Technology Teacher Gets Up Close At NASA

Check in with Mr. B on his blog and twitter feed for real-time updates on today's launch.

Bringing learning to life is a priority for Whisconier Middle School (WMS) technology education teacher Geoff Bergen.  He strives to inspire his students daily in a non-traditional hands–on learning environment. Now, it's his turn to learn and explore, through a NASA Endeavor Fellowship.

Bergen takes off this week for Florida. As a guest of NASA, he'll watch the launch of STS-131 from the Banana Creek viewing area on April 5.  "I am really looking forward to hearing the silence of a pre-dawn Florida morning suddenly being transformed by the intense brightness of the Shuttle's ignition followed moments later by the crackle of its roar," said Bergen.

His trip will begin with a behind the scenes tour of the Kennedy Space Center on Friday. "Just to walk in some of the same places as those intrepid explorers, scientists and engineers challenged by John F. Kennedy to reach out and touch the moon will be another awesome experience," said Bergen.

Saturday will be spent in an educational forum titled: Women in Engineering and Robotics. "I'm looking forward to adding to the value of NASA's knowledge, but hoping to bring back much to inspire the young women and men of Brookfield to reach out and become the next generation of explorers."

The invitation is a perk of his participation in competitive NASA Endeavor Program. He completed the intense application process just before the deadline last year. "I never imagined I would get accepted," said Bergen. "I was honored to be chosen and have really benefitted from it even in my first course."  He is one of 80 teachers awarded the fellowship out of 2000 applicants from all 50 states.

The STS-131 launch comes on the heels of his participation in a Weightless Flight of Discovery, a program sponsored by Northrop Grumman, aimed at inspiring science teachers with experiences they can take back to the classroom and share with students.  "These experiences definitely go a long way in helping to inspire my students," said Bergen.  "They were excited to have even a small part in my Weightless Flight of Discovery. " 

Getting the students curious, thinking and asking questions to better understand how things work is a main element of Technology Education.  "The best part of my position is to learn alongside my students.  Allowing them to explore areas of interest and learn in real-world, engaging contexts is really a joy.  Seeing them smile after they have proudly completed an activity and learned something new is the intrinsic motivation I need." He is clearly passionate about his opportunity to inspire students as a teacher at WMS. He continues, "The best lesson I can share with them is they too can reach out for these experiences in their own lives.  The worst thing you can hear is no.  If you keep trying eventually you will succeed."

What's next for Mr. B, as he's known to his students?  "I would actually like to try and start a podcast where I interview persons of interest, such as astronauts, engineers, mythbusters, etc. and post them to my blog.  That would be cool to keep involving them [students] by getting their questions answered by the experts."

Keep up with Bergen's trip to NASA by following him on Twitter @zerogguy or check out his blog for updates and photos. To learn more about the Technology Education Program at Whisconier Middle School, check out their website.