Hello All,

Well, comming back to the real world where tall buildings and towers loom, the smell of fast food lingers and the stress is high...was not the best. But I am back and just finished with the hands-on high ropes portion of my other class. Which was NOTHING compared to what we did at Raquette. So, I was very prepared thanks to all of you!
Thanks again Karl and Beth, and the group.

MY Last BLOG:
Part 1:
Please DESCRIBE (this means MORE than list, you know...) at least five meaningful things you learned in this course and how these things have, or will, effect change(s) in your life (either personally or professionally).

• The talk of the transition towns and the CSA was ver interesting. I try and do alot of community service and volunettering in my community and it would be nice to get Honeoye in to one of those transition towns. On a more personal level I hope to get myself, friends and family involved in some kind of local agricultural food chain. Trying not to get anything at the grocery store will be challenging. But I like challenges.
• The projects that everyone did were really creative. They were meaningful to me because I can use them in the classroom and all of them were an approach that would match up with many of Gardners Multiple Intelligences, which I base a lot of my lesson plans around when long-term subbing. It was also helpful to get some fresh, new, and creative ways of doing things. Creativity always wins a class over.
• The technology that Karl showed was was important to me. The only application I knew was itunes, and even that I was satisfactory with. I learned about podcasts, itunes store in general, imovie, photobooth, iphoto and garage band, ALL of which I had no prior experience or knowledge of. I plan on using these applications in the classroom and personally. The kids in the class can utilize them for projects, I can use them to send out information to just about anybody, and it is just fun to have around.
• Learning about the history of some places in the ADK was a real eye-opener. I never did like history much because it never seemed to relate to anything in my life. Learning about the history of Pine Knot and where we were staying in the different buildings was much more interesting. When I watched that video clip of those buildings I didn't even connect that that was Huntington Camp! It made me realize that in history there are alot more connections than I thought. Now I am much more aware of things that happened and are ongoing in the ADK, which I hope to keep up on more since I have a cabin there. I think I will also know how to make history more meaningful to myself and my students.
• The introduction of Mike Pollan was definitley meaningful. I've seen the book he wrote, Omnivores Dilemma a thousand times and I just never bought it because I figured it was just a nother "tree hugger" book that was probably full of inaccurate information anyways. After watching that clip previous the the Raquette Lake experience, I was very excited to learn more. Our class discussions backed up some of the things that Mike Pollan talked about. It was very meaningful to me because I am much more aware of what our "food situation", oil peak situation and acid rain problem actually is. I will be buying that book and I will be keeping myself updated on these situations. It is much worse than I thought and hopefullly during my learning process I will bring some peopel in with me.

Part 2:
Please DESCRIBE at least three things you have taken away from the course topics, activities, discussions, and/or readings that will affect what you do to in your classroom (or workplace) that will connect our week to what you do every day.

• Being outdoors for a class for a week, along with my other classes that were outside really go back on Louv's book. I will live by Louv's book and other beleivers like the ones in our class that think children should spend more time outside. I plan on being an active force in this cultural movement whether it be in the classroom, an outdoor center or a park. I hope to get schools to convert to a more ECO-based curriculum.
• John Slades optomistic outlook in his book ADK Green has made me really excited to take an active role in getting our future generation in with the community and outside. The community service the principal had given all of this kids, and how everything turned out has really inspired me. I figured in the classroom I could help distribute community service assignments through being the National Honor Society director, being a coach or doing osmething for my own class. If I could not directly do this, maybe connecting with an outdoor center to facilitate community service assignments and options. I am not sure yet what route would be feasable.
• Though many may think that the high ropes course was just "fun" instead of educational. I really disagree. I think alot of us in the group were able to find ourselves as well as understand others. Our true personalities really shone through during this activity day. The things I learned about myself and the sense of acheivment will no doubt in my mind help me in where ever I end up working. For example I want to play an active role in the outdoor/greener life culture, but it is going to be a bumpy and sometimes frustrating road. The ropes course made me see that if you put your mind to it you can do it if you set high goals and expectations for yourself. Challenge by choice and not discrediting yourself or others in the ropes course holds the same for me in my life at this point.

HOpefully this was descriptive enough. If you need more let me know. It really was a great class though. Not only was it fun and active but it was also very educational. The amount that I learned this week was probably more than I've learned in a whole semester taking 4 classes AND I can apply it t omore than one aspect of my life. Thanks again!

Jenny