Ethnobotany: doing the snoopy dance, I am!!! | Education | Forum

Ok, I am SO excited!!!   the University where I work/play is going to see about adding an ethnobotany BS degree AND they want ME to help put it all together!!!!! As a grad student, that means I get to do all the work!!!! YAY!! that means my …yes MY… input is going to be tremedous!  (doesn't mean they will accept it all though, lol!  sorry had to deflat my head a bit).

This means I will be working on figuring out all the courses necessary and what new courses we need here and how they may be structured.  Just everything! Even recommending text books and maybe putting together a lab manuel or two.

This is such good news!  We have a major in Botany, I was the last person to get a minor in botany.  And we only currently have ONE class that even touches on this subject (ethnobotany) and it is only offered 'on demand' which means once every ten or so years.  The university has been 'trimming' all the botany courses, they even got rid of the botany dept, merging it with biology.  We have one of the best Herbariums in the country and it is just sitting there.  So this will help utilize it more and even ADD to it.  It will also help push it online! 

But the best part is that I'm hoping it will draw MORE STUDENTS to love plants!!!! 

can you tell I'm excited?  There are only two universities in the country currently offering this degree.

LOL!  yeah, I know!  it's like a HUGE project and a LOT of work and here I am excited over it all!  hehehehe!

I may be tossing out some ideas here and there to see what ya'all think :D

Post edited 12:32 pm – July 20, 2011 by kaijafon

I agree!  But so far, the only ethnobotany course we have (and I did take it) was the one that is only offered on demand.  THIS degree will change all that.  I will be comin up with a complete degree, so there will be various courses on this subject.  I went to the two universities websites that have the degree and checked out their degree plans. 

I am hoping to suggest a native american course also.  :)  and an ozark one and delta one!  I think I am gonna have fun! :D

 What evr you said–got to do with herbs??

Stumped

Txanne

well I guess I should let whomever is interested know I did finish up the program! yay!!  I gave my professor a huge thick note book filled with ideas and courses and objectives and even some lesson plans and syllabi's.  I'm currently working on a "lesson unit" which will give students in secondary education (9-12) a basic understanding of plants.  

I do not know what the professor will do with what I gave him but I know I've learned a LOT and here I thought I knew something!  lol!!!! 

I'm beginning to get even more resolve to someday have my own private school.  I cannot believe the poppycock that politics have inserted into school's curriculum.   On one hand they want all the special needs children to have an individualized program of study and then on the other hand, they want to toss all the 'rest' into a strict same curriculum.  I guess they do not realize that there are NO TWO students alike!  Not even the 'normal' ones!!!!!  ugh!!!

Though it does seem that teachers understand but politics tie their hands in such bizarre ways. 

anyways that is a short and brief update.

If I did, it would only be to help fund my actual class room projects.  I will need to refine them and make sure they work! lol!  but that is an idea.  I probably will add to my "blogs" and just let people use them.  I have the first one finished (I hope) to turn in on Tuesday.  I will have to watch for allergies because there is a whole lot of tasting and touching going on!