The focus of my mini-inquiry is a rock that I received from a young girl who I used to tutor in Ontario. During one particular tutoring session, we discussed places where we go to “de-stress”, places that put our mind at ease. I mentioned to her that I love being by the water because it helps me feel serene. Just before I moved back to BC, she went on a year-end field trip to Wasaga Beach. A couple days before I was to move back, she gave me a goodbye gift, including this rock, which she had found on the field trip. She told me she wanted me to remember her by it and since it was from the beach, I’d feel calm every time I looked at it.

For me, this rock signifies having a strong relationship with our students, as well as unity with nature and the outside world. Nature is essential to our health and wellbeing and many of us have needlessly expelled it from our daily lives. We need to teach young children that those who spend time outdoors are happier, healthier, and less stressed than those who don’t. Incorporating nature-based learning into our teaching style can have endless benefits.

The article “Learning Through Sketching” states that sketching helps one focus, observe, and then look again only to see something different. During my first sketch, I was more focused on what I was drawing than I was on the rock. Diverting my eyes from the object definitely caused me to see a different perspective every time. I found the “blind contour” method most effective as I was less keen on perfecting my sketch and was able to incorporate “mistakes” into part of the image.

Questions about the rock:

What type of rock is it? What minerals is it composed of? What was its original colour and/or shape? What is its “story”?