Tadpole habitat

We've been working on getting a home set up for our tadpoles, last week students researched what tadpoles needed to survive and this week they started putting the habitats together.  This is pretty great for us because when we went back outside, the water is all gone, so no home for our little friends.

As a learning journey the students loved it, they learned a lot about tadpoles (and it's still on going) and they are totally motivated to make the most out of their habitats, pretty exciting times.

Changes in the Garden

We've just returned from a holiday and looking out in the garden we've seen a lot of new wood covering the ground.  We're going to use this to look into how systems change when humans try to make differences in our shared world.  Should be interesting.

Touching plants

When we're outside with the little ones we're looking for ways to engage their thinking, and hopefully drive some inquiry. One of the first things we do (and then we revisit it) is walking around touching, smelling and looking at different plants.  We try to do this so we get a better understanding of where we are, as well as feel more comfortable when working with other living things. 

Second instalment

This is the second instalment of our itime with the grade 2 cca learners.  So far they have looked at some of the problems they see in the outdoor discovery center.  One of the larger problems they've recognized is the holes in the roof. Last week they were thinking about the different materials that could used for the roof. We thought of the idea of wood, and leaves.  We then looked around the garden to see if we could find anything around to fix it with.  Right now, we're not sure we can actually finish this "on time" but it's something we're working on.

Trying video

Alright I'm trying something new.

Working in the ODC these past two years has been pretty good, this year for a CCA we're having students develop like an itime, 20%time, maker space type thing, it's going to take forever, and it likely won't be great as a first go, but I take 18 grade 2 students out here three times a week for forty minutes to find problems and look for solutions.

The first bit was really just getting them used to the space, and the idea that problems exist in our real world.

We've found two, which i'll get into later on, but I wanted to introduce you (to part of at least) the space we're working in for right now

First Draft

I've been working on a brief fifteen minutes sense of place presentation for a conference in a couple of weeks.  Most of what I focus on is images, and after going over this a couple of times. I really notice that my font choice needs a lot of work (that will come in the next two weeks for sure).

Regardless it's allowed me to really think out what I believe and try to condense that down into fifteen minutes and I need to entertain other educators as well.  The process is really helpful and this is now my fourth presentation and I can feel my story becoming more focused and clear.

One of the benefits of me doing an image focused slide show is that it helps me tell a story, and the images work with the words to create some new neural pathways.  One of the detriments is that it doesn't make much sense without the story.  However, I'll embed it anyway.




Deep learners is one of my favourite conferences because after the two fifteen minute sessions people choose what they want to spend an hour on in the afternoon.  So the deep dive will be more hands-on based where we can try to sell our favourite places, and maybe dig into some conservation photography.

Unity and standards: What are we aiming for?

        Some rights reserved by Chris Devers

Thanks again to the Place Being Resonance book I've been stuck in a world of wondering.  I apologize in advance. I know at times I am not clear in my writing, and this thought isn't fully formed, so it might not make the most sense. 

While reading it talked about what our destruction of the world looks like, and it looks like progress, parts look like sustainable development, parts look like social justice.  It looks like we are supposed to be doing the things we are doing because that's how people develop.  In order for humans to be unified (economically, socially, etc.) other things have to (and do) suffer.  So, when we are looking at unity, we are often just taking an anthropocentric view of what we need (and people would argue why wouldn't we think of humans first) and we forget about what our system (The Earth) needs. While we are going for unity, I'm not really sure we know who we are unifying with, and who (or what I suppose) we are excluding. 

It's really difficult for anyone to step back from themselves, deconstruct what they think, challenge the dominant culture and make a difference.  Where do those ideas even come from? So how can we expect people to actually protect our planet when we don't even know what we don't know. 

While I was pondering this, I started thinking about school, and how we are trying to hit standards and go through curriculums, and just race through to show progress.  My mind kind of paused for a second, what and who are we progressing and for what end?  Place Being and Resonance wants us to challenge how we teach, why are we moving towards more data? What is growth? Who benefits from our current system of education, and who suffers? I think deep down we know the answers to these questions, but it is difficult to challenge a system that wants to engage and enlighten our learners.  When we have public school systems that want to bring up literacy are we focusing too much on a specific type of reading? So much was flying through my head. 

I'm not really sure where to take it from there.  I know I have to listen more (not just to humans, but I need to be aware of the voices not being heard or acknowledged).  I know I have to slow things down and encourage actual thinking, and actual listening in my students.  I know I have to encourage students to be aware of a multi-vocal, eco-centric (as in not just anthropocentric) view of our planet. 

I guess the real question is how can we see the system we are in and try to fight for that system, while being aware of the multi-faceted aspects of our world.  How we can honestly unify through diversity? 

Changing our language

 Some rights reserved by autumnal_hedge

Rarely do I think about poetry and it's opportunity to create relationships by making metaphors.  I've been slowly (but diligently and thoughtfully) reading this book.

you can buy it here

It continues to change the way I think, and how I want to grow as an educator.  The whole idea of slowing doing, and really creating those deep connections is so important.  This book calls for a change in approach to how we view aspects of environmental education.  Specifically I enjoy the opportunity to engage more in poetry (which is something very new for me). 

The argument is, in order to create connections we have to foster a feeling (which I have read so many other places and firmly believe).  Before we actually get to know something, we need to feel something about it, and this is where poetry and metaphor come into play.  Instead of learning about a plant scientifically first, we have to create that awe, and that connection.  Here is where we use poetry.  

For the past week and a half I've been talking the grade 1 teachers and students out to the garden. First we look at something and draw it, then we listen to the world around us, and then (we don't label) we write some poetry.  Try to fully describe our thing beautifully.  We don't have to know the correct names, we don't label the parts or explain what it is or does (this will all come later in the unit) we just write about it, how it looks, feels, smells, sounds and how it makes us feel.  

It's been a really interesting exercise so far.  Everyone enjoys being outside (even if it is a little hot from time to time). The focus on the change in language has made learning more accessible for the younger students. They aren't as worried about being right, they just need to talk about how they feel, so it's easy for them to start.  Once we've made some connections then we start the deeper understanding (which will be easier because we actually care). 

It's a great start so far.

Why so slow?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/befuddledsenses/

The end of the year is quickly approaching, and this is a time I find when teachers are definitely trying to speed things up.  We want to get all of the content in before the students go to their next great, before they try to get things presentable to parents, and before we rush off to our summer vacations.

At our school at least half of the grade levels I work with are finishing the year with sharing the planet, so I'm pushing for a go slow movement for the next six or seven weeks.  We need time to fully experience what it's like outside in order to actually make those connections (something I feel I talk about all the time).   I now have four classes I take outside every week.  It's a start (one class is trying to move to everyday next year), but we are moving forward which is great!

We are taking the time to wonder and think, something that is difficult for some teachers.  We have to talk about connections and thinking deeply about how things work together (which is the central idea for most of our units, but never really adressed this way).

All in all, in just one week I've seen more excitement about the unit. Students are actively engaged and posing good questions.  This week we are trying to "look closely" to see how things work and what things look like.

Going slow is great for us right now, hopefully I can convince some teachers to keep it up after these seven weeks.

Back at it

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We just returned from break, a wonderful time but before we left I didn't have time to write about our excursion week. 

I was really worried before we went about the quality of environmental education that we would be receiving. We had outsourced the week so a company would be working on the activities and preparing our kids for learning about Malaysia.  

It turned out way better than I thought it would.  We had lots of time to just sit and be present in nature. Some, but not many of the students went out to the ocean and played in tide-pools, so this is where I spent most of my time. 

We were just looking at life, observing, documenting with technology and then researching later on about what we were seeing and thinking and wondering. 

Now, back in the building. Things are alright, winding down.  

Been reading a lot about different interview techniques and styles.  I'm trying to support some teachers for their bid to apply for new jobs next year. Talking about redesigning infographic style resumes, how to make sure their websites are up and running and looking good.  Exciting times for sure. 

Place based learning in an unknown place

 Some rights reserved by feeinternational

I have been thinking about this a lot and it played a role in my thesis work a couple of years ago.  I wonder how as international we can teach about a place without fully knowing it.  This year we've been working hard with our outdoor discovery centre trying to connect teachers to where we live.  By looking at local plants, and seeing the wildlife that lives around our area we are hoping that people are more connected. 

Sadly though this last week we had a plant catastrophe for some of the kindergarten students.  The teachers had some plants they had been growing with the students inside, and they transplanted a week or so after they sprouted.  We had the weekend off and when we came back the plants were gone.  The teachers were worried that something had eaten them, but I don't think that was the case.  Not really sure what happened but we need to make sure that everyone in the community has the same goals.  But we need to look closely in order to figure things out.

Virtual field trips

There has been heaps going on these last couple of weeks, maybe not an excuse for not posting so much, but it seems legitimate.  

We've been working with google on their google expeditions program.  It seems really great, teachers can lead virtual field trips around the world (well wherever google has taken the photos), information pops up on the screen and it is just very engaging.  

From the students reaction I mean, it's been overwhelming so far, they are so excited, and many of the excursions easily fit into our curriculum, which is also great.  Also very fun for leading inquiry. 

It does make me wonder a lot, about where we are headed as a society, how will this really change the way we interact? Should we be worried about lack of connections to place, or will this help us become more rooted into our place? 

Anyway, it's been an incredibly fun day so far.  It's great to see how different teachers/learners react to new situations, and just wonderful to see students so happy in this last week of school. 

Environmental Leadership

 Some rights reserved by North Cascades National Park

This week was pretty exciting.  One of my teachers has asked me to do an environmental leadership class which was great. Now every Tuesday I have dedicated environmental time in a class. 

It's been a year, but it's a huge first step for me. 

Our first adventure will be in our garden, and then we're going to sit outside and find our sit spots.  We're going to start developing a sense of place and a better understanding of our environment in order to be real leaders and work with our community to enhance our place. 

I'm really excited.

Sit Spots into Nature Journals

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Over the summer break I read Coyote's Guide.  I want to get better at mentoring people who go outside.  I used to call them Magic Spots, but in the book they are called sit spots.  Sit spots help build empathy, understanding and systems thinking in students.  By sitting outside in your specific place you can watch change, and see how nature "works". 

Last year, I tried to develop a sense of place in students by taking photos then making a time lapse to see change, and then share that change with others.  I think it worked alright, but I want to incorporate a nature journal this year. 

I had a bit of time this summer, so also read To Look Closely.  The idea of the nature journal and sit spots are tied together pretty tightly here.  It adds another level to the sit spot.  I used to sit in a circle and discuss what we saw and felt but there was no other form of documentation.  I think that by using a sit spot with a nature journal I can help develop a sense of place in students. 

I'm not quite sure what the nature journal is going to look like just yet, but I'm going to start with notebooks, hopefully with blank pages, no lines to inspire a whole no boundaries approach. 

Here's hoping.