Back to Reality...but not forgotten

I really enjoyed the Outdoor Education course. I think having it in Raquette Lake really drove home a few of the topics that we discussed.

1. One of the most meaningful things that I learned about was the Community Supported Agriculture. I found it very interesting. I had never heard about it before but I think it is a great idea. I sent out several emails to local farmers that participate in CSA. It is too late this year to be added but I am on the emailing list for next year and plan to participate in it! I am also continuing to buy from local Farmers Markets. There are so many in the Syracuse area it would be dumb not to go to them.

2. Learning to Kayak was very meaningful to me. It was one of the things that I had not done before but I wanted to try it. I was nervous at first but I knew I could do it. I was very proud of myself on how fast I learned. I will defiantly be Kayaking in the future and would be interested in getting my own Kayak to use when we go camping in the summer.

3. During our week at Raquette Lake I was able to explore a MAC. All my life I have used PC and I love them but it was very interesting to use a MAC. I found that it had many very useful programs, especially for the classroom. I used Comic Life to create a photo story. It took a little work but it came together very nicely. Im pretty sure that my next computer will be a MAC just because of all of the programs and tools it gives you!

4. The high ropes course was very meaningful to me! It was an activity that I was not sure of. When we first began discussing it I was confident that I could do it…..until I saw how high we would be. It was like nothing else I have ever done. I found it to be a great team building tool. It allowed each of us to reach success individually as well as with a group. I did make myself go through with it and am very proud of myself that I completed it. Thanks to Annie and Kevin I also learned that my school district offers further training along with field trips for students. I think it would be a great resource in the classroom!

5. The most meaningful thing throughout the entire week was the integration of technology and the outdoors. I feel that many times it is easier as a teacher to stay in your classrooms and not think out of the box so to speak. But in my mind a great teacher is one that uses all of their resources, integrates across curriculums and uses technology in all subject areas. This concept was illustrated the best the last day of class. Listening and watching everyone’s projects showed how each one of us used both technology and the outdoors to put together a lesson or an idea of a lesson. It also showed that there are many different ways to use both technology and the outdoors.

I took many things away from the course that will affect my classroom and teaching strategies.

1. I will use technology more in my classroom. I will allow students the freedom to use technology and the creativity to create different projects. I will use podcasts in the classroom, use garage band, comic life, ect. Allowing students the opportunity to use technology will only allow them to broaden their horizons and push the envelope to creating new technology. I feel that so many teachers are afraid of technology and I will not be one of those teachers!

2. I will incorporate agriculture in my classroom. I will have my students start a small garden, most likely a potted garden. This will give them the opportunity to tend to plants and watch them grow as well as eat the fruits of their labor. I also think it’s a great idea to get the entire school involved in a garden or plantings trees and flowers. I believe that once students have experienced it they will have more respect for it!

3. All of our discussions seemed to lead to the same end point…we need to get the students outside more! I will use the outdoors as a resource. I will set up lessons that will be taught outdoors, as well as just going outside because it is a beautiful day to read a story. I do not think children are outside enough in this day and age. As educators we need to teach students the importance of staying active and enjoying the outdoors.

High Ropes Challenge

Today was the best day this week! I was very proud of myself and the others that tried the high ropes course for the first time. I know that I was very leery. When we were talking about it at breakfast I was pretty confident that I would be able to do it. Then when we actually walked down and I got to see what we were doing my stomach dropped. I because very anxious. After watching a few people go through the course I became more and more confident. I was also thinking that it is very likely that I would never have the opportunity to do it again and I also knew if I went home and told my fiance that I didn't do it because I was scared he would call me a chicken...and I am defiantly not a chicken! We then went to the zip line. Again at first I was leery, especially when it began to rain, but my confidence grew. That was defiantly the best part. The "free falling" was awesome and a great rush. Annie and Kevin were great during the whole thing. They made me very confident in my own ability as well as in them. They both had great insights into teaching and making the ropes challenge relate to our own lives. I would defiantly do another high ropes challenge and will be looking into the course that is in my district. I think it would be great for teachers to do together and also for students. You learn many great life lessons and tools during the challenges and games. I will also be adding "Backpocket" to my library shortly! As a teacher you can never have to many games for your students to do, especially ones that they can learn from without even realizing it!!

Wednesday's Adventures

Today was a pretty neat day. We got to drive up to Tucker Lake and go to the Wild Center. I thought the otters were very cool. I have never seen them up close before. The speaker said they enjoy showing off and they seemed too. They were doing flips and swimming around like crazy. They were very neat. At one of the exhibits Jen made me smell otter, mink and beaver scent and they all were disgusting!!! The classroom part of the Wild Center was also very cool. They had different drawers you could pull out that had a bunch of material about bears, turtles, frogs etc. We also took a walk on the trail and were able to see the solar roof and the green roof. It was nice to see them using and promoting green living!

After we were done there we drove back to Blue Mountain and went to the ADK Museum. I got caught in the store for awhile looking at books. I bought a bunch of children's books and teacher resources that were about the ADK or just outdoors and wildlife in general. After I spent too much money we went exploring the museum. I though the school house was very interesting. I can't believe that one hundred years ago (or even less) I would be teaching in a one room school house with minimum supplies and only making 320$ a year. It is crazy how times have changed so much!! We also so a hermits cabin in an exhibit. It was very very small, he couldn't have been able to even stand in the cabin. It was not even half of one of the rooms that we are sleeping in. It also made me wonder how many hermits are still in the mountains today. Although they may not be heard of or hardly ever seen, I am sure there are a handful or so spread around the mountains.

Overall the day was enjoyable. I learned many new things and had great conversations! Now its back to my project and portfolio...........!

Terrific Tuesday

Today was a very good day!! I had a lot of fun learning to kayak for the first time. I was pretty nervous to begin with. I didn't know what I was doing and was afraid that I would flip it and end up in the lake. I was very proud of myself and thought I did very well Kayaking. I do have a few blisters from paddling so hard but oh well...it comes with the territory. I really enjoyed it and defiantly would do it again!

I also am pretty sure that I know what I am going to do for my project. I want to create a video story that retells a children's book. I will have it relate to the Adks. It will be fun video taping different scenes from here to Blue Mountain. Jack told me about a waterfall that isn't too far away that I would really like to go check out. I hope we have time tomorrow! I think tomorrow will be fun..it will be nice to get out and see other things in the park and explore a little bit on our own!

Oh yea and I got an interview next week for a job!! I am very excited about that and nervous. I will have a lot on my mind for the next week!!!!!!!!

Monday's Adventures

Today we went exploring Ferd's Bog and climbed Black Bear Mountain with our trusted guide Ed Kanze. Ferd's Bog was pretty neat to explore. I found it very interesting to think about all of the things that could be below where we walked. Although I do not want to see any wilderness destroyed it would be cool to find out what was below the bog. It would tell us about what was here before we were. It was also pretty cool to look at different plants, flowers and insects under the discovery scopes A grasshopper I found was almost transparent! Ed was very informative about different bird calls and species along with other facts about the bog. He made the trip very informative!!

I was very proud of myself when I climbed Black Bear Mountain. It was very pretty hike up the mountain. It defiantly left me a little winded but the view was worth it! It was neat to look over Seventh lake in which we camp at every year. The walk down went very quickly and I found more enjoyable then the climb up. I found many "new" paths on the way down that we did not see when we were climbing up the mountain. I was hoping that I would see a bear but sadly I did not see any. Maybe some other time this week.....I will be looking!!!!

The First Day.....

We have arrived at camp! It has been a pretty uneventful afternoon. I have thought about what I am going to do for the project. Of course it will be connected to Kindergarten/First Grade!:)

I am excited they said there are bears around and I want to see one! I didn't see one last week so hopefully this week!! There is also a bald eagle which is hanging around camp! Thats pretty cool!!!

Getting Ready

I am getting ready to spend two weeks in the ADK Mountains. One week for fun and the other week for a grad class! I am excited to get away and enjoy the outdoors!!