My Community Field Experience

I have always been interested in an outdoor education and nature-related learning practices. The idea of being able to enjoy nature and teach students at the same time was very appealing to me. Needless to say, that was one of the reasons Begbie Outdoor Education was my first choice for my Community Field Experience as part of my UBC BEd program. I had no idea what to expect, but I knew I would have to challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone, and of course, learn something new.

All UBC students met their community field sponsors ahead of time to introduce themselves and go over expectations and duties. I was privileged and beyond excited to find out that I would be working alongside two other teacher candidates from UBC as well as two teachers from Sir Matthew Begbie Elementary school in Vancouver and their two grade 6/7 classes. I felt welcomed and accepted the moment I met my community field sponsors and they reassured us that we would have an amazing time together and learn a lot from each other.

Week 1 – Camp Sasamat

On Monday and Tuesday, I visited my practicum school to get to know the students better, as well as help to get ready for the camp. Together with other TCs, we had to make posters for the trip and come up with some ideas for the Theatre Sports.

I tried to memorize as many students’ names as I could and they were happy to share projects they have been working on with me. Both classes seem to be very independent and the dynamic was quite different than what I had been used to during my 10-week practicum when I was teaching grade 3/4/5 students. I noticed that the classroom management strategies are similar to what I had been using and students respond very well to them. I wondered how this would change when we go camping and was looking forward to new experiences outside the classroom.

We took both grade 6/7 classes on 3 days two nights camping trip to lake Sasamat on Wednesday morning. The weather was rainy and gloomy when our adventure started. That did not spoil everyone’s mood though as we all were anticipating something new.

Once we got to our camping site, staff members went over expectations and instructions, set the boundaries and explained how things work when we are outside. Students had to be considerate of other people, as well as mother nature and wilderness. Once everyone settled in their cabins, we went on a 1-hour walk around the lake which looked like a big mirror in the middle of the forest! The scenery was picturesque and we all were in awe.

Followed by a nice nature walk, we had a yummy lunch and camp staff started leading activities. My duties were to help supervise the groups, participate in the activities, show initiative, be encouraging and have fun! The students were divided into 6 groups of 9/10 and had to rotate. The activities included canoeing, wood chopping, geocaching, archery, kayaking, hiking, wall climbing and outdoor cooking.

I have to admit that I have never tried most of the activities listed above and at times I could relate to my students who were a bit scared and uncertain about trying something new. But deep inside I knew I had to show an example of a growth mindset and although it was not easy I had to step out of my comfort zone and try something new.

 People say “tastes differ”. Some of my students really enjoyed climbing the wall, others liked kayaking and canoeing, while the rest were fond of outdoor cooking and hiking. I personally enjoyed it all and was thrilled to learn how to kayak, canoe and do archery. There were a variety of activities to satisfy the tastes of all which was incredible and made the whole experience a lot of fun. It also helped students try new things and learn something new. After a long day full of activities, we had dinner that was followed by skits, making cabin signs,  hot chocolate, campfire, and songs!

What I liked most, was that at the end of the day we all had to share our favorite moments of that day and compliment each other on something we got better at. I was pleased to find out that students were paying attention to that and were very supportive. They also complimented us, adults, on trying new activities and getting better at them, which made me personally very happy!

On Thursday and Friday, students were doing mostly the same activities and our shape of the day looked similar to the one we had on Wednesday. I could see them being more confident the next day and noticed a lot of improvement. We were also lucky to have a gorgeous sunny day, which allowed us to go swimming in the lake. In the evening, TCs were juries during Theatre Sports and had to assess students’ creativity, cooperation, and artistic skills by giving each group 1 out of 10 possible points. I felt lots of pressure, as I had never been a jury before and I did not know the students that well. I also knew I had to be a fair jury no matter what, but at the same time did not want to disappoint anyone. It was a great experience for all and in the end students thanked us for being reasonable and fair. Whew! Success!

No one wanted to leave the camp on Friday – we all had an amazing time together. To me personally, it was an unforgettable learning experience that I would cherish forever. These are some of the key things I have learned from this camping trip and would not want to forget:

• For some of the students, camping can be the first time they are away from home and their families. Be supportive and understanding!
• You can study biology, geography, chemistry, and PHE by participating in hiking, nature walks, outdoor cooking, kayaking, canoeing and wall climbing. Be open-minded and make connections.
• When trying new things and activities, be brave and acknowledge everyone’s efforts! After all, it is never late to learn!
• Working and staying in one place with people you do not know well can be challenging. Be flexible and compromise! Also, do not forget to take care of yourself and take a moment to breathe.
• When taking a role of a jury, be kind but fair – students appreciate reasonable decisions and constructive feedback.
• There is always something to do at camp – take initiative and be proactive.
• Sing songs as loud as you can even though you may not know the lyrics 🙂
• Whatever you do – have a sense of humor and adventure.
• Above all – have fun and enjoy yourself!

P.S. Next week we will be helping with a talent show. Stay tuned!