Andrea Porter

Favorite thing you like about your work:
Being part of a countywide system of naturalist serving the state as a whole by sending a message that it is our right to have land to recreate, cherish, love, and respect for future generations.

Based on your own experience, what did you get out of your time at MOSS and why would you recommend it to someone else?
My MOSS experience taught me the skill set needed to be an effective teacher and to tap the inquisitive young minds of children by guiding thought processes through inquiry based learning.

Inquiry based learning is knowing what questions to ask to drive a group to ask more questions and it becomes a group effort in learning rather that one sided learning experience.

MOSS was the catalyst that empowered me to seek my Master’s Degree in Natural Resources and forge further in my pursuit for employment in environmental education.

I would recommend this program to anyone that is wanting to become a teacher or informal educator in natural resources because I have used many skills that are being taught at MOSS. in my overall teaching. Such skills include lesson planning, place based education, inquiry based education, public speaking, and classroom management. It is a well-rounded experience and I cannot say that I would be this prepared for my job now if it weren’t for MOSS.