Pacific Spirit Regional Park, Chancellor Blvd, Vancouver, BC, Canada
“T Today, we explored the outdoors at the Pacific Spirit Park through our five senses. We saw layers of vegetation; we heard sounds of nature and artificial; we smelled the scent of trees; we tasted the bitterness of huckleberries; we felt the breeze on our skin. By immersing ourselves in the park, we are amazed by all the natural wonders this space offers.
“K Today at Pacific Spirit Park, I really enjoyed the opportunity to learn from my fellow teacher candidates, as we participated in everyone’s outdoor engagement activities. I found it fun to see what each group came up with and how people taught differently. Role playing or modelling with others can be an effective strategy to help us learn from each other. I think the comfort amongst the group also made this an easier process to participate in and learn from… it may have been more stressful and less enjoyable for teacher candidates earlier on in the program. Thanks!
“O In my practicum the students were very invested in the land, particularly in connection to our science unit. After learning about the negative human impact on owls and other animals, the students in my class led the idea of doing a community clean up to help the owls and other animals. This action was spearheaded by the students particularly those that had exhibited difficult behaviours, so having them lead this campaign was important and a celebration as they truly cared about contributing to the land.
“N In my practicum we explored local plants and animals with a focus on Indigenous knowledge and teachings. I took my class on a field trip through the Salish Trial in Pacific Spirit Park where we discussed the importance of salal and cedar trees to Coast Salish peoples. Teaching my students about the local environment in a way that they could connect to and interact with made the lessons much more memorable, enjoyable, and memorable. They giggled and smiled all the way throught the Salish Trail reciting all the ways Coast Salish peoples used cedar trees and the important role it played in their culture and communities.
“J In my practicum we learned all about the life cycle of a salmon, which held local significance as our school was able to have its own salmon tank for the eggs to hatch and allow the alevin to grow. We spent a lot of time talking about our relationship to salmon, looking into the ways in which we interact with the animals, how we can protect them, and their significance in our lives.
“M Exploring the outdoors was fun today. Watching my classmates project their nature-outdoorsy selves into the teacher mould they have created for themselves was enlightening – the same individuals I have never observed teaching felt empowered to present in what has personally been a challenging environment for me. Today, I was able to vicariously live some of these nature activities.