Teacher Plans to Incorporate ‘Place Based’ Learning Into Her Curriculum

Lincoln Elementary School fifth grade teacher Eileen LaTorre has big plans to incorporate what she learned at Ramapo College’s workshop on the Hudson River this summer into this year’s curriculum.

LaTorre was among a small group of about 40 teachers from around the country who were chosen to attend the workshop which was entitled  “The Hudson River in the Nineteenth Century and the Modernization of America” was presented at Ramapo College. Each teacher who applied was chosen for the program via his or her written essay.

The idea behind the workshop was to introduce “place based” learning into the curriculum. The place-based education promotes learning the unique history, environment, culture, literature, and art of the Hudson River.

LaTorre, who teaches fifth grade math, science, and social studies, explained that teachers are encouraged to find areas of educational interest, nearby, and “instead of teaching them (her students)
in a classroom, with pictures, go to the place and actually teach about the place.”

LaTorre plans on taking maps of the Hudson River, which were provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) which were used during the workshop, and convert them into puzzles for her students.

“The connecting maps stretch the 300 miles of the Hudson River from Troy, NY down to the mouth of the river in Battery Park, Manhattan. The maps will be made into puzzles the students will put together these maps, and use to learn about measurement, low tide/high tide, and map scale. I love to integrate everything I learn into my three subjects,” LaTorre explained.

She plans on incorporating knowledge about the depth of the river, the conservation efforts by singer Pete Seeger and his organization, Clearwater, to revive the river, as well as the history of the Hudson.

LaTorre explained that it’s called “America’s River” because it was, of course, one of the first rivers explored in the new world. It was also the inspiration for the first real art movement in America. Up
until then Europe still had a monopoly in regards to the fine arts, says LaTorre.

One of the fellow instructors LaTorre met at the workshop was Kathleen Maynes, media specialist at Dumont High School. Maynes called the workshop, “probably one of the most wonderful experiences of my life.” She went on, “It was really great. It was fabulous. It was experiential so we got to really get a handle on all facets of the Hudson River.”

LaTorre counts herself as lucky to have been a part of the program.

“I was happy to be chosen to be a part of something so exciting,” she said. She continued, “I’m looking forward to tying it into all three of my core subjects.”