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In this classroom, she makes it fun being green

A Chiles Elementary teacher has turned her third-graders on to agriculture and the environment.

By JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEK
Published May 1, 2005

TAMPA PALMS - Kiwi, a brilliant green Jardine's parrot, squawks and squeals in the corner of the cramped portable classroom at the back of Chiles Elementary School.

Crickets chirp as they scurry inside a plastic garbage pail, soon to become food for a menagerie of frogs, lizards, spiders. A tumbler churns noisily as it polishes rocks.

Outside, one group of students sprays water from a rain barrel onto their multicolored butterfly garden, while another excitedly examines the class compost heap. Sacks of humus, soil and mulch for gardening lie nearby.

In just two years, teacher Sharon Cutler has created a space dedicated to agriculture and the environment in this nattily landscaped corner of suburbia. Children love the experience. "She gives us a lot of work to do, but it's all so fun," third-grader Isaac Cress says. Now Cutler has gained statewide recognition for her efforts.

Florida Ag in the Classroom, a nonprofit curriculum-based organization supported by specialty license plate sales, has named her the top elementary school agriculture teacher for 2005.

"What makes her truly so special is she has a passion and love for science and kids, and she combines those two," says assistant principal Kim Pietsch. "Every day it is an adventure in her classroom. She's really brought an awareness of the environment here."

Cutler, a 27-year teacher, says her lessons stem from her passion for the environment and her desire to better the planet. Agriculture studies come easily in that vein, whether teaching how to create soil from composting or how to use rain for irrigation rather than let it be runoff.

"We look at ways that teach them about the environment and also about agriculture," says Cutler, 49, who lives in Pebble Creek.

In her off hours, she teaches other teachers about science instruction. She also has volunteered to help write a program for educational television in Pinellas County. Her reading list includes such best sellers as Reptiles Magazine.

"I love science," she enthuses. "I was born to be a science teacher."

Her enthusiasm rubs off on her students.

"The thing I like most about school, my favorite subject, is science," says third-grader Hanna Seybold. "It's cool because we see different kinds of birds in the compost, and snakes and frogs. ... Mrs. Cutler makes it interesting."

Classmate Ryan Blood hopes to be a zoologist some day. He loves that Cutler encourages his class to explore nature and animals, and to conduct interesting experiments.

"She's helping many of the bats and owls by making bat and owl houses," Ryan says of one class project. "Bats eat the insects that hurt the crops. This will help so we can grow corn and wheat."

To a child, the class talks about its passion for science and the environment. Debbie Shear says she enjoys the freedom Cutler gives when doing projects. Matthew Shaw appreciates the opportunity to learn about gardens, outdoor activities and just about any other lesson he can get.

"It's better to know of something than not know of it," he explains.

They hope their love of science won't dissipate. But if it does, they say, the reason will be clear, says Olivia Petracelli: "We won't have Mrs. Cutler."

Jeffrey S. Solochek can be reached at 813 269-5304 or solochek@sptimes.com

[Last modified April 30, 2005, 04:00:06]