News: Interview
Barbara Morgan
Ready To Fly

Idaho elementary teacher Barbara Morgan is in training to become the first teacher in space. She follows in the footsteps of her friend and colleague, Christa McAuliffe, who died in the 1986 Challenger tragedy.

Space: the final frontier. Among the men and women chosen by NASA for space missions in the new millennium, NEA member Barbara Morgan is the first educator to be trained as a full-fledged astronaut. No stranger to the space program, Barbara Morgan, a third grade teacher in McCall, Idaho, was the backup to Christa McAuliffe for the original Teacher in Space mission. In the years since the Challenger tragedy in 1986, Morgan has continued to teach at McCall Elementary and work closely with the NASA space program. When NASA announced that educators would be added to its list of astronaut specialists, Morgan was the first name mentioned. As she prepares to become America’s first education mission specialist, Morgan spoke with NEA Today staff writer Anita Merina.

Q: Aren’t you afraid?
Not at all. We’re all trained about the risks of space flight. But if you don’t carry risks, you’re not going anywhere. I’m not advocating doing anything overly risky, especially with kids, but to live life and learn, you’ve got to take risks. That goes for the classroom as well as space missions. That doesn’t mean I won’t be alert on the launch pad, but I know I will be prepared for every emergency.

Q: Why is sending an educator into space so important?
It’s been my goal to make sure education is fully integrated into the astronaut corps and the astronaut job.

In choosing me and creating the education mission specialist position, NASA is saying that educators are just as important as geologists, physicians, engineers, and scientists to the astronaut program.

My selection also shows that NASA, even with all of its high-tech priorities, knows that we help our children most through teachers, and high-tech is no-tech without the corps of people who can pass the knowledge on to the next generation. A space mission is a terrific teaching opportunity.

Q: How has being a teacher helped you become a better astronaut?
For one, teachers are good learners. That’s why we do so well in the classroom. In the complex environment of a classroom, you have to work with children of different learning styles. You need to figure every kid out and deal with curriculum needs, yet at the same time you also teach teamwork, skills mastery, and cooperative learning.

It’s funny. When I first got here, one of the things they did was choose a round of expedition crews: cosmonauts, astronauts, and others to work and live together on a space station. They were looking at various skills and trying to determine how you train people to become good expedition workers. I couldn’t help thinking that all they need to do is ask a bunch of teachers to come in. Educators are flexible, hard-working, and experienced in working in complex, enclosed environments—like the classroom.

Q: What was the toughest part of training?
It’s hard to say because I’m still in training. I have so much to learn. The toughest part right now is the space flight. There’s so much to do and track in different areas. We train in the T38 supersonic jet trainer and work with the pilot and co-pilot on communication and navigation. There are endless checklists and systems, and you have to scramble to keep these complicated systems and procedures in your head.

Q: Is there a timetable set on your mission?
People always think that flying a mission is the ultimate goal, the carrot dangling out there for the astronaut corps. But to me, and to use teacher talk, the learning experience, the process, is key. You’re wrapped up in it and it’s exciting. Many of us haven’t received a flying assignment or assignment to a space station. Others work as control specialists. We all play a key role.

Q: What’s your response to critics who challenge the expense of the space program?
NASA has created a valuable learning opportunity for our nation’s children, not only in the education programs related to past missions but also the great gains we’ll make with educators fully integrated in its space exploration program. One current program is Earth-cam, a camera trained toward the earth from the international space station. The camera collects data for teams of middle school students participating in a special program run by astronaut Sally Ride and the University of California, San Diego. The students are doing exciting, original research.

Q: Does your selection send a particular message to young girls?
Recently, I sat with a group of women astronauts, and we recalled the first women in the space program. They opened the doors for astronauts like Eileen Collins, who never would have led a mission if her predecessors hadn’t fought so hard. Glass barriers still exist here and there, but I hope girls will want to go into space. I also hope all children will see education as another road to space exploration.

Q: Many of your students are too young to remember the Challenger and Christa McAuliffe. How do you help them understand?
I don’t think I have to do any explaining. The crew will always be remembered.

I learned so much from Christa, who felt her biggest challenge would be doing a good job representing teachers. Knowing her, I realized I had gotten into something a lot bigger than I thought. The universe is one giant classroom.