Sevastopol teacher puts lessons in hands of students By Paige Funkhouser For The News-Chronicle As the tanned hides of wild animals made their way around the fourth-grade classroom, they brought vocal reactions ranging from "Ooh, it's so soft!" to "Eew, this one stinks." Like so many lessons in Mike Madden's Sevastopol classroom, this one puts the subject into the hands of the students. Stepping away from the chalkboard and overhead projector, Madden employs a teaching method that is unique, yet incredibly effective. When Madden wants to teach students about Wisconsin's cranberry industry, his students learn to bake cranberry bread. When they're learning fractions and proportions, his class hikes into a forest to tap maple trees to study sugar content. When the subject is physics, Madden's class takes apart a bicycle to study levers and gears. So when a December lesson on Wisconsin history hinged on the graphic details of tracking and trapping wild animals, Madden took advantage of Mark Richards, the father of one of his students. Richards, a professional trapper, brought his expertise to the classroom, along with an overflowing armful of silken coats from otters, beavers, foxes and coyotes. During Richards' interactive lecture, Madden's fourth-graders learned how Native Americans trapped animals for skins and food, and how later European settlers, specifically the French, parlayed the same techniques into an income-producing industry. "I always try to do hands-on activities," said Madden, a 32-year teaching veteran. "Students look forward to coming to my class because we cook, do dissections, and have live animals in class." A Sevastopol native, Madden earned his teaching credentials from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, spent half a year in Oconto as a student teacher, and then moved home to Sevastopol to begin his lifelong career. Madden spent a year away from Door County at a small village school in Sheffield, England, on a Fulbright scholarship. Sheffield "was a lot like Sevastopol, a small town and school," he said. While in England, Madden taught fifth- and sixth-graders. At the time, teachers were considered "professionals" and were able to make more of their own decisions on what and how they taught. "There weren't any textbooks except for math," said Madden. "It was really neat to be given a sense of freedom like that." Having taught for 10 years prior to going to England, Madden relished the creative freedom he was allowed in the English system, which confirmed to him the importance of interactive learning for students. Learned at The Ridges Throughout his career, Madden said he has reaffirmed, time and again, that students retain information better when they can physically manipulate something connected with what they are being taught. The concept is one he reinforces for himself through courses offered by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, professors at UWGB and in-service workshops. To improve his own understanding and to help him teach about nature, Madden spent 15 summers at The Ridges Sanctuary. There, he learned from mentors Carl Schultz, a retired educator and founder of The Farm, and Roy Lukes, a renowned naturalist. Now he can consider himself a naturalist. Madden also has drawn on other personal experiences, such as working with Habitat for Humanity and from courses he's taken under the Department of Natural Resources, in order to bring more knowledge and hands-on skills into his curriculum and classroom. The success of his continuing self-education and hands-on teaching are revealed when Madden's students voice excitement about science and history - how exciting their teacher makes the subjects. One student, Mallory Rankin, an articulate 9-year-old student with contained energy, said she enjoyed all the field trips Madden makes use of for his class. Her eyes lit up when talking about how she especially enjoyed Madden's annual adopt-a-tree project. Every year since 1979, Madden has taken his class to a large clutch of trees behind Sevastopol school and invited each child to choose a tree to become theirs. At the end of the year, the student's name is nailed into the tree on a metal placard. The trees are one of Mallory's favorite science lessons. Excitement filled her face as she described "going outside to visit our trees" as one of her favorite activities. Crunching over freshly fallen snow, Mallory's classmates Ian Ullman and Morgan Johnson led the way on an abbreviated field trip out to show off their personal trees. Walking under the bare boned maples and ash energized the two students. The two chattered like chipmunks as they pointed out placards on many of the trees and bird houses, temporarily inhabited by mice. Their enthusiasm confirmed that Madden's hands-on physical approach leaves a lasting impression. "I picked a maple syrup tree," Ian said, "so I can come back in March and tap it. I also do it for a job, for extra spending money." A longer search led to Morgan's tree, one out of a three-trunk giant. "I put this log up to make a kind of shelter," she said. "It fell down though." The two fourth-graders eagerly showed off the technique Madden had taught them for using an antique two-man saw to cut through tree limbs. Stumbling and scampering through the trees, Ian and Morgan showed off the sawhorse they used when cutting branches with the two-man saw. As part of his history lessons, Madden integrates his collection of antique farming tools - which he displays on the back wall of his classroom. The authentic artifacts help Madden's students connect with history and reinforce their respect for him. Former students remember While on bus duty, Madden high-fived students as they exited the school. The eyes of fifth- and sixth-graders shined with admiration for the man who earned their respect a year or two earlier. During his tenure at Sevastopol, Madden has watched several generations of Door County kids mature. "We get to know the families of these kids - their parents," Madden said. "It helps when we can communicate with them about their child throughout their child's education here. There's a homey, comfortable feeling at this school." The projects and field trips Madden weaves into his lesson plans frequently involve parents. It is not uncommon for 41 students to set out on a field trip accompanied by 21 parent chaperones, Madden said. The teachers encourage parent involvement on field trips, as well as in the classroom, so that they are aware of what's going on in their child's daily activities. "Knowing the family increases the potential to increase a child's learning capacity," Madden said. "Parents participate much more in smaller schools." Bringing into the classroom parents who have special talents or trades helps instill in their children a sense of pride, Madden said. The youngsters have more appreciation for their parents' accomplishments when they see their classmates respond to a display of their skills, creating respect and admiration, he added. Former students of Madden's are now returning to Sevastopol with their own children. Frequently, the old grads will reminisce with him about projects they did 15 or 20 years ago. The reminders not only make Madden beam with pride, but serve to reaffirm to him just how effective and imperative it is for children to be actively involved in their own learning process. Whether the lesson focuses on the way trees grow and produce sap for syrup, or personalized word problems in math, Madden's students agree with Mallory Rankin's assessment: "He's really cool and fun. He makes fun of a lot of people, but that's fun too."