Learning with butterflies, chickens and goats

As the daughter of a civil engineer and an inquisitive librarian, University of Delaware alumna Caroline Mann spent much of her childhood outside exploring, experimenting and learning. Through backpacking, trips to a local lake and other outdoor adventures, her parents demonstrated how classroom knowledge could apply to real-life situations.

As an elementary resource room teacher and a district-wide leader in sustainability initiatives in Clinton Township, New Jersey, Mann now creates nature-based learning opportunities for her students. Whether she's teaching English language arts or math, Mann helps her students learn through the natural world, bringing butterflies, chickens, goats and more to her classroom. She also encourages student activism, leading her students in campaigns to reduce food waste and air pollution.

"My educational philosophy centers on the principle that meaningful learning occurs when students understand the why behind concepts," said Mann, who graduated from the College of Education and Human Development's (CEHD) elementary and middle school teacher education program and teaching students with disabilities master's program. "A common thread across all of my classes is the emphasis on demonstrating the real-world applications and societal impact of their learning. When students connect their learning to tangible projects and see the concrete outcomes of their efforts, they internalize knowledge rather than merely memorize it."