I returned today from a week at outdoor education with 98 sixth graders from Sidney Glen. I am tired and ready to fall into bed, but it was one of the best experiences of my teaching career.
The highlights of the week were so numerous for me. The moments of reflection, laughter, pride in my students, working with my incredible colleagues will stay with me forever. One of the most valuable aspects of the week is the chance to build relationship with students whom I do not usually have contact with. The context of the relationship is different from that in the classroom.
Some forever memories are:
Walking along the shore of Lake Crescent shortly after dawn, realizing the potential of the educational experiences that would be conducted along the shore that day.
Quickly walking through old growth forest on my way to do an errand, and stopping, realizing I was standing amongst trees that were hundreds of years old. I slowed my walk and continued in awe of my surroundings.
Helping one student through the week, and realizing that this might have been his best experience in his entire life.
Listening to the laughter and giggling coming from the girls' cabins WAY past lights out!
Running along Highway 101 at 4:45 AM with Chad. Logging rigs rumbling along side us, snow creating tunnel vision in our headlamps, and returning to camp just as the sun began to grey the sky.
A Northern Harrier gliding slowly past us at Dungeness Spit.
Reconnecting with a friend from high school, who is now an educator at Olympic Park Institute.
Realizing that I have begun to create an expectation of outdoor education, when a parent chaperone said, "I'm going again in three years when my other daughter goes."
Singing the Banana Slug song with all of the students.
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