Educator Spotlight - Marie Noel

Marie Noel, a volunteer docent from Guilford County, recently completed the NC Environmental Education Certification Program. Marie is a retired registered nurse but has always been interested in the environment. She volunteers for Haw River Assembly, the City of Greensboro’s water resource department, the All Souls Natural Burial ground and the NC Native Plant Society. “I give presentations and do outdoor education regarding the importance of native flora and fauna to the ecosystem, the impact of animal agriculture on the environment and local water quality issues. I am hoping to do more public education as a naturalist in the future.”

When asked about her favorite part of the program, Marie says it was all the learning opportunities. “I loved the opportunities for learning that I would have never been exposed to if I hadn't decided to earn my certification. I have learned so much about North Carolina wildlife and ecosystems. I have met so many like-minded, wonderful people.”

Marie says the experience that stood out for her was the Growing Up WILD program because it fostered a love for working with children. “The program was fun, and I have shared the book, activities and program information with many elementary teachers. It also introduced me to the idea of involving parents to continue nature education at home. Most of my past teaching history is with adults and this program helped me be comfortable with including younger children.”

For her community partnership program, Marie created a native plant pollinator garden at All Souls Burial Ground. “The garden is open to the public and can be used for education workshops and as an example of a native pollinator garden. The garden is heavily populated with pollinators and is a good example of the biodiversity of insects and birds when native plants are used. The garden is between the burial ground and a church parking lot so it can be enjoyed by many. Its presence has led to an increased awareness of the importance of native plants to the biodiversity of an ecosystem, and of the importance of identifying and controlling invasive plants and staying open minded to a less formal style of landscaping. It was also an excellent learning project for me in understanding how to organize various groups to work together and how to encourage volunteers.”

Marie says the program changed her approach to teaching. “  As a non-formal volunteer educator, I had a lot to learn! Since participating in the certification program my teaching has become more interactive and hopefully, more interesting. I use less lecture style teaching and more hands on and interactive teaching. I have learned how effective it can be to let people work through problems and reach solutions on their own. I also gained a much deeper understanding of the difference between educating and advocating. Sometimes education can be spontaneous and happen in the moment, and I feel the focus on flexibility during the program has helped me be more effective in those moments. I was pleasantly surprised to realize through the program that what applies to children often applies to adults too! Adults love games, play and hands-on activity as much as the children and the knowledge gained is more likely to be retained.”

The program also changed the way Marie views environmental issues. “I have always been very serious about environmental issues which can lead to someone being "preachy". I realized that promoting the fun, beauty and enjoyment of nature is a vital first step. Once people appreciate nature and all it offers, they begin to care, and environmental issues become more of a priority. It is vital that children are exposed to the outdoors early if we want new generations of environmentalists and stewards. I still am very concerned about the state of the environment but have learned a new approach to facing the issues. The En-Roads Climate Interactive program also made me aware that no single solution is going to solve issues, it takes multiple approaches and a lot of cooperation to make significant changes.”