UPDATE

OKAY...so hopefully all of you are doing well and keeping yourself updated with our ADK classroom!

Things for me and my "plans" are not going AS PLANNED! I was planning on canning tomatoes but because of the wet season alot of them I had to use right away or they spoiled...so no canning for me this year. But I have learned for the following year...

My compost...was doing okay...but I didn't really have an enclosure..so it hasn't really been that effective. I did however, get some pallets and plan on building that whenever I get time and have an enclosed compost. SINCE my non-composting last few months I have been spending .15 cents a pound on garbage and THAT stinks! So go composting!

As for the farmers market/own currency for the town of Honeoye...the town board is looking down on that idea and not willing to listen or see any plans...so that was a fall out. I even tried to show them examples of existing ones. So I guess until then I will just talk to the wall until someone listens!

Other than that things are going okay...working...sleeping...eating. I miss all of you and hope the end of your summer went well!

<3Jenn

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

Thursday and Friday FUN

Thursday was a BLAST. I was very nervous because I'm not one for heights or things I know I may not be good at. I'm glad I pushed myself on the ropes course and the zip line. I had a lot of fun and it was hardly as nerve racking as I thought it was going to be. The group support and facilitator enthusiasm made it all the better. I was very proud of everyone that decided to go through the course. Last night was very cool. I went down with Bri and played guitar and had good conversation for a bit as the sun started to settle beyond the rolling hills. Laster on the Kleins, Alli, Colleen and the guys joined us. We had a lot of fun chillin and singing.

Today, was not very busy. We had some great presentations and I thought that all of them were very creative and unique. Hopefully we can al share our ideas and resources in the future! It is now lunch time and we are on our way!

Jenny

Sunny Days

Wednesday was a gorgeous day here in the ADK.

The drive over was fun. The girls that rode with me were good company, and we shared a lot of funny stories.

The WILD Center was very creative. I had already been there so I took a quick trip around and then hit the trails with Eric to go to the look out points. I also spoke with some women who were volunteering at the center and was interested to find out they are a non-profit organization. They receive all of their money from admissions, donations, memberships. The building of the center was actually all built based on donations given, which I found to be unbelievable! One other new thing I learned was about conifers. I now know all of the conifers that are in the ADK:

White/Red/Black Spruce, Hemlock, White pine, Red pine, Scotch pine, balsam fir etc.

One way to remember white pine is that the needles are grouped in 5's and there are 5 letters in white!.

So I thought that was pretty cool and informative.

At the ADK history museum I was impressed with the railroad, farming and logging buildings. I was surprised how plush the trains were! They definitely lived in luxury on those things. I was thinking how much that would be now to ride in one of those! My favorite part about the farming was this little machine used for churning butter. I do not remember the name of it but it was this contraption with a track and they had their dog or sheep walk on it. This motion from the track would crank the handle on a churning barrel and the animal would do all the work to churn it for their walking on an endless track! HA brilliant but I feel bad for the animal who had to do that all day! The logging part at the museum actually reminded me alot of the logging interpretation trails I went on in Algonquin National Park in Canada. I almost wish that the ADK museum had everything outside and it was likek a guided trail walk instead but it was still neat.

When we arrived back at Huntington I was exhausted but I kept up the spirit for a small hike with some friends, dinner and then a short paddle run. After that I was POOPED! I cozily snuggled under my blankets and read French Louie until I dropped the book on my face (rather hard actually I must have been holdin the book back about a mile to read it) and decided I better hit the hay.

Until the next amazing tale,

Jenny

Chillaxing

Today was a very laid back day. It was very chilly and cloudy but we stuck to our plans and went kayaking anyways.

I liked the American Castles video and tour of the camp ground. Though many have told me who built Huntington and other popular buildings around the ADK it never stuck in my mind. After the video and tour I was much more informed about the history of Raquette Lake and I know I will remember it to pass on to my family and friends who come out this way. Its always crazy to think about who was standing on this ground a century-50 years past time. You gotta wonder if they ever had the same aesthetic moments.

Kayaking was exciting but very windy. My little muscles were a burnin! All our newbies at the sport did very well! I even showed them my board trick which may come in handy someday if there is not a ramp. Huntington spoils us, I guarantee the next time anyone goes kayaking there will not be a loading/off-loading ramp!

The last half of the day was also informative. I got the DL on the many programs that are offered in the technological world of Macintosh. I was not familiar with any of the programs so this was a great eye-opener. THANK YOU KARL!

I'm very excited to get my project started so off I go!

~*~ Jenny~*~

Black Bear Mountain and Ferds Bog

Yesterday afternoon I left Tupper Lake (at my boyfriends cabin) and hesitantly began my journey over to Raquette Lake for the Adirondack Classroom Class. Now, I say "hesitantly" because you never know who or what you are going to have to live with for a week, I was also sad to leave my home away from home in Tupper and my friends. So I arrived feeling sad and skeptical...

Since last night and today I have met great people. People with tons of enthusiasm, dreams, knowledge, humor and kindness. We have had a lot of fun so far. I don't even mind doing kitchen duty first because it makes me feel at home working at the restaurant (which the cook here is amazing to us).

Today we hiked on Ferds Bog and then Black Bear Mountain and Summit point. The scenery was to die for. Ferds Bog was just like any other bog...well...I don't think the other bogs that I've been to had a tall, chiseled featured man named ERIC frolicking through it BUT none the less it had its mushy, mossy floating bed with cylinder shaped pitcher plants and small cactus looking sundews.

After scoping out the wildlife in the bog habitat we moved on to Bear Mountain. The hike was not very strenuous; it was enough to get the blood pumping. The air smelled like pine trees and fresh mud and you could hear the leaves rattling in the wind, matching the rhythm of the rushing water from the stream farther out from the trail. Everyone was in their own world at this point trying to be the first to the top! When I reached the peak and looked across the vast rolling hills and towering peaks, I felt that jolt in my heart, that warmth that envelopes you from the inside-out. Yes, there was definitely something higher than me...something bigger out there than all of us that created this land, that made it possible for me to see this view.

After admiring the scenery a bit longer and capturing the moment on my film I sat down in the sun on a slanted part of the rocky mountain side and enjoyed my lunch. As the warm breeze brushed my face and the warmth from the sun tingled my skin I layed back and took my first Adirondack Mountain nap.

Our first exploration out together was awesome and I think we all learned a little bit about eachother. Our motivation, personalities, enthusiasm and just life in general. I think we all learned more than enough from our guide as well...who was astonishingly smarter than probably all of us put together. He had answers for everything.

Cheers to good fun and playing smart :)

Jenny

Hello

YES! I have finally made it through creating a blogger! woooh, what a rush!
Anyways...
I am looking forward to joining the Adirondack Classroom team. I am very excited to not only learn, but share our knowledge and skills with eachother.
A little bit about myself:
I have spent my whole life in the outdoors. For conservation purposes I hunt, trap and fish. I also like it because my family usually lives off of a semi-primitive diet. Other activities I enjoy are kayaking, snowboarding, skiing, hiking...pretty much anything outside (though a movie is nice now and then)!
I love teaching just as much as I love learning new things. Through my experiences I have gained a greater insight on what educational opportunities are available to teachers and children.
I volunteered for a month long internship at the DEC Rogers Institute where I gained knowledge and experience teaching mammals, birds, wildlife ecology, tracks and signs in the outdoors and pond ecology. While I was there I also received training to be a Project WILD Facilitator. Previously to that I had participated in WILD Aquatics, Flying WILD, Project WET, Basic WILD and a trial workshop for Child Caregivers. I also volunteer frequently with Cummings Nature Center where I bring schools on "Pioneer life" tours and help set up public programs for families, teachers, etc.
While I have not found a teaching job yet, I have dedicated 3 years to substitute teaching and temporary positions in elementary, middle school and high school districts.
My goal as a future teacher is to help myself and others to provide an engaging curriculum, choices in learning venues for students, a stronger sense of commitment to learning, and a sense of belonging...of community.