Earthy Chats Podcast

Episode 11: Teaching about climate change

What does effective climate change education (CCed) look like? What role does outdoor learning play in it? How has the field changed over the past thirty years? What is the "new kid on the block" in CCed? Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:  

*the shift in environmental education from teaching issues to teaching core concepts

*how the collective understanding of climate change has evolved since the early 1990s

*developmentally appropriate education

*teaching about the economic opportunities of the transition to a green economy

*climate justice education

*engaging the emotional lives of students

*teaching the four dimensions of climate change 

Guest (from http://greenteacher.com/magazine/about-us/):

Tim Grant is the publisher of Green Teacher. He co-edited the magazine with Gail Littlejohn from 1991 to 2012, at which point he became the editor. Over the years, he co-edited seven Green Teacher books, edited three and hosted the first 85 webinars. He lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Green Teacher's books Teaching Kids about Climate Change and Teaching Teens about Climate Change can be purchased from the Non-profit Outdoor Learning Store.

Episode 10: Take Me Outside

What is it like running across Canada in nine months? How can outdoor learning become an inherent part of K–12 education? What roles does digital technology play in outdoor learning? Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:  

*insights from Colin's 7600-km run across Canada to promote outdoor learning

*how Take Me Outside came to be

*when digital technology enhances and hinders learning

*developing resiliency from time spent outside

*looking at use of tech in school with a critical lens

*what we can learn from Indigenous perspectives

*exciting initiatives from Take Me Outside

Guest (from https://rmbooks.com/book/take-me-outside/):

Colin Harris is the founder and executive director of Take Me Outside. He initiated the organization by running 7600 km across Canada over nine months, going into 80 schools across the country and engaging 20,000 students in the conversation about their time spent in front of screens compared to their time spent outside, being active and connecting to nature. Colin has been immersed in the field of outdoor and environmental education for over 15 years. He has been the director of outdoor education at an Ontario-based centre, he has instructed canoe trips for Outward Bound Canada, and he has worked with Indigenous students in the Western Arctic Leadership Program in NWT. He has taught Grades 7 and 8 and has completed a Master’s of Environmental Education and Communication through Royal Roads University. He enjoys trail running, writing, and continuing to find ways to engage Canadian students in exploring this country’s incredible backyard. Colin lives in Banff, Alberta.

Take Me Outside teacher apparel can be purchased from the Non-profit Outdoor Learning Store.

Episode 09: Messy maths and dirty teaching

Why do we have to jump through hoops just to take classes outside? What are the systemic barriers to outdoor learning? How can an outdoor "classroom" function as a leveler? These are three of the core questions we discussed with Juliet Robertson of Creative STAR Learning. Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:  

*Juliet's unlikely path to outdoor learning

*the sagas behind her two books, Messy Maths and Dirty Teaching

*supply teaching adventures (and misadventures)

*cross-curricular learning outdoors

*using inquiry-based learning

*practical advice for educators

*Juliet's arguments with worksheets

*how the Gaelic language connects to native trees and shrubs

Guest: 

Juliet Robertson is one of the world’s leading education consultants who specializes in outdoor learning and play. She works at a national level delivering training; giving keynote speeches; leading and supporting innovative outdoor projects; and writing content for websites, documents, and case studies. She is passionate about enabling schools, play organizations, and early years settings to provide quality outdoor learning and play opportunities for children and young people. (from the Outdoor Learning Store website)

Juliet's books Dirty Teaching and Messy Maths can be purchased from the Non-profit Outdoor Learning Store

Episode 08: Water insights from the headwaters to the open ocean

What would water tell us if it could talk? How can each of us strengthen our relationship with the waterways and water bodies near our homes? Our special guests from Ocean Wise and Water Rangers joined us to discuss these questions and more, as we covered as much territory as Canada has coastline (well, maybe not that much...). Here's what else we dove into in this Earthy Chat:  

*need-to-know facts about salt water and freshwater

*the disconnection many people have with water and how this can be addressed

*the impacts of climate change on our waterways

*sustainable fishing and agricultural practices

*citizen science and community monitoring to fill large data gaps

*action steps like the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup and reducing the use of road salt

Guests: 

Daphne Austin is the Online Specialist for online learning and ocean literacy with Ocean Wise. Through virtual programming, she connects others to the ocean, inspiring them to become ‘ocean wise’ to make positive choices for ocean health. Ocean Wise is a globally focused not-for-profit conservation organization on a mission to protect and restore the world’s ocean.

Laura Gilbert is the Community research coordinator for Water Rangers, which involves helping run projects and supporting their community of water testers. From webinars with first graders in the Yukon to excursions with students in after-school programs in Montréal, Laura loves to spark young learners’ interest in science and caring for water.

Kat Kavanagh is the Executive Director of Water Rangers. She was part of a winning team at the 2015 Aquahacking’s Ottawa Summit, which "a two- day hack-a-thon to develop technical solutions for the Ottawa River. Her team’s citizen science platform was essentially a prototype for what would later become Water Rangers." (adapted from the Water Rangers website)

Several water-testing kits can be purchased now at Canada's Non-profit Outdoor Learning Store: https://outdoorlearningstore.com/product/water-education-testkit/

Episode 07: Playing in the muck, art activities, and the walking curriculum

Friend of the show Gillian Judson was joined by artist Adelle Caunce for this lively discussion. Adelle's newest creation, the book Playing in the Muck and Other Art Activities, was designed to accompany Gillian's book, A Walking Curriculum. Here's a taste of what we covered in this Earthy Chat:  

*appreciating the underappreciated creatures (of the muck, soil, and ocean depths)

*experiencing nature through an artist's eyes

*re-assessing what we mean by "value"

*using imaginative and ecological pedagogies in multiple areas of education

*how we might consider curriculum and “curriculum-ing” as engaging in aesthetic experiences

*comparing "lovely" and "un-lovely" things to explore subjectivity and different perspectives

*Peacock Spiders, Goblin Sharks, and Anglerfishes

Guests: 

Dr. Gillian Judson is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University. She teaches in Educational Leadership and Curriculum and Instruction programs. Her scholarship looks at imagination’s role in leadership and learning (K–post-secondary).

Adelle Caunce is an artist now residing in Surrey, BC. She has lived and had her work in galleries and shows in San Francisco and Petaluma, California, and Dallas, Texas. People from all over the world have bought her pieces, but most of her time is now devoted to raising her kids. Every so often she gets to create something new, like this book, which is great fun!

Playing in the Muck and Other Art Activities: Imaginative Art Activities for the Walking Curriculum can be purchased now at Canada's Non-profit Outdoor Learning Store: https://outdoorlearningstore.ca/product/playing-in-the-muck/ 

Episode 06: Reconnecting with the land through a child‘s eyes

The new children's book Sila and the Land was co-authoured by Ariana Roundpoint, Shelby Angalik, and Lindsay Dupré — each from a different Indigenous community. Ariana joined Ian and Jade for this Earthy Chat. Here's a preview of what they discussed:  

*finding common ground among Indigenous Nations

*moving away from a "take-everything" mindset

*reconnecting with the land and water

*re-learning how to listen to the land and water in a noisy world that's always "on"

*distilling big ideas into a coherent narrative

*giving character to other-than-human beings and inanimate objects

*the book's value for children, parents/guardians, and educators

Guest: (from ed-ucation.ca)

Ariana Roundpoint is wolf clan of the Kanien’kehakah people, born and raised in Akwesasne. She has a strong passion for culture revitalization, important work that is needed in order to protect Indigenous knowledge and ways of life for the upcoming generations. A central part of this work for Ariana is to increase awareness of how traditions are being lost and the harm that is being done to Mother Earth. She has a lot planned for her future and wishes to influence others to create change by spreading knowledge through her writing.

Sila and the Land can be purchased now at Canada's Non-profit Outdoor Learning Store: https://outdoorlearningstore.ca/product/sila-and-the-land/

Episode 05: Returning to the heart of a river

The Heart of a River is back in print, and author Eileen Delehanty Pearkes joined Ian and Jade to mark the occasion. Here's a sampling of what they discussed:

*being "tapped" to write The Heart of a River and letting the river speak

*the complexity of reconciling with a colonial past

*finding truth in the land (and water)

*encouraging developments for the Columbia River and rivers elsewhere

*Eileen's many relationships with members of the Sinixt community

*finding common ground between two seemingly different spiritualities

Guest: (adapted from edpearkes.com)

Eileen Delehanty Pearkes is a published author and skilled public speaker. Her artistic eye and lyrical style bring Western landscapes and their cultural history to life. She explores landscape and the human imagination in conference presentations, books, essays, and online media.

Born in the United States, educated at Stanford University (B.A., English) and the University of British Columbia (M.A., English), Eileen recently returned to the U.S. after residing in Canada since 1985. Her biography, education, and academic interests, as well as her perspective on landscape, water, and culture, are all uniquely bi-national and firmly grounded in place.

The Heart of a River can be purchased now at Canada's Non-profit Outdoor Learning Store: https://outdoorlearningstore.ca/product/heart-of-a-river/ 

 

Fables from the Field 2021: Field notebooks, sketching, and the art of record-keeping

Do you have to be an artist to make field sketches? Do you have to be a poet to make field notes? How is record-keeping like poetry? In what way does it engage us in creative problem-solving? Ian and Jade discuss these questions, while sharing stories of their own outdoor note-taking experiences, as well as those of their students. Jade also talks about the time David Attenborough was in the next room during a field trip... seriously. 

Fables from the Field 2021: Dip nets, fish massages, and rockpooling (in tidal pools)

Grab a dip net and go! You might soon find yourself inadvertently getting a fish massage. Maybe you'll give rockpooling a go. If you're not sure what rockpooling is, you'll find out after hearing a story of crustacean drama in a shrinking tidal pool on Vancouver Island. Ian and Jade also share their tips for expanding your pond/stream study toolkit, using dichotomous keys to identify macroinvertebrates, and appreciating the beauty of swimming leeches. 

Fables from the Field 2021: Magnifiers, minerals, and charismatic microfauna

How can something as simple and inexpensive as a magnifying glass be such a powerful outdoor learning tool? In what ways can we use magnifiers to engage some students with diverse learning needs? Is getting an up-close-and-personal look at "bugs" a means of helping students overcome their fear of "creepy crawlies"? Ian and Jade covered all of this, while also recounting a story of getting maybe a little too up close and personal with an insect after a rainforest adventure abroad.