Fulbright teacher and National Geographic educator, Lisa Werner shares her transformative experiences as a Fulbright Teacher for Global Classrooms Fellow in Senegal, highlighting the stark differences and surprising similarities in educational practices. She discusses the importance of community, connection, and the role of technology in education, while also exploring the intersection of music and science. Lisa reflects on her adventures as a NOAA Teacher at Sea, emphasizing the responsibility educators have to inspire their students through authentic experiences and curiosity-driven learning.

NOAA Teacher at Sea program: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/teacher-at-sea-program

Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms: https://www.fulbrightteacherexchanges.org/programs/tgc

Space for Teachers: https://spaceforteachers.org/

Lisa Werner is the PreK-8th grade Band, Choir, and Music teacher at St. Bruno Parish School in Dousman, WI. Her commitment goes beyond the conventional, constantly seeking inventive ways to intertwine music with diverse subjects, such as orchestrating students' experiments on sound and music during a Space for Teachers zero gravity flight while playing her trombone, making connections between music, bathymetry, and autonomous underwater vehicles on a NOAA Teacher at Sea mission to the Pacific Ocean, exploring multicultural education on a Fulbright Teacher for Global Classrooms adventure in Senegal, or traveling on a National Geographic/Lindblad Expedition Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship to study music's existence in Antarctica. Lisa's passion lies in showcasing music as a tool for fostering empathy, managing emotions, and establishing connections across all cultures and eras. Her goal is to kindle aspirations in students, encouraging them to dream big and leverage the skills acquired in music class to achieve their ambitions.