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r his summer, che National Maritim e Historical Society, Ocean C lassroo m Foundation, and Mystic Seaport collaborated on che second OceanBound for History, a continuing-education program for high school and middle school teachers of American history. Twen ty-one teachers joined chree maritime historians and the crew of che schooner Westward for a week of sailing, classes, and cocal immersion into maritime life and cradicions. Onboard, classroom teachers discovered che fundan1ental importance of maritime history in che teaching of American history as a whole and were introduced co experiential learning. The program cakes place aboard che schooner Westward, and chis year chey sailed from Myscic Seaport co New Bedford, MA, and aro und che waters of southern New England. Pore scops in New Bedford and Sco ningco n, CT, were specifically chosen as examples where maritime history and local history are inextricably intertwined and whi ch can easily demonscrace how che history of che development of our nation as a whole is also intertwined wich che m aritime scary.
Ocean Classroom
~oundation
Celebrating 10 Years of Education Under Sail Serving over 9,000 students since 1996
www.oceanclassroom.org
Padraic D ermody, a teacher .from Ossining, NY, gained a lofty perspecitve on seafaring.
Parcicipacing fully in che life and operation of che ship, chese ceacher-parcicipancs gained personal insight inco shipboard culture, hierarchy, and work. Under che command of Captain Caroline Smith and wich guidance of che professional
Awards 1998 Sea Education Program of the Year 1998 Walter Cronkite Award for
Excellence in Maritime Education 2000 Black Pearl Seamanship Award 2002 Sail Training Program of the Year 2004 Sail Training Prog ram of the Year
mail@oceanclassroom.org
800. 724. 7245
Ocean Classroom Foundation owns and operates the schooners Westward, Harvey Gamage and Spmt of MassachuslfittS
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crew, teac h ers learned che skills and arcs of cradicional seafaring, while maincaining a cwentyHAMILTON MOORE four hour wacch system. Teachers goc co hand, reef, and steer and cry their hand ac navigational methods used in che age of sail. H andson accivicies combined wich formal readings and class discussion co give teachers a unique and powerful understanding of maritime history and culture. This program is produced by a coalition of America's leading organizations in m aritime history, shipboard education, and experiential learning. The academic program was developed and led by G lenn Gordinier, PhD, (Robert G. Albion Historian, Co-Director, Munson Insci cuce ac Myscic Seaport), Richard King (of Myscic Seaport and a PhD candidate ac Sc. Andrews University in Scocland), and Deirdre O'Regan (Editor, Sea H istory, National Maritime Historical Society) . Schooner Westward is a 125-fooc sceel stays'! schooner. Owned and operated by Ocean Classroom Foundation, the ship is inspected by che US Coast Guard and che American Bureau of Shipping as a sai ling school vessel. OCF programs have received natio nal recognition and awards, including che NMH S Walcer Cronkite Award for Excellence in Maritime Education. Up co 24 ceacher-parcicipants are accepted through a competitive application process. The program is fully funded , so teachers need only co gee them selves co che shi p and home again. Parcicp ants are asked co develop and submit a mini-curriculum co show how chey will incorporate some aspect of maritime history in co cheir classrooms d uring che school year. Curricula are collected and evaluated and chen becom e available for inceres ced teachers co use as a guide in cheir own classrooms-even if chey never gee anywhere near che waterfront. Look for details abo uc che 2007 program in che nexc issue of Sea History. In che m eancime, for more information, contact Ocean C lassroom Foundation, 23 Bay Screec, Wacch Hill, RI, 0289 1, Ph. 800 724-7245, e-mail: mail@oceanclassroom.org . .t
SEA HISTORY 117, WINTER 2006-07