Amy Sebring: Welcome to the EIIP Virtual Classroom! Our topic today is the American Red Cross Masters of Disaster Curriculum for grades K-8, which is in follow up to the International Disaster Reduction Day theme for this year. Amy Sebring: For the benefit of any first-timers, when you see a blue web address, you can click on it and the referenced Web page should appear in a browser window. Amy Sebring: We will start with a presentation, and then follow with a Q&A session for your questions and comments. Right before we begin the Q&A portion we will review the procedure. Amy Sebring: Please do NOT send direct messages to the speakers or moderator as it makes it difficult for us to follow the discussion. Amy Sebring: Background information for today's session may be found at http://www.emforum.org/vclass/001018.htm ... Amy Sebring: We are very pleased to welcome back Dr. Rocky Lopes, Sr. Associate for the Community Disaster Education Program at ARC HQ to provide an update on the implementation of this program. Amy Sebring: Rocky is responsible for interpreting social science research for lay-public use by designing, developing, and implementing Community Disaster Education materials and activities used by more than 125,000 paid and volunteer Red Cross staff nationwide, who collectively reach tens of millions of Americans annually. Amy Sebring: We are also pleased to have Denise Brownlee with us for the first time. Denise is an elementary school teacher who joined the ARC last April where she has designed and facilitated implementer's trainings for the Masters of Disaster curriculum. Amy Sebring: Welcome to you both, and Rocky, please start us off. Rocky Lopes: Hi! We're excited to be on line with you today to discuss the exciting new children's disaster education curriculum called "Masters of Disaster." Rocky Lopes: Acronym warning: for purposes of making this on-line chat shorter, we'll be using "MoD" to refer to the curriculum today. Rocky Lopes: We began this process by doing a thorough literature review, and discovered that no one else had developed... Rocky Lopes: a comprehensive, standards-based set of materials designed for teachers to use in the classroom throughout the school year. Rocky Lopes: In fact, FEMA validated our literature review by doing a similar review of existing programs and materials in cooperation with the Maryland Emergency Management Agency during 1999. Rocky Lopes: So, based on discussions with focus groups of teachers from all over the country, we began development of lessons that help teachers meet requirements in academic subjects THROUGH teaching about the hazards... Rocky Lopes: For example, children can learn how to plot latitude and longitude by tracking a hurricane... Rocky Lopes: There are many, many, more examples... but we don't have time for all that here!... Rocky Lopes: Subject Matter Experts, representing FEMA, the National Weather Service, U.S. Geological Survey, state and local emergency management offices, Red Cross chapters, and many others... Rocky Lopes: Advised us on which hazards we should cover ... so we selected, based on casualty data, to cover hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, lightning, and as the foundation, general disaster preparedness.... Rocky Lopes: And, based on teacher recommendations, we focused on developing materials for children in grades Kindergarten through 8th. Rocky Lopes: The curriculum was pilot tested during the fall of 1999 in 40 locations including Guam, Puerto Rico, and 23 states. More than 380 teachers from 90 schools participated. Rocky Lopes: They returned more than 650 evaluation forms. The pilot testing was very successful and many teachers expressed great enthusiasm for the materials. Rocky Lopes: Let me ask Denise to explain how it's working now that it's been released... Denise Brownlee: MoD was released in June, 2000. We have had incredible feedback from our chapters, teachers, and school districts about it so far... Denise Brownlee: As a teacher myself, I was always looking for materials that had practical, hands-on lessons that were flexible in design and time requirements... Denise Brownlee: When I reviewed MoD, I liked that many of the lessons had creative ways of involving the entire family in the student's learning. Denise Brownlee: We held three interactive training sessions this past summer for school district and Red Cross representatives whose communities applied for and were awarded "Implementer's Awards." Denise Brownlee: Teachers in Implementer Award communities have acclaimed... Denise Brownlee: "It's not a 'Program' that I have to teach from start to finish... I can pick it up and use it when and where it fits my schedule and curriculum requirements"... Denise Brownlee: "It is very 'teacher-friendly'. Any teacher can pick it up, review it, and use it right away."... Denise Brownlee: "It is very 'hands-on'. Materials required to carry out experiments are easy to find and inexpensive or free."... Denise Brownlee: "Hands-on experiments reach children of all learning levels, so children of varied learning levels can work with and benefit from such experiences."... Denise Brownlee: "The background for the teacher that comes with each curriculum section provides a knowledge base so that I feel comfortable presenting a hazard I am not an expert on."... Denise Brownlee: "It is standards-based, and there is an easy-to- read chart for teachers in the front of each Lesson Plan book that shows which lessons support which standards."... Denise Brownlee: "All we need to do is find local support to purchase the curriculum..." Rocky will discuss that next... Rocky Lopes: We were delighted to have significant financial backing from the Allstate Foundation for the development of MoD, and initial implementation... Rocky Lopes: However, the Foundation's funding did not extend to being able to provide copies of MoD kits at no charge.... Rocky Lopes: Many of our local Red Cross chapters are working with organizations in their respective communities to raise funds to acquire MoD for schools... Rocky Lopes: In fact, the State of Florida Department of Community Affairs recently provided a major grant to the chapter in Tallahassee to provide MoD for every elementary and middle school in the state... Rocky Lopes: More examples of fund raising success is in our "Curriculum Currents" newsletter, available on line at http://www.redcross.org/disaster/masters/MoD.pdf ... Rocky Lopes: What we need to recognize, however, is that most good things start small... Rocky Lopes: First, finding funds to order one set of the MoD kits (there are three of them that sell for $45 each), is a start... Rocky Lopes: Let school representatives review the kits. Allow time for the school budget process, which can be a year or more in some districts.... Rocky Lopes: Use PowerPoint presentations (available to all Red Cross chapters on our internal web site) to describe the curriculum and its benefits to potential local funders such as... Rocky Lopes: Project Impact Committees; Retailers such as Target, WalMart, Lowes, etc.; ... Rocky Lopes: Local businesses that have a previous track record of providing financial support... Rocky Lopes: Local "adopt a school programs"; local philanthropic organizations and community groups (JayCees, Rotary International, etc.)... Rocky Lopes: And, remember that many grocery stores have methods to support the purchase of needed school supplies by customers accumulating register receipts or purchase points... Rocky Lopes: There are many more good ideas about fund raising, as well as how MoD is working already, in our "Curriculum Currents" newsletter. The URL for that again is: http://www.redcross.org/disaster/masters/MoD.pdf ... Rocky Lopes: Denise mentioned earlier that we offered "Implementer's Training" workshops last summer. We will also be offered three workshops in Summer 2001. Rocky Lopes: In February, 2001, Red Cross chapters will be provided an application for 2001 Implementer's Awards (that include acceptance to participate in the training workshops) and a volunteer-led committee will select attendees. Rocky Lopes: So if you're interested, please work with your local Red Cross and keep an eye out for the 2001 Implementer's Award Announcement and Application. Rocky Lopes: Finally, we wish to point to our Website about MoD that provides lots more information and support for teachers using the curriculum. Be sure to look at http://www.redcross.org/disaster/masters Rocky Lopes: We can go on and on, but want to hear your questions... Denise Brownlee and Shannon Foster of our MoD team are here with me, too. So, Amy, we're turning it back to you. Amy Sebring: Thank you both for that overview, and we can get into some more detail in response to questions. Amy Sebring: Audience please enter a question mark (?) to indicate you wish to be recognized, go ahead and compose your comment or question, but wait for recognition before hitting the enter key or clicking on Send. Amy Sebring: Please specify to whom your question is directed. We now invite your questions/comments. ray pena: ? Amy Sebring: Ray, when you are ready please. Cam King: ? CAROL MARIE DAHMS: DENISE: Are the MoD materials user-friendly for LD children? ray pena: Does the program involve local ARC or emergency managers in any way, for example as presenters? Denise Brownlee: We feel the lessons are very adaptable to all students with special needs. . . Denise Brownlee: They are, as mentioned earlier, very "hands-on" and this is helpful for those with learning disabilities. Rocky Lopes: Ray, there are some sections in lesson plans where local response officials are mentioned for teachers to call on to join the classroom in a discussion. Amy Sebring: Cam next please. Cam King: Rocky - is there an address where those of us from outside the States might be able to obtain a copy? Amy Sebring: (Cam is from Canada Rocky.) Avagene Moore: ? Rocky Lopes: I'm sorry, but we must respect the jurisdiction of Red Cross societies of other countries, so we can not fulfill orders from outside the U.S. Sorry. CAROL MARIE DAHMS: ROCKY: Can we as a local chapter receive FREE set to look at? Amy Sebring: Carol, please wait until you are recognized .. Amy Sebring: Avagene is next please. Rocky Lopes: Sorry, we can not provide free sets of MoD, even to our own folks. You'll have to order them from our central warehouse, GSD, like everyone else. Avagene Moore: Rocky, are there any plans to compile success stories that may encourage more schools and teachers to use this material to teach life skills to our young people? Rocky Lopes: Great question, Avagene. In fact, we already have done so, and have published those stories... Sue Hands-Renwick: ? Amy Sebring: ? Fred Baehl: ? Rocky Lopes: in our "Curriculum Currents" newsletter that is on line and to which I referred before... Rocky Lopes: we still want and invite more good stories from everyone using it "out there." Cam King: ? Amy Sebring: Sue is next please. Avagene Moore: Great. Thanks, Rocky. Sue Hands-Renwick: Is the material really usable out side of a classroom e.g. after-school groups? Denise Brownlee: Yes, it is designed so that individual lessons may be pulled and used for instruction. . . Denise Brownlee: It does not have to be taught in a classroom setting. CAROL MARIE DAHMS: DENISE: Are the materials usable simply at home with families and not just for school settings? Kris Passofaro: ? Amy Sebring: In follow up to Cam's question, can he contact Canadian Red Cross to inquire? Denise Brownlee: Carol, yes. In fact. . Denise Brownlee: Let me mention that there is a "HOME CONNECTION" part to the curriculum. . . Denise Brownlee: this is designed specifically for teachers to send home for students and parents. . . Denise Brownlee: Relaying the message to home is very important. Rocky Lopes: In response to Amy's question, no, the Canadian Red Cross does not stock and cannot order American Red Cross materials. I have, however... Rocky Lopes: visited with my CRC friends in Canada recently, and they are aware of what we've done/they have copies. They also have... Rocky Lopes: some curriculum they have developed on their own which is similar to ours and quite well done. I can give you contact info later if you wish. Guest9: ? Amy Sebring: Fred please. Fred Baehl: My question was also about contacting the Canadian Red cross. I would like the contact also. Rocky Lopes: Well, you can contact my dear friend, Don Shropshire, CRC National Office, at don.shropshire@redcross.ca Fred Baehl: Thanks Amy Sebring: Cam was next please. CAROL MARIE DAHMS: DENISE: ? Cam King: Are you working with Don Schropshire in Ottawa? I was just going to ask you. Rocky Lopes: Yes, same terrific guy! Amy Sebring: Kris is next please. Kris Passofaro: Will there be any additional material covering winter storm and fire safety added to the curriculum in the future? Rocky Lopes: The grant from the Allstate Foundation limited what we could do to the hazards covered, BUT... Rocky Lopes: (teaser)... Rocky Lopes: We anticipate receiving a grant from another agency (grant in process)... Rocky Lopes: and intend to create lesson plans related to winter and other hazards. one more thing... Rocky Lopes: Our colleagues at the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) already have created fire safety curriculum, and we have no intention to compete with them. Amy Sebring: Guest 9 is next please. Amy Sebring: (Sorry about that. We still not have figured out why the software assigns Guests!) Guest9: Hi, my name is Andrea. I too would like to see winter storm, fire storm, and flood in future curriculums very important in the Northwest. Sounds like this item can be retailed for Xmas gifts Yes or No? Rocky Lopes: Flood is already in there... Avagene Moore: ? John Johnson: ? Rocky Lopes: If you would like to order MoD kits to give to teachers on your gift list, please feel free. Contact your local Red Cross to order. Amy Sebring: Ben is next please. CAROL MARIE DAHMS: DENISE: Can these MoD materials be bought by families? Can these MoD materials be used by RED CROSS paid and volunteer staff for community awareness presentations also? Amy Sebring: We will come back to Carol after Ben. Rocky Lopes: Amy, who is next? Amy Sebring: Ben has a question regarding getting state endorsements ... Ben Myers: Any tips on gaining state education department endorsement , or standard minimums that we must meet? Denise Brownlee: A chart listing national standards met by lessons in MoD Denise Brownlee: is located in the front of each teacher's lesson plan book. . . Denise Brownlee: We are also in the process of having state standards aligned with MoD lessons. . . Denise Brownlee: Those will be listed on our Website as they are completed. Rocky Lopes: And, let me jump in a moment on this one... Rocky Lopes: use these standards to show state depts. of ed. how aligned MoD is with their standards... Rocky Lopes: That ensures state "endorsement" (as has been done in Florida.) Sarah L. West: ? Amy Sebring: Carol was next. Can you still see her questions Denise? Denise Brownlee: Carol, yes, anyone can use MoD. . . Denise Brownlee: We also have interest from home schoolers. Amy Sebring: Avagene next please. Avagene Moore: Rocky, is there a mechanism for teachers, students and/or parents to suggest additional materials or changes to some threat that is covered? Rocky Lopes: Yes, we call that 'adaptations.' Soon a method to ask for ... Rocky Lopes: adaptations will be on our Website. it's not there yet. Meanwhile, we request... Rocky Lopes: that people who have suggestions send us an e-mail at: curric@usa.redcross.org with those suggestions. Amy Sebring: John is next please. CAROL MARIE DAHMS: ROCKY: ? John Johnson: I am working with CAP cadets, Young Marines, and 4-H; does MoD lend itself to interest and recruiting for YDATs ? Rocky Lopes: For those of you not in the Red Cross, YDAT means "Youth Disaster Action Team."... Rocky Lopes: The MoD curriculum is not response-oriented, and really doesn't suit itself for recruitment of younger volunteers. The curriculum... Rocky Lopes: is oriented toward teaching academic requirements in math, science, social studies, and language arts, not in teaching people about the Red Cross. Sorry, you will have to do that another way. Amy Sebring: Sarah is next please. Sarah L. West: Rocky: Can several teachers in the same school (same age group) use the same kit, or do they each need their own? Rocky Lopes: It is optimal if each teacher has her/his own kit, but... Rocky Lopes: we recognize that, financially, that can't always happen. So certainly, teachers can share kits. Amy Sebring: Carol next please. CAROL MARIE DAHMS: ROCKY: Is there an instructor certification for teaching or presenting MoD materials? John Johnson: ? Rocky Lopes: No, absolutely not. We have removed all barriers/ restrictions/ hoops on using the curriculum. We have LET IT GO. (This is a big issue for some of us! Amy Sebring: John is next please. Rocky Lopes: Anyone who works with children can pick up the curriculum and use it. Amy Sebring: ? Rick Tobin: ? CAROL MARIE DAHMS: ROCKY: ? John Johnson: The Civil Air Patrol has an AeroSpace Education program that also promotes math science and social studies. Perhaps there could be a tie-in there? Rocky Lopes: Sure, using MoD with any education programs is a great idea. Amy Sebring: Rocky, do you have any plans or hopes for the future regarding extending this to 9-12? Rocky Lopes: We considering going to upper grades, .... Rocky Lopes: but when we examined the highly specialized curriculum requirements at those levels, as well as... Rocky Lopes: what already exists in the form of educational materials, as well as the funding we had available, we decided... Rocky Lopes: to develop materials thoroughly for underserved/underreached populations (k-8)... one more thing... Rocky Lopes: At this time, we do not have funding to develop content for higher grades. But if someone would like to give us another $1M, we would be happy to proceed! Amy Sebring: Rick next please. Rick Tobin: As a former teacher, I would certainly hope this was being brought to the attention of colleges and universities that prepare teachers so they could promote it as a curriculum to be used by teacher's during their "trial" period, or introduced to existing teachers in their in-service periods. Has that approach been taken? Rocky Lopes: Yes, in fact we are already planning on... Rocky Lopes: exhibiting MoD at national conferences where teachers and teachers of teachers gather, such as... Rocky Lopes: National Science Teacher's Association, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and many others that I can't type quickly enough to mention. Amy Sebring: Carol next please. CAROL MARIE DAHMS: ROCKY: Is this going to be nationally advertised so schools and teachers and families are made aware of the MoD program materials or is it just going to be by word of mouth by ARC local chapters into their local communities? How will MoD be marketed in general to the community? Rocky Lopes: The Red Cross as a nonprofit is prohibited from paying for advertising... Russell Coile: ? Rocky Lopes: We have provided marketing kits and tools, developed by our chapter in Chicago, to all chapters nationwide... Rocky Lopes: We depend on our local chapters who already work with folks in their community to do the bulk of the marketing, as is the nature of our organization. Amy Sebring: Russell next please. Amy Sebring: ? CAROL MARIE DAHMS: DENISE: ? Kris Passofaro: ? Amy Sebring: Russell when you are ready, please pop in your question. Amy Sebring: Regarding potential funding, I understand Project Impact monies have been approved in some communities. Do you know if any post-disaster hazard mitigation grant funds have been approved? Rocky Lopes: No, we do not know if any post-disaster hazard mitigation funds have been approved. But it sounds like a great idea for our chapters in such areas to consider pursuing! Amy Sebring: Carol next please. CAROL MARIE DAHMS: DENISE: Are the MoD materials broken into many splintered fragmented lesson plans that could be used on a continuous basis throughout the school year in teaching plans? Denise Brownlee: Yes - we call MoD a curriculum. It is not a program designed. . . Russell Coile: ? Denise Brownlee: to be taught from beginning to end... Denise Brownlee: but rather taken lesson by lesson and used within the core subjects... Denise Brownlee: to teach standards. Amy Sebring: Let's try Russell again, now that he is back with us. Russell? Russell Coile: To respond to question about CAP, 4-H, and YDAT, NSF gave millions to Montgomery... CAROL MARIE DAHMS: DENISE: ? Russell Coile: County to develop Junior High Event-based Disaster courses for Science... Russell Coile: Also FEMA EMI has courses for CERT Community emergency response teams. Rocky Lopes: May I add? Amy Sebring: Yes please Rocky. Rocky Lopes: Events-based Science, with which I worked, too... Rocky Lopes: is like MoD... it is designed to teach academic requirements, not to recruit volunteers for response-oriented activities. CERT, however, can do that... so investigate that. Amy Sebring: Kris is next please. Kris Passofaro: Are there materials available in other languages? Rocky Lopes: We are trying to get through implementing the English version first... Rocky Lopes: We have not had much success with doing things in other languages due to exceptionally limited demand... however... Amy Sebring: ? Rocky Lopes: We are exploring with our Funder opportunities to make take-home materials from MoD available in Spanish to use at home with families. Amy Sebring: Carol next please. CAROL MARIE DAHMS: DENISE: As an RN, I was wondering if this MoD curriculum could be modified to be used in pediatric wards as special teaching for children to enhance their active participation in getting well to help speed their recovery? Russell Coile: ? Denise Brownlee: Sure. . .feel free to modify it if you want to do so! Amy Sebring: Rocky or Denise, do you have any future plans regarding continuing teacher support? Rocky Lopes: Great question... yes, as a matter of fact... Rocky Lopes: Right now, on our web site http://www.redcross.org/disaster/masters there is a teacher support section. Also... Rick Tobin: ? Rocky Lopes: As I mentioned in the opening, we will be holding three more Implementer's workshops next summer. Get info from your Local Red Cross chapter (in the U.S.) in February. Amy Sebring: Russell please. Russell Coile: The University of South Florida has a Center for Disaster Management and ... Russell Coile: Humanitarian Assistance which is trying to get suitable material in Spanish... Russell Coile: It is more than translation - it should be culturally appropriate. Rocky Lopes: Yep, lots of stuff in Spanish remains available. Check out available resources on our web site at: http://www.redcross.org/disaster/safety/cde.html Amy Sebring: Rick please, last question for today. Rick Tobin: Is there a measurement tool in this process that records the actual changes in knowledge base, perception and "feelings" about the topic as a follow-up to the course materials? Say 6- months to a year after the materials are delivered? Rocky Lopes: We are working with a university which has indicated an interest in developing... Rocky Lopes: evaluation materials as you describe. But we're still in development and discussion stages right now. Of course, that is my interest and I want to see that happen, if at all possible. Amy Sebring: We are about out of time ... Amy Sebring: Thank you very much for being with us today Rocky and Denise. We very much appreciate your time and effort. Please stand by a moment if you can while we take care of some announcements. Amy Sebring: Avagene, can you tell us what's on for next week please? Avagene Moore: Thanks, Amy. My appreciation to Rocky and Denise for a fine presentation today. Thank you both for your efforts. Shannon, glad to have you here also. Avagene Moore: Next week, Wednesday October 25, 12:00 Noon EDT, we will be in the Tech Arena with Ken Baechel, President of the Community Alert Network (CAN). Ken's topic will be "Community Alert Network at Los Alamos." Avagene Moore: You will find the topic interesting after all the news coverage of the fires in and around Los Alamos, and in other western states. Make plans to be here for the CAN session. Avagene Moore: Back to you, Amy. Amy Sebring: Thank you Ava. We will have a transcript of today's session posted later on this afternoon, which you can access via the Transcripts link on our home page, and the reformatted versions either Friday or Monday. Amy Sebring: Thanks to all our participants today. We will adjourn the session for now, but you are welcome to remain for open discussion. You no longer need to use question marks. Please help us thank today's guests.