By Sam Anderson
Since I have started my career I have herd nothing but jokes from other peers, about my profession. They don’t understand how beneficial the backcountry can be as a classroom. Most average people have not experienced the teachable moments we have. Being in such an independent field as adventure education you will constantly here people poking fun at you. I am also a strong believer that nature has an extreme effect on the learning process.
When we do our teaching as backcountry teachers we make our lessons appealing to people. They get most of the human senses going such as hearing, seeing, touching etc. With some lesson little kids explode with joy when they get to run around, rather then just sitting in a chair. You learn by doing activities hands on with others or just by yourself. Everyone works as a team and help each other out with different chores. It also helps in the fact you can do practice your skills when you physically do it 50 times. It has a way of sticking in your brain to know that people will help you when ever you need it. There is no lack of teacher interactions with their students. I like the physical pressure it demands from you with certain activities. Your life depends on how much you learn, if you a careless and didn’t pay attention you could miss out on lifesaving information. It puts more pressure on the student when there is a risk of injury to learn the information. There are good presentations even in the woods; teachers improvise with props, and various poster boards. Kids are excited to learn, they learn by doing, and interacting with their learning environment. The backcountry classroom pushes its teachers to the next level; it expects you to rise to the challenge of getting your group through dangerous situations. I feel that nature is there to test out the strongest from the weakest people. It’s like the old saying “only the strong survive”, nature demands perfection from its followers. The others that aren’t pushing there skills constantly are not capable of being in the backcountry classroom. I think I have a different perspective on how I judge people character now. Nature has a way of bringing out the flaws in people, you can tell a strong person from a weak one. You also grow to respect those people that are up to your judgments. People that are accomplished successfully in dangerous fields I have more respect for then most.
After being out for the last two weeks I will definitely admit that any time spent in the woods will force you to look at the real world differently. It puts a new perspective on things in your every day life when you get home. You will appreciate normal luxuries that you would not consider while being in the woods. Small things like having a shower, a stove, and especially using a toilet, are something I’m grateful for. I like the fact that those little things will choose you to appreciate life more. Weather factors change the way you can perform tasks, a day of canoeing in the rain is harder then doing it on a sunny day. You need to know your stuff; nature demands your perfection as a leader. The risk that we encounter on a daily basis is something that no class room can prepare you for.
The backcountry classroom should be the only classroom. It applies to all the ways in which people learn information. Nature is the perfect tool to have your students use while learning about their environment. I am excited to get to use my skills these coming seasons, I want to use the power of the backcountry classroom with my students. I want people to experience the benefits I have been able to learn.
Adventure Education
Plymouth State University
