates teachers’ understanding and effective use of the physical environment to meet instructional goals. It examines organizational factors that contribute to poor environmental competence in school environments. The action research approach employed in this study includes a set of interconnected training, research and action activities. Once teachers were introduced to a means of communicating their environmental experience through the training component, they were able to articulate specific environmental concerns, see their interrelationship, and make judgments of priority. The paper suggests avenues for raising the environmental competence of educators within the context of educational reforms advocating for collaborative, learner-centered environments.
To read the entire paper, click here.

Student Energy Audit Training (SEAT)

Under the leadership of Ms Merrilee Harrigan, Vice President for Education at the Alliance to Save Energy, students at Oyster Adams Bilingual Public School participated in the Alliance's Student Energy Audit Training (SEAT).  The event was part of the Alliances "Saving Energy in DC Schools" (SEDS) Green Schools program.  Over the next 10 weeks and guided by teacher Jason Hoeksma, nineteen 7th and 8th grade Students at Oyster Adams will devise energy conservation strategies for their school designed to reduce energy costs.  The SEAT training was conducted by Byron Humphries, an exceptional educator who specializes in helping students learn about the many facets of sustainability.  Take a look...

During the 2008-'09 school year, 17 schools in Washington DC will participate in SEDS.  This remarkable program will create powerful opportunities for students to achieve proficiency in grade appropriate curricular and standards-based objectives across a variety of disciplines, develop positive citizenship/leadership qualities, and realize significant energy savings for participating schools.           WIN - WIN - WIN!

To hear an "on location" news report from radio station WAMU 88.5 FM about the Oyster Adams energy conservation project, click here.

To see more video of Green Schools project activities in DC schools, click here.

November, 2008 GreenLight Newsletter

This just in from the November, 2008 Green Advantage News

Meet The Trainer: Scott Kelly

Green building was responsible for keeping Scott Kelly in Philadelphia. Scott found himself frustrated with the professional resistance to green and sustainable practices in the Philly region.

He had packed his bags and was seeking opportunities elsewhere when a former client called asking him for help on a what he called a “LEEDS” green office building. What a difference Scott has made in a short time.

Scott stayed in Philly and launched Re:Vision Architecture, one of the region's leading lights in green building. Re:Vision works exclusively on green and sustainable projects with a quarter of its business focused on educating architects and contractors about sustainable practices. In 2007, the Philadelphia chapter of the American Institute of Architects named Scott the AIA Philadelphia Architect of the Year.

Scott waxes about greenbuilding in the attached video clip:

http://guerillaeducators.typepad.com/ge/2007/12/sustainable-des.html

The interview takes place at Aerzen Corporation's iconic new office/industrial complex in Coatesville, PA. It is the first industrial application of straw bale design in the United States and the country's first industrial application of Earth Tubes, as well.

In addition, Scott serves as an instructor for the Green Advantage® (GA) -Commercial Certification workshops. Scott was an early supporter of Green Advantage and one of the authors of the commercial curriculum. Scott has led around 17 GA workshops, preparing close to 1,000 people for Green Advantage Certification.

Scott stresses the benefits of Green Advantage Certification:

• Green Advantage introduces contractors to new concepts and techniques.

• Green Advantage helps remove the resistance of contractors to green and sustainable building and increases contractors' willingness to try it.

• Ultimately, Green Advantage results in a new skill set and a market advantage for contractors, important assets in these tough economic times. Contractors find they are able to beat the competition on bids, interviews, and end cost. Green Advantage helps them get more jobs.

• Green Advantage saves money by implementing good construction waste protocol, for example.

• Green Advantage gives new meaning to work, helping contractors do better for themselves and their families.

 Scott notes that this last point may bring the relevance of green building home to some contractors. Green building may help the contractor's pocketbook and also his or her health. The health impacts of construction products are as important for workers as they are for the end user. When discussing PVC welding cement in classes, for example, Scott is greeted by stories of liver problems among the friends of workshop participants after a lifetime use of the material. The importance of integrating green thinking throughout the entire construction process is emphasized. Contractors come to realize the need for “green cleaners” to minimize VOC or chemical off-gassing or toxic residues.

An additional benefit of Green Advantage is that a contractor can earn an Innovation Credit for LEED by using GA-Certified staff. Certification offers a cost-effective alternative to other possible LEED credits, such as measurement and verification of building systems, and provides a market advantage for the Certified contractor considering a project bid. Scott points to Re:Vision Architecture’s role in earning the first LEED Innovation Credit awarded for GA-Certified professionals at Lake Smetana in Eden Prairie, Minnesota (see related article about the Bainey Group). Re:Vision also was involved in the LEED Innovation Credit for use of GA-certified professionals on the new 82,000 SF, multi-use office and retail space for Dansko Shoes in West Grove, Pennsylvania. The Dansko facility achieved LEED-NC Gold Certification.

For Scott, being a GA trainer helps build a cadre of people who understand green design and possible partners for future projects. Scott finds that GA training helps him build relationships with contractors and subcontractors and vet who he wants working on future jobs.

Contractors aren't the only participants in Scott's trainings of course. Architects, developers, real estate professionals, engineers, and building operations and management staff all benefit from Scott's knowledge of green building principles, practices, and processes. Scott draws on both his personal passion and his design experience with more than 60 LEED projects for each training program. Scott also does individual coaching of design and construction professionals on green building and LEED. Such coaching often helps change the mindset of national companies.

Scott emphasizes that this is an “incredibly exciting time to make a difference” and that Green Advantage is playing a significant role. For more information, see Re:Vision Architecture’s Web site.