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Why Glengarry in Today's Educational
World? Dr. Michael Gass
In my professional work, as well as in my personal life, I am often asked the proverbial question at dinner parties and teas of “what do you do for work?” My response of what I do often invokes a range of comments from “Oh, that must be interesting,” to “You would never get me to do that!” When experiential methodologies are questioned by the educational community, such light and good natured responses are sometimes replaced by a much broader, cynical, and pessimistic evaluation. Sample responses from this community have included: “well that’s all nice to have fun and games, but what we need here is some real education, and more of it!” Taking this response in its fullest value, as experiential educators we need to be prepared to seriously answer such evaluations of our work. The purpose of this brief essay is to do just that: “Why utilize experiential methodologies in the education of today’s youth?” Today’s Youth: Walking a Kilometer in Their Shoes When meeting with parents to discuss experiential programming with adolescents, I often begin by asking them to describe what adolescence was like for them. After the initial romantic dialogue of “oh, I hadn’t a care in the world,” ends, it is often replaced by a discussion of the trials, tribulations, and passages every adolescence faces: self-acceptance, peer interactions, changing physical bodies, moral identity, vocational exploration, sexual understanding, etc. Adolescents are faced with the dilemmas of dealing with biological, emotional, social, and cognitive changes; learning the responsibility and consequences of making their own choices; and the pressures from parents as well as peers. I remember one mother standing up and explaining out loud what many often think: “It makes me shudder to think of how terrible a time it was for me.” As troublesome and difficult as these times were for parents, I ask them to put themselves in the shoes of their adolescence. Not only do their children confront the same difficult issues they faced, but the difficulties their children face have been exponentially compounded by various growing malaises of modern society. Some of these additional pressures not faced by their parents include: * increased divorce rates resulting in a rise of single parent families, * growing economic pressures where both parents are working and less time is available for parenting, * growing influence of computer technologies resulting in greater sedentary activities, * a “de-personalization” associated with technological advances such as computers and the “television age,” *the transmission of social mores and values by video mediums such as MTV, computer games, etc. * the existence of new diseases not previously present (e.g.,HIV/AIDS), * the ease to which illicit drugs are available to any child, * the increasing presence and prominence of violence in our society * increasing poverty and high youth unemployment. Does education have a role in taking a prominent place in assisting adolescents in facing these changes of today’s society? In many ways, this is no longer even the question - education institutions can no longer answer this question in a negative manner, assuming that other social institutions will be present to assist families in confronting such social pressures. Education institutions must proactively equip adolescents to face such pressures or become subject themselves, along with the rest of society, to the consequences of adolescents left unattended. Experiential Learning for Adolescents Entering Today’s World “I regard this as the foremost task of education to ensure the survival of these qualities: an enterprising curiosity, tenacity in the pursuit of goals, an undefeatable spirit, readiness for sensible self-denial, and above all else, compassion for others.” The above quotation by Kurt Hahn represents the very counteracting influence Glengarry (program in Australia) attempts to achieve through its educational mediums. It strives to arrest the various “declines” identified by Hahn and experienced by today’s youth: *decline of fitness due to modern methods of locomotion; *decline in initiative and enterprise due to the widespread “disease” of being a passive spectator rather than an active participant in life; * decline in memory and imagination due to the confused restlessness and lack of purpose so often experienced by today’s youth; * decline of skill and care due to a lack of patience and striving for excellence; * decline of self-discipline; and * decline of compassion and empathy for one’s fellow human being. What does this type of educational programming look like? Several qualities exist in experiential programs like Glengarry that possess the ability to reverse these declines. Some of these include: (1) It is not separate from other forms of education - Too often many experiential programs find themselves separate from, if not in opposition to, many other forms of education. Such programs fall into an “either-or” paradigm, where it is either “our” way of education or “their” way of educating youth. Relatively speaking, there are only a few circumstances where such an educational approach benefits youth. In an era of recognizing multiple intelligences and different styles of learning, there needs to be a blending and tailoring of education methodologies to benefit the learner. Education is not “experiential” or “non-experiential;” it needs to center its attention on utilizing the level of experience that would be most beneficial and effective for the learner. Experiential is not just focused on the social development of the adolescents and not on their cognitive growth. It seeks to utilize experiences that will create concrete representations of cognitive knowledge, bringing the educational experience to life for the student. Examples from all subject areas are in rich abundance at Glengarry and surrounding areas. During his time at Glengarry, each boy is asked to select an in-depth science project that takes advantage of the natural environment. Examples of common focus include studying rainforests, wombats, stream water analysis, etc. History lessons are illuminated through the examination of archeological explorations and analyses. Math is brought to life by using concepts available at Glengarry – the geometry of orienteering, the algebra of environmental systems, the computation of surrounding physical landmarks, etc. (2) Education values both the present relevance as well as the future application of learning – Too often student motivation for learning is lost in educational practices. Students are placed in learning exercises that have little to do with their current interests, often told “just learn (or memorize) it now; it will be valuable for you later.” Glengarry students are placed in educational experiences that have direct consequence for the learner, and the type of feedback received by the learner is directly connected to their learning success. This feedback creates a “circular loop” of sort, with the learning consequence serving to motivate students to take the next step in their educational process. Bushwhacking in dense rainforests provides a wonderful example of consequential and immediately relevant learning. Typically within the first few weeks, students find themselves navigating through featureless and dense forests around Mount Carialoo. In this exercise, they must learn to trust their abilities of navigation, as well as deal with group issues of differing opinions in order to find their way out. Other issues of personal organization abound on this experience - the boys must learn to care for their belongings and food – if left out overnight, these are eaten by the docile but quite hungry goannas, making for a very hungry next day. Experiential education also seeks to establish learning processes that possess lifetime significance for students. This is often accomplished by involving students in educational experiences where they are tested and must “stretch” their belief on what they can truly accomplish. Such “self-actualizing” experiences become the foundation for future growth and direction in students’lives. Trusting oneself in the orienteering experience and organizing oneself appropriately around camp can send strong analogous messages to adolescent boys concerning their developing lives. Such messages are often lost in the “sea of rhetoric” often experienced in today’s world. Another experience where such “stretching” occurs for Glengarry students has often occurred in caving experiences. Upon entering the dark and unfamiliar environment of the cave, the boys are asked to take their torches and explore possible avenues for advancing through the cave. Typically the boys return within a few minutes stating there is no way to advance further in the cave. With appropriate coaching, students work together to break through their self-imposed belief systems and discover hidden passages where they find access to large, inner rooms in the cave where the less persistent are unable to reach. Once this goal has been attained, the students are then asked to consider if they could navigate back out of the cave, with their torches turned off, using only themselves and each other. When groups have accepted and met this challenge, they comment on how only a few hours earlier they possessed self-limitations on what they could achieve, whereas now they embody a new spirit of determination and accomlishment. Again, such concrete, self-expanding experiences can have incredible value to a growing adolescent. (3) Education recognizes the need and strengths of “rites of passage.” How does one become a valuable, contributing member of our society? When is a person no longer an adolescent but an adult? When a young man can father a child? The passage of young men into adulthood is more than turning a certain age (e.g., 18) or receiving a certificate to drive a car. Even more so today, becoming a “man” requires a strong sense of self, combined with compassion and capability. Providing educational events in a young boy’s life that help mark his successful progression to manhood in a concrete manner are vital to his development. Students are provided with progressively challenging experiences where they must personally confront internal as well as external challenges. Such challenges can be in subtle or stark forms, and serve as a medium where each student earns the right to be seen as an emerging person of value; a contributor not only responsible for himself, but also for others. Note that such challenges take on different forms, depending upon each student’s particular needs whether they be social, emotional, spiritual, cognitive, or physical. For one student it may be with solo experience, where he must spend two days alone with himself. For another student, it may be the 24-hour long rogaine experience, where a group must pull together to accomplish this physically demanding and arduous task. For yet another student it may occur in a learning experience where he must interact with others from different cultural backgrounds and examine previously held stereotypical beliefs. Also note that growth along such passages can only occur with proper educational support. Teachers and staff strongly acknowledge that each boy, and their individual challenges, must be fully valued and possess strong input into such challenges in order for growth to occur. (4) Experiential learning recognizes the strength of an actual experience in learning and utilizes this concept when possible - All education has some form of experience as the basis or core of its origin. Experiential learning attempts to place the learner as close as possible to that base of origin. This process, besides being motivational, can provide the learner with the opportunity to become active participants rather than spectators in their learning. Learners with experience succeed much better than learners who possess theory without experience or application. (5) The development of self as well as selfless behaviors in today’s world - One concept that has led to much of the identity diffusion surrounding the maturational processes of young men is the development of self. On one hand, youth need to develop themselves as individuals- often referred to as intra-personal behavior or how an individual gets along with her/himself. Elements of intra-personal behavior include self-concept, confidence, persistence, and the belief in one’s ability to accomplish a task, emotional growth, etc. On the other hand, youth must learn how to successfully interact with others - often referred to as interpersonal behavior or how the individual gets along in a group of two or more people. Elements of interpersonal behavior include communication, cooperation, trust, conflict resolution, problem solving, social growth, etc. Too often, these concepts are in paradoxical opposition to one another - boys build themselves up at the expenses of another boy and competition becomes a vehicle w ere there are more losers than winners. Another outcome of this double bind is that the concepts of empathy, self-sacrifice, patience, and kindness are lost in an ever-growing insensitive world of need and greed. Glengarry’s remedy for this paradox confronting youth lies not only in its multiple and incrementally challenging adventure program, but also through the whole concept of community living. Day in and day out, boys are placed in multiple situations where they are jointly tested as individuals as well as a group. Each boy’s success as an individual when confronted with the most challenging experiences can only be accomplished when supported by the whole group. And the community as a whole can only be successful when each boy is empowered to become more than he realized he could be. The concept from Micah 6:8 rings true: “What does the Lord ask of thee: do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly.” (6) A sense of stewardship for the environment as well as for other people - Building on the developed sense of kindness, justice, and compassion are the actions and practices that embody these principles. Glengarry students are asked to “walk the talk” of serving as stewards in an ever increasingly needy world. This is exemplified on at least two fronts. One is the actual practice of caring for the environments and the multiple creatures that reside there besides humans. It is difficult to remain insensitive to the vivid and interactive environment where Glengarry resides. Many boys are immediately struck by the beauty and the greatness of the outdoor environment which surrounds Glengarry and become very attached to the natural community. Simple activities punctuate this connectedness as well as encourage them to examine their roles as environmental stewards beyond the Valley. One example that often occurs early for Glengarry students that typifies this stewardship role comes on the first river trip. Despite instructions from teachers, students often forget to wash their dishes an appropriate distance from the river. As they canoe downstream the next day and see the vivid evidence of their lack of care for the environment (as well as the realization of what water they will be using for their next meal), they further realize that this water is used at Glengaryas well as serving as the source for Sydney and often their families. The concept of environmental stewardship serves to build further in the ideals for caring for one’s brother. Service to others becomes more than a duty; it is embodied as a basic practice of being a member of our Society. Stewardship extends to being your brother’s keeper beyond just your mates at Glengarry and back home. Such perspective begins to influence life decisions in how one interacts with one’s community on more than just a local level. Experiential learning is designed to provide learning that is problem-solving in concept, possessing elementsthat are prescriptive in nature, incremental in difficulty, consequential in result, and holistic in content of learning. Its methodology lies not just in outdoor adventure experiences, but in the central core of where the substance for each subject area emanates. Given the realities facing these young men and their future, Glengarry seeks to equip them with the most empowering learning experience possible, one based on their personal needs as well as those so desperately needed by our Society at large. Michael A. Gass, Ph.D Professor and Coordinator of Outdoor Education Department of Kinesiology School of Health & Human Services NH Hall 124 Main Street, UNH Durham, NH 03824 Tel: 603-862-2024 Fax: 603-862-0154 E-mail: mgass@christa.unh.eduGenGenhttp Web: http://www.shhs.unh.edu/kin_oe/ |