As my senior year at the University of Oregon draws to a close, I reflect on my time working on the Restoring Connections team with nothing but a sense of accomplishment. A small but dynamic group of undergraduates tackled a new partnership with unique goals of restoring children's connection to nature, building community connections, and leading hands-on restoration activities with students. With these three goals in mind, the team spent nearly all Thursdays during Spring term at Mount Pisgah Arboretum. Hours spent preparing and leading in-class lessons and field-trips for kindergarten, first and second grade brought over 200 Adams Elementary students closer to nature, guiding them to use all senses while learning about the local ecosystem.
Walking along the trail in the Douglas-fir forest, a banana slug slowly crept along the bark chips to reach the other side. As my group of second graders tromped up the hill for their next activity, we suddenly stopped in our tracks in awe of the gooey slime trail causing clumps of pine needles to stick to the slug. Coming across a banana slug or a Pacific sideband snail always proved to be a treat during field trips. While encountering these creatures always provided a fantastic learning opportunity for students, it was a challenge at first to adapt the schedule to fit in close observations. As a teacher. I initially didn’t know some of the knowledge about these species, leaving me equally curious as the students. After the first time, Kiki and I put in some reasearch and remembered a glove so she could pick it up and show the kids up close. Students enjoyed learning about the lung on the right side of the body and the numbing effect of slime. Adaptability has proven itself to be one truly important ability for effective teaching. Times adjust, lessons change and improvements are always being made through experience and reflection. Working with a team to produce various materials also requires adaptation as each individual contributes differently. By being adaptable myself, my students learned the importance of being present in the here and now, discovering the wonders of nature.
During our first field trip, the team began to understand just how full of energy children can be. As we moved throughout the day, students were less engaged as we moved from activity to activity. This time in between required work as we knew there was opportunity to add more to the experience. By developing an Intentional Activity Tool Box, we made sure to have activities to use along the trail, teaching students about unique aspects of the habitat. Being proactive became another key takeaway from my experience with ELP. Another way to embody this approach as a teacher is to provide careful and concise instructions, encouraging students to listen carefully and respond or reflect accordingly with specifics such as “raise your hand if” or the classic attention catching signal quiet coyote. I’ve found some students require more guidance than others - it is of the utmost importance to teach each student in style they can understand. Moving forward as an educator, Howard Gardner’s Theory on Multiple Intelligences will remain part of my philosophy on teaching.
Coming into ELP, public speaking continued to be a fear of fine. As I leave with many hours of experience leading field trips, my insecurities in public speaking have subsided. Teaching a group of seven to ten elementary students provides skills in public speaking similar to the skills gained delivering formal presentations. Initially, I doubted my abilities as a teacher due to my soft-spoken nature and reserved or shy demeanor. Group management was a real challenge at times as we struggled to regain the attention of the students excited to be outside. As a whole, I learned confidence is key when teaching. Students respect teachers who are assertive and direct in their expectations. I’ve learned my teaching style still quite shy but I am learning to be more assertive.
Wrapping up my final products for ELP, it is bittersweet knowing my time working with my fantastic team and teaching students of Adams Elementary is nearly over. While I’ve been in the role of teacher throughout the term, many lessons have been learned along the way. As both student and teacher, I continue to understand the importance of holistic education as it focuses on the way in which each individual finds meaning, identity and purpose in connection to their community, the natural world and to humanitarian values.
“When we are mindful, deeply in touch with the present moment, our understanding of what is going on deepens, and we begin to be filled with acceptance, joy, peace and love” -Thich Nhat Hanh
