Final Project for EOE 224, taught by Karen McIvor

December 6th, 2021

Nature is the one consistent thing that we as people all collectively experience because it is present throughout our entire lives in one way or another. As I was reflecting on this course and my understanding of outdoor education and outdoor experiences, I realized that my relationship with nature can be best described as an old childhood friend. We were introduced when I was very young, and I immediately felt connected to the peace and comfort that this friend gave me. We spent many hours together building forts, climbing anything possible, and enjoying each other’s company. As I grew up, we connected less and less. It wasn’t because there was any conflict between us, but because I found new friends and passions that I also enjoyed. Nature and I still spent time together, but it was less frequent and more circumstantial; “ We should do this activity! And if we do this, I guess Nature will come along too, which is a bonus!”. I began to prioritize my relationship with Nature less and less, and eventually, Nature became a friend that I saw while I was walking to my car, but didn’t put in the effort to talk to or reconnect with. Now we are caught up to my present relationship with Nature. I know that it’s still important for me to check in with Nature, but it’s less convenient and takes more effort to reach out. They are a friend that has been consistent throughout my entire life, but we don’t have the same connection we once had. I constantly think about the amazing memories we shared, yet recently I haven’t reached out to make future plans for new memories. But I know that I need Nature back in my life, especially right now. 

When I think about outdoor experiential learning, I think about the opportunities I had while growing up, going on field trips in elementary school. I still remember learning how to use flint and steel on day trips out to nature conservations, and fishing wearing hip waders in Last Mountain Lake. These experiences are clear in my memory because I was physically participating, and actively engaging with the information we were being taught. The independence we were given while learning outdoor skills allowed me to gain confidence in my abilities, and enhance my quality of life physically, emotionally, and intellectually through nature as described by Bill Kilburn (Back to Nature Network, 2012). When I was growing up, I didn’t realize how much Nature had helped me learn so many skills that are key aspects of my core values today. Nature taught me respect when I ripped off their branches, and they told me that it hurt them, and that leaving litter on the ground made them very sad. Nature taught me to observe my surroundings, as you could learn so much about the space you occupy by simply paying attention. I realized how influential Nature has been for me as we explored the contents of this class through in-depth discussions surrounding the benefits of nature for children’s development. While watching the unstructured, creative learning environment that  “Forrest School” (CBC, 2021) revealed, I was reminded of the joy I experienced playing games as a class on outdoor excursions, and exploring the woods while discovering new things to touch and listen to. It was inspiring to see kids feel that same joy that I felt during those excursions, except they experience that joy every single day. 

Throughout this course, I have gained so many new perspectives on how I as an educator can help build and nourish the connections that children have with nature to benefit their overall health, yet with this knowledge, I know that I am still missing a crucial aspect of teaching with this pedagogy of place. David Grunwald highlights critical pedagogy of place, as it is able to demonstrate the unification of environment, culture, and education through emphasizing the importance of place-based values (2003). We as people are influenced by the space we occupy, and the holistic qualities we experience while being outside directly benefit our thoughts and feelings. The experiences throughout this course, such as the Historic Building Scavenger Hunt, and Geocaching allowed me to rediscover my good friend, Nature, by encouraging me to explore as we did when I was younger. Though I had fun with Nature participating in different class activities, I’m still finding it difficult to reconnect and stay consistent with spending time with Nature. If I want to effectively convey how valuable and rewarding it is to have a connection with nature to my students, I need to model these practices and teach these topics with passion. 

My life has become centered around my never-ending to-do list recently, which usually consists of spending hours on my computer for various tasks. The stresses of life, such as work and school, feel as if they must be a priority in order for me to feel accomplished, and hanging out with Nature does not seem as important as relaxing in bed after a long day of classes. For a very long time, I have been choosing to occupy my time doing activities that feel more “enjoyable” and easy, like consuming media on my phone. The reality is, by spending hours on my phone, I am not forming a true connection like I did when I used to spend time with Nature. Lately, I’ve been experiencing difficulties with my mental health, difficulties finding motivation for everyday tasks, and in general, I’ve felt unhappy. There have been many different changes in my life over the past few years that have affected my mental state, but I attribute a large part of how I am feeling right now to my disconnect with Nature. Every day I think “I should reach out to Nature, we could go for a walk and listen to music, and I know that would make me feel really good”, but I’ve been letting the distractions in my life pull me away from my friend Nature, and the fulfilling connection that I’ve experienced with my friend is what I’ve been seeking.  

Throughout this semester, I found that I had to put more effort into completing activities, such as finding my sit spot and participating in the Historic Building Scavenger hunt. I think this is because I’ve pushed my friend Nature away for so long, it felt daunting to set aside my tasks that were more studious, therefore making it difficult to rekindle a connection that I’ve been living without. As I sat in my room, on my computer during our classes, and listened to all of these amazing stories about Nature, I learned so much about different strategies I can use in my classroom to introduce students to my friend, Nature. I want to incorporate natural materials into my math classes, like Jeff Cappo explained, and do Bushcrafting activities as Nick Forsberg did with our class because these actions will help engage my students in the learning we will do. In season one of Sask Outdoors podcast, “Let’s Talk Outdoors”, Chris Clark elaborates on the concept of outdoor learning, and how it differentiates from outdoor school. He explains that teachers don’t have to plan intricate, costly field trips in order to introduce nature to their classrooms, as we can simply take our students outside to our schoolyards. The things we feel might limit us from doing this, like behavior issues or difficulties keeping the attention of the class, may not be barriers at all. When students are outside, their senses are stimulated by the fresh air, trees blowing in the wind, and the grass underneath their feet. Like a fidget, being outside can actually help students process the information you are giving them because their sensory needs are being met, as well as allow them to exert more energy. Outdoor learning is about learning the same subjects as you would in the confinements of a classroom while being in a holistic environment with the added benefits of nature.

When we first began this course in September, I was very worried about the online platform, and in general, I know that I did not gain as much experience as I could have compared to an in-person format. I am still grateful for the amazing resources that I have gained through the virtual delivery of this class, and the comprehension of outdoor experiential learning that I have developed. A key realization that I have had over the course of this semester is that Nature is a friend that I cannot text to connect with or scroll through social media photos to check-up on. I need to spend time with them. I need to look at the things they show me and listen when they are speaking. I must be present with this friend because if I continue to passively acknowledge them, I will not truly form that crucial bond. I know that my relationship with Nature will never end, as they are my life-long friend who is there to support me, even if I do not reach out for a long time. But in order to grow my connection with Nature, I must embrace the hospitality that Nature offers me with open arms.