A Look Back at our Week

After our week of class, I ventured even further into the Adirondacks for some good ol' hiking and camping with Scott. We ascended two high peaks, the Wolfjaws, and cut our hike short (due to the 30 ft. ladder we could not get our dog up). We got back to camp early and really took some time to step back and soak up the wilderness.

Now I'm back home and back to work...

I would like to take a moment to thank you, Karl and Beth, for all your hard work and effort to make this week really worthwhile. Not only setting up this blog, but scheduling each day, having us meet Ed Kanze and the topics of conversation. I could tell you researched a lot of materials for this course and it really helped me to see the "bigger picture." Thank you again!

Part 1:

Please DESCRIBE least five meaningful things you learned in this course and how these things have, or will, effect change(s) in your life (either personally or professionally).

1. First and foremost I have to say the most meaningful thing I learned in this course would be all the environmentally friendly ways to do every day things. I was really pleased with all of this information because Scott has been pushing me to think differently on the subject. I enjoyed our converstaions and readings on windmills, solar energy, transition towns and CSA's, gardening, etc. I hope to talk some of my family and friends into being more eco-friendly.

2. Ed Kanze has inspired me to, as Eric said "take things a bit slower." I share his love for being in the out of doors, but find that I don't take the time to enjoy the scenery right in fron of my face. Instead, I glance around every now and then off of the trail. I will promise myself to take a step back and emerse myself in natures wonders.

3. Before I started this course I browsed through the ADK websites and the Great Camps and learned about the history of the place. I found it interesting how the Great Camps came to be, who inheritied what and whose hands it is in now. I also throughly enjoyed the museums we visitied on Wednesday. In fact, I am going back in August with Scott and my sister who are also dazzled with my snip bits of information about the Park itself. I hope to share my enthusiasm with others.

4. Technology is not my strong point, it's Scotts. However, I have had the opportunities for him to help me through some pretty difficult online tasProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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. I was pleased with Karls presentation on technology. I had used some of the programs before, but there were several that were new to me such as the Comic Life program. (I even brought this home to Scott!!) I liked how we were able to explore our options and the programs itself for our projects. It gave us some time to get familiar with them without being too overbearing.

5. This class has given me the opportunity to connect with the Adirondacks on a more personal note. I have enjoyed my time spent up here and will frequently return for some more adventures. Not just the Adirondacks itself but the outdoors in general. I live by Louv's novel and try to be outdoors as much as possible....even in the rain!!

Part 2:

Please DESCRIBE at least three things you have taken away from the course topics, activities, discussions, and/or readings that will affect what you do to in your classroom (or workplace) that will connect our week to what you do every day.

1. After our challenge course afternoon, I talked with Kevin and Annie about trying to set up an outdoor facility at our school. I have already incorportated games and initiaves from the "adventure cirriculum," but it would be nice to have the students step out of their comfort zone and start to take some risks both mentally and physically in an educational setting. I plan to get in touch with Kevin in the next two weeks and visit a school in Liverpool to get some ideas!

2. I would also say that I would like to incorporate more lifelong activities into our own cirriculum and back away from the sport-like model. If we want kids to be healthy we have to find activities that they could do for the rest of their lives and enjoy it at the same time.

3. The projects that were presented made me realize that the nature and the outdoors can be used in the classroom very easily. Whether, it's taking your class outside for some reading, making your own class garden, or going on a nature walk, it is important to get kids out there.

Thank you everyone for such a great week1 I hope to see some of you soon. Good luck with the rest of your time at Cortland.

-Bri

The Museum Day

Today's day was pretty exiting with awesome weather. We started out with a trip to Tupper Lake for the Wild Center. I was really impressed with its grandeur of the main building there. They had many hands on activities for kids, otters swimming, lots of trout and turtles, and plenty of interesting facts to read. I wish that I had taken along a notebook to jot some information down because I have such a bad memory.
Next, we trotted off to Blue Lake, where the Adirondack museum is located. I am definately returning to this place with my husband because he would get such a kick out of it. I was impressed with how many wagons they had collected over the years, along with the fancy train car. Since the start of this class, I was interested in how the Adirondack mountains came to be and how the area became settled. This was a neat place to learn about the birthplace and the people that had come to live in the area.
After dinner, a few of us went out on the canoes and kyacks because it was so beautiful out. No luck catching any fish....maybe tomorrow.

Camp Huntington!

The second full day of Adirondack classroom was spent around Camp Huntington. For the first part of our day we toured around the camp admiring the Adirondack architecture and snapping picture after picture. It was crafted in the 19th century, made from natural materials in the biggest state park in New York.
"Camp Pine Knot," as it's formally known, was first of the great camps. Thomas and William West Durant started building the camps in 1877. It was then purchased by Collis Huntington in 1895. In 1948, his son Archer Huntington, gave Camp Pine Knot to SUNY Cortland for Outdoor Education.
After a warm lunch of tomato soup and grilled cheese, we ventured out on Raquette Lake for some good old kyacking. For some students, it was their first time out and I have to say they did a great job getting used to the boats! We enjoyed a good 2-3 mile trip around to Kirby camp and back without anyone taking a dip. Surprisingly, the water was really warm.
Following our kyack trip we learned some tricks of the trade when it comes to technology in the classroom from Karl. He is extremely enthusiastic about integrating easy tools into the classroom and showed us a few applications on the Mac that I haven't used before.
I can't wait for the museums tomorrow!

Ferd Bog and Black Bear Mtn.

My first full day of Adirondack life and I am loving every moment of it. Today, we woke up to a great morning breakfast of eggs, hash brown, bacon, fruit and a nice cup of HOT coffee. After breakfast we took the boat back over to Antlers for a trek around Ferd's Bog, which I know now is a watery low area, and a short hike up Black Bear Mountain. Accompanying our group was Adirondack guide, Ed Kanze. I was very exited to have him along to answer some pondering questions.
Our trip to the Bog was interesting for a number of reasons. One, it was my first time poking my nose around a marshy lowland. Two, we brought along nets, magnifying glass boxes and a discovery scope to catch and look at specimen. COOL!!! Although I did not go into the bog, for fear of falling in, I did get to see a spider with eggs on its butt, pitcher plants, lots of vegetation and some birds. Ed taught us how to identify some native birds, edible and poisonous plants and pointed out the different trees found near boggy areas.
After our jaunt around the bog, we hiked a round trip of 4.4 miles up Black Bear Mountain. It was a nice and easy hike compared to the strenuous high peak trails that I am used to in the Adirondacks. Even though it was a bit muddy, the company up the trail was enjoyable and the view at the top was beautiful.
I can't wait to see what the rest of the week brings...
Here are some pictures of our day:

ADK Classroom Questions

Why you are taking this course?
I am taking this course for three reasons. The first is because I have heard nothing but great things about it from many people. Some of my professional colleagues have taken the course in the past and said that I would fully enjoy it. They said it is a week of personal experiences, reflection and outdoor adventure. The second reason is for the outdoors, especially in the Adirondacks. It has been interesting learning about the history of the "dacks" and look forward to expanding my knowledge about the place. Lastly, I would like to learn more about incorporating the outdoors into my curriculum at school.

Why did/do you want to be a teacher?
When I was 16, I was a gymnastics instructor to kids ages 5-12 and found out that working with children is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Ever since then, my work experience has been with kids. From coaching to summer camps, I have learned so much from being around children. I enjoy watching them learn and grow as individuals into young adults. I like to know that I made a difference in their lives.

What are your professional goals in teaching?
My professional goals are to constantly keep learning and filling my "bag of tricks." Since I am a physical education teacher, I would like to incorporate an Outdoor Adventure unit into our curriculum. There are so many reasons to turn away from just teaching sports in a school setting. I would like to teach kids the importance being physically active while getting outside and into nature would be a rewarding experience. Most importantly, that they can do these activities for the rest of their lives.

Do you think you will make a career in teaching?
Yes, yes and did I say YES!!! At this moment I am teaching physical education but I am willing to keep my options open after I graduate from SUNY Cortland. Maybe teach in an outdoor setting...who knows???

What are your goals for this course and this week with us in the ADKs?
On of my goals is to learn more about the Adirondacks as a national park and hoProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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it came to be. I am also looking for ways to incorporate nature and the outdoor experience into my curriculum. Finally, to have fun and enjoy some company and good views at Raquette Lake.

This is a picture of me with my husband Scott and our dog Carter. 

Some Information

My name is Brianna and I am so exited about this course. I just started my graduate work this past Spring in Outdoor and Environmental Education at Cortland. This is the only class that I am taking this summer and I am looking forward to it.

I am a k-8 physical education teacher at Port Byron Central Schools. I coach Modified Field Hockey and Varsity Softball and absolutely love working with kids. During the summer, I am running a gymnastics day camp at CNY gymnastics center in Syracuse.

I went to Springfield College for my undergraduate degree in physical education and during the summer was involved in an outdoor day camp. In college, I found that I have a true love for the outdoors and now I try to get out as much as possible. My husband and I (and our dog Carter too!) are avid hikers and frequently travel to the Adirondack's for some good camping/hiking/kayaking.  

I can't wait!!