In talking with a School of Ed budget guy, he was quite amazed by how little the Amherst Crossroads cost. Except for the poet, the total expenditures came to under $20K. This is quite nice because it means we don't have to be stingy with reimbursing attendees at Crossroads IV. Truth be told, since a substantial portion of the budget is designate for participant costs, there is a good possibility that even after Alta there will be remaining funds that are specially reserved for that purpose. His suggestion was to consider a smaller, follow-up conference — and now the wheels are turning.
I began to wonder where a small group of people might meet in June of 2009 for the purpose of wrapping up the funded cycle of Crossroads and weighing in on the next generation. It occurred to me that somewhere in New England might be nice at that time of year, in part because it might permit representatives from local foundations to attend -- and maybe bring a satchel of cash. But where? Portland, Maine has a major airport. Newport, Rhode Island is also close to a decent runway and would be a nice setting. And then there's Cape Cod.
Everyone in science education has heard of Woods Hole but it is not only associated with some mystical gathering in the fog of history, but we act like we don't know where it was physically located. Well I do. Anatomically speaking, it is within the armpit that forms the Cape Cod peninsula. It's within easy driving distance of Logan Airport (BOS) and Providence (PVD). Before July Fourth is still not exactly summer vacation out there. And a little bed-and-breakfast inn would be a decent place to gather a small collection of Crossroaders.
It may not be a coincidence that Bruner's Woods Hole Conference was held almost exactly fifty years ago (September 1959). Is it time for a Woods Hole II? Will that be the year where science education finally gets onto a trajectory that is appropriate for the 21st century? Stay tuned!
I began to wonder where a small group of people might meet in June of 2009 for the purpose of wrapping up the funded cycle of Crossroads and weighing in on the next generation. It occurred to me that somewhere in New England might be nice at that time of year, in part because it might permit representatives from local foundations to attend -- and maybe bring a satchel of cash. But where? Portland, Maine has a major airport. Newport, Rhode Island is also close to a decent runway and would be a nice setting. And then there's Cape Cod.
Everyone in science education has heard of Woods Hole but it is not only associated with some mystical gathering in the fog of history, but we act like we don't know where it was physically located. Well I do. Anatomically speaking, it is within the armpit that forms the Cape Cod peninsula. It's within easy driving distance of Logan Airport (BOS) and Providence (PVD). Before July Fourth is still not exactly summer vacation out there. And a little bed-and-breakfast inn would be a decent place to gather a small collection of Crossroaders.
It may not be a coincidence that Bruner's Woods Hole Conference was held almost exactly fifty years ago (September 1959). Is it time for a Woods Hole II? Will that be the year where science education finally gets onto a trajectory that is appropriate for the 21st century? Stay tuned!
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