It was raining today which meant the school program we were meant to teach at a local park was canceled. That didn't stop me from doing what I had to however. At about 2:30 this afternoon, I got up from my job searching chair (it's the same as my desk chair really. I just thought it sounded fancy) to go and run. Boy, was it worth it!
Treading down the path at a fair clip, I felt the small drops of rain as they fell behind me and faded from sight. The sky remained gray, but I felt better as the run continued. When I started from the house, I go to jogging immediately instead of walking as I usually do. I felt like if I wanted to get somewhere where I could run for a longer period, I would have to do it by running right from the start. As a result, I ran for four minutes and walked for one before starting over again. Alternating between short rest and long strides, I've built up my stamina and hopefully am giving myself a healthier, fitter outlook on life.
As I ran through the woods, past the main fire circle, and onto the restored meadow trail, I heard the cries of jays, woodpeckers, titmice, and chickadees echo along the way. Their busiest time was now with families scattering, flocks forming, and food slowly running out. Their race was beginning now as well. I ran on further towards the pond. I passed a lone Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) and the local pair of Mute Swans (Cygnus olor). I ran through a short section of cedar trees before passing along the recently cleared trail ahead. I noted as I ran that I wasn't feeling as stuffy as I'd been earlier. In the past few days, I seemed to contracted a cold from somewhere. I was trying to drink plenty of fluids and keep up the picture of health. However, going for a run did something else for me.
Being able to feel like I was pushing myself a little further, a little harder made me feel as if I could surpass the cold. Even if the feeling lasted only a few minutes, I felt very good. As I headed back towards the house, I took a detour for my cool down walk. I headed towards the haiku station near the entry to the woods. After stretching my leg muscles, I looked up. Most times of the day, I'm acutely aware of my being aware. That is to say that I see myself as looking out of a vessel or shell. While I won't go into a philosophical search for my views and perceptions of the outside world, within that moment, I was at the very least, aware and focused on the world around me. In the past few days I've felt lost with worry over how the lessons for this week's school group or after school session might work or not work. I felt like time either dragged or slipped and my reliance on a watch further exacerbated this feeling.
However, when I exercised today, I felt focused and direct. My awareness for my own progress kept me going and as I walked back to the house at the end, I was calm and collected. I saw what was around me, heard what I could pick out, and ultimately had done my work and stepped back.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Saturday, September 28, 2013
OUT!! #40: Book Review: The Forest Unseen
A forest is a forest is a forest right? Well that would be an extremely short sighted view of the amazing variety and changes that took place in Shakerag Hollow in Sewanee, Tennessee as it was watched over by David George Haskell. The book starts simply with a common teaching technique used by teacher naturalists called a spot sit. He elaborates upon it by relating it back to a sand mandala that was created at the university where he works and how it represents elements of change, beauty, interconnectedness, and impermanence. As the mandala is brushed up and is sprinkled bit by bit, to flow away along a stream, he brings us back to the section of forest that he is to keep vigil over for the year.His quiet observations show the changes of the seasons as plants and animals prepare for the warmth of spring, the bounty of summer, the simmering fall, and the eventual quiet grip of winter. While his writing is a little difficult to grasp to begin with, his style of mixing scientific inquiry and observation with poetic musings about the environment around him proves to be an interesting blend. While the chapter headings direct the reader towards his subject matter, he is by no means specifically bound towards just that one subject. Playing off of the importance of interconnecting players within this ecological space, he illuminates his readers on the relationships of parasitism displayed by the tachnid fly and the horsehair worm, the perceived sexual deviancy of snails, the energy consumed by chickadees if seeds are eaten instead of insects, and how the ugliness of a golf ball isn't necessarily the ultimate polluting sin. Indeed, what many outdoor observers seem to miss is how interconnected the world is and how if one thing is altered, the balance of a whole ecosystem is dislodged.
I feel that his spot sit is something anyone can try even if it seems a little difficult at first. People these days have trouble sitting still, even for long periods. This seems counter intuitive because of all the jobs that involve sitting at computers these days. It's hard, especially for my generation, who wants things to be interactive and instantaneous and I can't imagine what it's going to be like for the up and coming generations as tech gets faster and more invasive. But you should really give it a try. Pick a spot where people are unlikely to disturb you and just sit. It's that easy. Some might be intimidated by all that's going on around them, but I urge you to at least try. If you do so with some regularity you'll see changes taking place. You might notice the changes in the plants first, before animals become accustomed to your presence. Take your time. If you make it your goal to learn everything about everything, you'll get frustrated quickly. Observe first and if you have any questions, note them down. Observe, then query. It's not only the most scientific way of learning, but it also leaves more room for paying attention to what's going on around you.
If there are any people in your life with an interest in nature or are naturalists themselves, I highly recommend this volume. Once a month, I'll be reviewing a book that centers on natural themes such as nature observation, outdoor exploration, or a general appreciation for the natural world. I hope I can share what I'm reading with people and in turn, people can inform me of what they like as well.
Have a lovely rest of your weekend.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
OUT!! #39: It's a Paradigm
The project I've chosen to pursue is to make a series (and by series I mean about 70 or so) of wildlife information sheets that describes their appearance, diet, habitat, seasonal movements, and location on the Watershed property as well as a series of natural history facts about the given creature. I'd have an example to share, but I'd rather wait until I have a finished product or even a PDF of it so that people on here could get a feel for it. That's all for now.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
OUT!! #38:A Healthy Outdoor Life
You see it frequently in advertising campaigns, movies, sitcoms, and other forms of media. Using the "great outdoors" as a means and a muse towards getting healthy. That's what ended up happening to me this summer. The combination of carrying a heavy bag, first aid kit, and herding groups of small children through the woods and fields of the Watershed property has left me thinner than I've ever been. As of Labor Day, I weigh 192 lbs and am adamant on keeping myself around that weight.
So what am I to do to mimic the stresses and at least the constant motion associated with active camp life? I've decided to take up running.
To my parents this is an abject bombshell as I have never displayed interest in running as a means of exercise let alone sport. It will be of no surprise to them however that I will be doing trail running as my access to a wide variety and length of trails is more or less guaranteed by my living on a nature preserve. Also it prevents the risk of road running which supposedly is harder on the feet and more dangerous due to traffic.
I've only done it for a week, but I'm adamant to keep it up as a regular habit. As long as I have somewhere to run, I figure it should do me some good in the long run (haha puns!).
So what am I to do to mimic the stresses and at least the constant motion associated with active camp life? I've decided to take up running.
To my parents this is an abject bombshell as I have never displayed interest in running as a means of exercise let alone sport. It will be of no surprise to them however that I will be doing trail running as my access to a wide variety and length of trails is more or less guaranteed by my living on a nature preserve. Also it prevents the risk of road running which supposedly is harder on the feet and more dangerous due to traffic.
I've only done it for a week, but I'm adamant to keep it up as a regular habit. As long as I have somewhere to run, I figure it should do me some good in the long run (haha puns!).
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
OUT!! #37: Confessions of a Camp Counselor
As my fifth summer as a camp counselor draws to a close, I'm inclined (and encouraged greatly by close associates of mine) to write about my experiences as a camp counselor and what my overall opinion of such experiences was and now is. I'm eager to tell, but fear this may turn into a rant. To keep this from happening I've come up with seven observations I made this year at summer camp and I will describe each with a short paragraph or story. So without further adieu, here are the observations I've made.
#1: Your child isn't special. Period.
Whatever you've been told previously, whether you are a child yourself (and might I congratulate you on finding my blog so interesting) or a former child, or someone whose worked with children, they aren't. They just aren't! They're so much more than that flat and overused term. They embody so much emotion and talent and energy that it boggles my mind a little bit. Some are creative while others talk a lot. Some are aggressive and bossy, while others are kind and quiet. Most are goofy, some are funny, and others are just strange. They are human beings after all with all their wonderful and terrifying emotions, attitudes, and ideas. We tend to label something that takes a lot of time and work as an "obligation" or a "chore" and I can agree that that is a label I would apply to the kids I had this summer. But despite their struggles and age related worries (I had first and second graders all summer so I know what I'm talking about), they are really something else. I recommend everyone try a little harder to relate to kids the next time they see them and instead of snidely commenting of every little thing that annoys you about them, appreciate them for being them and remember that you used to be like that too.
#2: Your co-counselors make everything better.
By far this summer was excellent and made excellent by the cooperation, collaboration, and craziness that were my two co-counselors. While the kids would test our patience sometimes and quick thinking was required when certain activities didn't work out or weren't long enough, we pulled through with amazing flexibility and creativity. I've had other good counselors in the past, but these two were fabulous and while they probably already know, they have my eternal thanks and appreciation.
#3: Venting about problem children is a required end of day ritual.
Some kids you just want to scream at, while others you may wish to punt off of a cliff (metaphorically of course), so having a means to vent and complain about child behavior was a necessary end of day ritual. After we'd cleaned up and put away supplies, we'd gather round the picnic tables and discuss the day. Most kids were fine. Some had aggressive personalities that might not gel with the quieter kids or over competitive children dominating others in running games, but only once this summer did I experience a child so obnoxious that I was relieved the day he left. He not only acted like a gremlin (of movie fame you might imagine), but looked a little like one too. Towards the end of the second week he was there, he ran off during a game of Fishy, Fishy because he didn't want to run to the other side and risk getting tagged. I then had to follow him and coax him back into the game.
The second offense came on the last day. My co-counselors and I decided that going to the pond was a good way to finish the day so we headed there for lunch. Problem child didn't like this idea and loudly complained when we wouldn't sit under the trees for lunch as we'd done earlier that week. Instead he sat glumly below a paltry patch of shade near the pond's edge. While there, he found a stick insect and was sharing it with the other kids until the end of lunch. However, when we got up to leave, he tried to take the creature with him, stating that he was going to bring it home. When we told him, "No.", a tantrum ensued. He claimed that he couldn't put it back because we didn't know what species it was and other sorry excuses to try and keep it. My co-counselor and I calmly explained that this was the stick insects home and that it needed to go back to the wild. In response, he sulked. We asked him to get his bag, put it on, and get in line (as by this point, all the other children had done so and were waiting patiently for him to do so) In response, he picked up his bag, walked ten feet, deliberately dropped it, and kept going. Clearly he was going for the "I'm going to be the biggest little shit award", so we calmly asked him to pick up his dropped bag. He stomped over and sulked at the end of the line. Award achieved.
If you think that was horrible, I have other stories for other times. However, after writing that down, I really need a stiff drink before moving onto the next joy of camp. Bathrooms.
#4: Shitting in the woods is the scariest thing at camp.
Apparently the very idea of going to the bathroom in the woods is a terrifying thought to some people. Boys have it easy. Step 1. Find a tree. Step 2. Pee. Step 3. Skip step one if you have no qualms about being seen whatsoever. However, the act of defecating in the woods raises the hackles a bit. Not only are you exposing your bum to nature, but you are also at your most vulnerable making for a tense situation for all involved. One week, we had a girl at the Hobbit Tree (a large, wide spreading branched tree near the Stony Brook used for fairy house building and camouflage) who needed to use the bathroom. She'd more or less refused to use the port-a-johns the first week she was there, so it was amazing to me that she knew (even if she didn't want to) she had to go in the woods. So I grabbed the supplies needed for #2: a shovel and toilet paper. We headed down the trail a little bit and I dug the hole and instructed her on proper pooping procedure (P.P.P). For those of you who are curious, they are as follows: Step 1: Dig a hole. Step 2: Poop. Step 3: Wipe thine bum with toilet paper. Step 4: Put toilet paper in hole. Step 5: Cover hole.
Pretty easy right? Well, this little girl proved me so wrong that after it happened all I could do was laugh with disbelief. After explaining the P.P.P, I asked if she understood and she mumbled a disgruntled, "Yes.". I waited further down the trail, looking off into the brush. It was so quiet and peaceful. A cardinal sang nearby and a Black Swallowtail (Papilo polyxenes) flew past my eyes. Eventually, I heard footsteps behind me and turned around. I asked if she was finished and she nodded. I noticed that she didn't have either the shovel or the toilet paper and briefly feared that she'd tossed both into the bushes out of contempt for what I'd just put her through. I asked that she go back and get them and she did so begrudgingly. I gave her hand sanitizer and headed back. An inkling told me to go back and check that she'd done it properly. When I arrived upon the scene, my thoughts about what I might find came to a screeching halt. Not only had she missed the hole, but the size of the shit stunned me even more. For how small a child she was, that was a massive shit. She'd also put the toilet paper around it and it looked slightly shredded too. I poked it into the hole with a stick and covered the whole mess. While this was the only poorly executed poo I had to deal with this summer, there were plenty others that either wet or shat themselves. I would go into greater detail, but I would probably do better to forget such experiences.
#5: Fairy houses are the bomb.
Nuff said!
#6: CITs can make or break group dynamic.
Most of the CITs (Counselors In Training) I had this summer were great. For the most part they interacted with the kids, played the games, kept them in order, and were helpful members of the group. However, the last two we had with our group were terrible for different reasons. The second to last CIT that we had seemed to have leadership complex where he envisioned himself as a counselor more than a CIT and tried to emulate that role. He even tried disciplining one of our kids when it clearly wasn't his job to do so. However, his antics whilst well intentioned were nothing compared to our last CIT. He clearly didn't want to be at camp. From some reports we got, he was more like a problem camper last year and hadn't changed much since then. He didn't participate in any activity unless you told him to. He didn't get excited about anything. He didn't like being outside. He was the very epitome of a "Debby downer" and it showed. One of my co-counselors noted that we'd have been better off without him like we'd been the prior week (he was with 3rd and 4th beforehand). So CITs take note! You're allowed to not want to be somewhere, but instead of sulking, make your situation better. Fake it till you make it if necessary, but at least try. Who knows? The outdoors might be just the antidote you're looking for.
#7: Nature camp is a great idea.
It allows the kids to explore the natural world in a semi-controlled setting while providing time to explore, learn, and experience the world around them. I had kids who were afraid of bugs and mud at the start of the week crashing through it by the end and catching all the critters they could grab. Along with exploration, certain lessons such as predation, migration, camouflage etc. get engrained in various games, songs, and other educational activities get them excited about nature as well. I could go on, but I covered my feelings on the matter in OUT!! #8 and it would be redundant to repeat myself.
That's all there is to it I guess. If you'd like to know more, leave a comment below and I'll try to be as helpful as possible. Have a great rest of the week and thanks for letting me get this off my chest.
#1: Your child isn't special. Period.
Whatever you've been told previously, whether you are a child yourself (and might I congratulate you on finding my blog so interesting) or a former child, or someone whose worked with children, they aren't. They just aren't! They're so much more than that flat and overused term. They embody so much emotion and talent and energy that it boggles my mind a little bit. Some are creative while others talk a lot. Some are aggressive and bossy, while others are kind and quiet. Most are goofy, some are funny, and others are just strange. They are human beings after all with all their wonderful and terrifying emotions, attitudes, and ideas. We tend to label something that takes a lot of time and work as an "obligation" or a "chore" and I can agree that that is a label I would apply to the kids I had this summer. But despite their struggles and age related worries (I had first and second graders all summer so I know what I'm talking about), they are really something else. I recommend everyone try a little harder to relate to kids the next time they see them and instead of snidely commenting of every little thing that annoys you about them, appreciate them for being them and remember that you used to be like that too.
#2: Your co-counselors make everything better.
By far this summer was excellent and made excellent by the cooperation, collaboration, and craziness that were my two co-counselors. While the kids would test our patience sometimes and quick thinking was required when certain activities didn't work out or weren't long enough, we pulled through with amazing flexibility and creativity. I've had other good counselors in the past, but these two were fabulous and while they probably already know, they have my eternal thanks and appreciation.
#3: Venting about problem children is a required end of day ritual.
Some kids you just want to scream at, while others you may wish to punt off of a cliff (metaphorically of course), so having a means to vent and complain about child behavior was a necessary end of day ritual. After we'd cleaned up and put away supplies, we'd gather round the picnic tables and discuss the day. Most kids were fine. Some had aggressive personalities that might not gel with the quieter kids or over competitive children dominating others in running games, but only once this summer did I experience a child so obnoxious that I was relieved the day he left. He not only acted like a gremlin (of movie fame you might imagine), but looked a little like one too. Towards the end of the second week he was there, he ran off during a game of Fishy, Fishy because he didn't want to run to the other side and risk getting tagged. I then had to follow him and coax him back into the game.
The second offense came on the last day. My co-counselors and I decided that going to the pond was a good way to finish the day so we headed there for lunch. Problem child didn't like this idea and loudly complained when we wouldn't sit under the trees for lunch as we'd done earlier that week. Instead he sat glumly below a paltry patch of shade near the pond's edge. While there, he found a stick insect and was sharing it with the other kids until the end of lunch. However, when we got up to leave, he tried to take the creature with him, stating that he was going to bring it home. When we told him, "No.", a tantrum ensued. He claimed that he couldn't put it back because we didn't know what species it was and other sorry excuses to try and keep it. My co-counselor and I calmly explained that this was the stick insects home and that it needed to go back to the wild. In response, he sulked. We asked him to get his bag, put it on, and get in line (as by this point, all the other children had done so and were waiting patiently for him to do so) In response, he picked up his bag, walked ten feet, deliberately dropped it, and kept going. Clearly he was going for the "I'm going to be the biggest little shit award", so we calmly asked him to pick up his dropped bag. He stomped over and sulked at the end of the line. Award achieved.
If you think that was horrible, I have other stories for other times. However, after writing that down, I really need a stiff drink before moving onto the next joy of camp. Bathrooms.
#4: Shitting in the woods is the scariest thing at camp.
Apparently the very idea of going to the bathroom in the woods is a terrifying thought to some people. Boys have it easy. Step 1. Find a tree. Step 2. Pee. Step 3. Skip step one if you have no qualms about being seen whatsoever. However, the act of defecating in the woods raises the hackles a bit. Not only are you exposing your bum to nature, but you are also at your most vulnerable making for a tense situation for all involved. One week, we had a girl at the Hobbit Tree (a large, wide spreading branched tree near the Stony Brook used for fairy house building and camouflage) who needed to use the bathroom. She'd more or less refused to use the port-a-johns the first week she was there, so it was amazing to me that she knew (even if she didn't want to) she had to go in the woods. So I grabbed the supplies needed for #2: a shovel and toilet paper. We headed down the trail a little bit and I dug the hole and instructed her on proper pooping procedure (P.P.P). For those of you who are curious, they are as follows: Step 1: Dig a hole. Step 2: Poop. Step 3: Wipe thine bum with toilet paper. Step 4: Put toilet paper in hole. Step 5: Cover hole.
Pretty easy right? Well, this little girl proved me so wrong that after it happened all I could do was laugh with disbelief. After explaining the P.P.P, I asked if she understood and she mumbled a disgruntled, "Yes.". I waited further down the trail, looking off into the brush. It was so quiet and peaceful. A cardinal sang nearby and a Black Swallowtail (Papilo polyxenes) flew past my eyes. Eventually, I heard footsteps behind me and turned around. I asked if she was finished and she nodded. I noticed that she didn't have either the shovel or the toilet paper and briefly feared that she'd tossed both into the bushes out of contempt for what I'd just put her through. I asked that she go back and get them and she did so begrudgingly. I gave her hand sanitizer and headed back. An inkling told me to go back and check that she'd done it properly. When I arrived upon the scene, my thoughts about what I might find came to a screeching halt. Not only had she missed the hole, but the size of the shit stunned me even more. For how small a child she was, that was a massive shit. She'd also put the toilet paper around it and it looked slightly shredded too. I poked it into the hole with a stick and covered the whole mess. While this was the only poorly executed poo I had to deal with this summer, there were plenty others that either wet or shat themselves. I would go into greater detail, but I would probably do better to forget such experiences.
#5: Fairy houses are the bomb.
Nuff said!
#6: CITs can make or break group dynamic.
Most of the CITs (Counselors In Training) I had this summer were great. For the most part they interacted with the kids, played the games, kept them in order, and were helpful members of the group. However, the last two we had with our group were terrible for different reasons. The second to last CIT that we had seemed to have leadership complex where he envisioned himself as a counselor more than a CIT and tried to emulate that role. He even tried disciplining one of our kids when it clearly wasn't his job to do so. However, his antics whilst well intentioned were nothing compared to our last CIT. He clearly didn't want to be at camp. From some reports we got, he was more like a problem camper last year and hadn't changed much since then. He didn't participate in any activity unless you told him to. He didn't get excited about anything. He didn't like being outside. He was the very epitome of a "Debby downer" and it showed. One of my co-counselors noted that we'd have been better off without him like we'd been the prior week (he was with 3rd and 4th beforehand). So CITs take note! You're allowed to not want to be somewhere, but instead of sulking, make your situation better. Fake it till you make it if necessary, but at least try. Who knows? The outdoors might be just the antidote you're looking for.
#7: Nature camp is a great idea.
It allows the kids to explore the natural world in a semi-controlled setting while providing time to explore, learn, and experience the world around them. I had kids who were afraid of bugs and mud at the start of the week crashing through it by the end and catching all the critters they could grab. Along with exploration, certain lessons such as predation, migration, camouflage etc. get engrained in various games, songs, and other educational activities get them excited about nature as well. I could go on, but I covered my feelings on the matter in OUT!! #8 and it would be redundant to repeat myself.
That's all there is to it I guess. If you'd like to know more, leave a comment below and I'll try to be as helpful as possible. Have a great rest of the week and thanks for letting me get this off my chest.
Friday, July 26, 2013
OUT!! #36: Summer Doldrums
It's the middle of the summer camp season officially today. After this only three weeks remain and I'm waiting for it. This week has been the usual interesting medley of triumph and trouble, but the last two days have felt like a mental stress test. I understand that working with 6 and 7 year old children has it's own challenges and joys, but I really started to feel like this week was harder than the prior two. The past two days I have been feeling lousy for two reasons. One is that we've been having some listening issues in our group and as a result, when you attempt to explain an activity to the kids, half of them have no clue what's going on and ask all the way through what we are doing and how to do it. Also they take way, waaay too long to get ready to go places. Individually they might be good kids, or even great kids, but you put the wrong mixture of kids together, then something bad might pop out of it.
The second thing is loneliness. This weekend I finally get to see the love of my life when she returns from Ohio. After three weeks apart, I'm going crazy. I pine for her and love her so deeply that when I'm sitting alone in my room in the evening, I can't even stand the silence. But she'll be here Sunday and when she is, all the animosity I've felt this week will melt away. I hope she likes the present I got her at the nature store yesterday too. Bird-themed of course!
Well. Another Friday has come and with only three more to experience this summer, I can only hope to cheer up by next week because next Friday will mark a month at camp. I'm sick of feeling sad because I'm pretty happy with how my group is running, how well (this week is hopefully an outlier in terribleness) all our activities are going, and with the camp in general. It's a big space to explore and while I can wait to see what happens next week, I'm more hopeful for a less stressful one.
The second thing is loneliness. This weekend I finally get to see the love of my life when she returns from Ohio. After three weeks apart, I'm going crazy. I pine for her and love her so deeply that when I'm sitting alone in my room in the evening, I can't even stand the silence. But she'll be here Sunday and when she is, all the animosity I've felt this week will melt away. I hope she likes the present I got her at the nature store yesterday too. Bird-themed of course!
Well. Another Friday has come and with only three more to experience this summer, I can only hope to cheer up by next week because next Friday will mark a month at camp. I'm sick of feeling sad because I'm pretty happy with how my group is running, how well (this week is hopefully an outlier in terribleness) all our activities are going, and with the camp in general. It's a big space to explore and while I can wait to see what happens next week, I'm more hopeful for a less stressful one.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
OUT!! #35: Are You a "Naturalist"?
"Crow Planet: Essential Wisdom from the Urban Wilderness" by Lyanda Lynn Haupt is one of those non fiction books that I can pick up over and over again, read a specific section, and get transported back to the wonder and intrigue that attracted me to it in the first place. What drew me in particular was a section on the modern definition of what a "naturalist" is. She writes the following on pages 41-42:
I don't describe myself as a naturalist or even a "nature-lover". I see myself mainly as an appreciator and an observer. While other thoughts might chime in, noting my drawings and characters locked away in an abandoned sketchbook somewhere as having been inspired by the natural world, as well as, my appreciation for literature, both fantasy and realistic, that contains visions of that world as well. Instead I hesitate to specifically link this with a "naturalist" mentality or identity. I suppose what keeps me from identifying with it most, is my presumption that a naturalist has spent many years within a given area and garnered a certain knowledge of that given area. Back home in the Sudbury River Valley, it would have to be here that I could comfortably called myself a naturalist as I know its different habitats very well and know what creatures and other natural phenomena to expect there as well.
This summer I am at camp once more and I've been wondering about that passage more lately. I wonder if my fellow counselors feel the same. I probably think about these things more than other people, but I really want to know what people's opinions of the title is. Of the two camps I've ever worked at, the title of "teacher-naturalist" has always remained consistent, when really we're all counselors with a varying knowledge and interest in the natural world. Some more than others just need a summer job and a chance to get outside, while others like myself love teaching kids about nature and getting the chance to show off our knowledge to the younger generation is a wonderful and humbling experience. When I get the chance to ask that question, I'd love to follow up on it with another post. Maybe even this week too. I would love to see what others think of this question.
Have a good week and stay cool. It's supposed to be a scorcher "they" say.
"Developing as a naturalist, a knower of nature, is arguably one of the most critical task for modern humans on the planet Earth, yet naturalist is a word and a role that has, in the last century, lost its core meaning. Not that the tern isn't used. After about a half a millennium during which the title was deemed archaic and dropped out of common parlance, naturalist is suddenly the word of the moment. It seems everyone calls herself a naturalist these days. The counselors who watch over my daughter at day camp? Naturalists. "Why are they called naturalists?" I inquired of the camp director. Well, because of all the nature activities of course. And it's true that my daughter did bring home a mosaic fashioned of leaves and sticks glued onto a paper plate. Claire and the other fifty children also pillaged the native plants around a nearby pond and stuffed them into ill-fated mayonnaise-jar terrariums that sat on kitchen counters for two weeks, all fogged up, before dying. The high school student at the city aquarium who, bless her, memorized all twelve species in the "touch-tank" and spends her summer helping children identify them is distinguished as a naturalist. It seems anyone connected with any sort of job that can be construed as having something to do with nature becomes, on their resume, a naturalist..."Now most of you are thinking, "G. Perkins, that's a lot of words and while I can agree that certain words are used too often to describe something they aren't like chiropractors being "medical professionals" or Donald Trump being a "businessman", but what are you trying to get across?" I suppose what I found most interesting was my reaction to this section and what it really means to be considered a "naturalist". Haupt goes on to discuss the history of what a naturalist was and how she defines it. She describes the position as being a medley of different disciplines that all offer an appreciation for the natural world. Subjects and practices such as art, philosophy, cookery, field craft, observation, and scientific inquiry all have provided roles in the enjoyment and learning process concerning nature and her cohorts.
I don't describe myself as a naturalist or even a "nature-lover". I see myself mainly as an appreciator and an observer. While other thoughts might chime in, noting my drawings and characters locked away in an abandoned sketchbook somewhere as having been inspired by the natural world, as well as, my appreciation for literature, both fantasy and realistic, that contains visions of that world as well. Instead I hesitate to specifically link this with a "naturalist" mentality or identity. I suppose what keeps me from identifying with it most, is my presumption that a naturalist has spent many years within a given area and garnered a certain knowledge of that given area. Back home in the Sudbury River Valley, it would have to be here that I could comfortably called myself a naturalist as I know its different habitats very well and know what creatures and other natural phenomena to expect there as well.
This summer I am at camp once more and I've been wondering about that passage more lately. I wonder if my fellow counselors feel the same. I probably think about these things more than other people, but I really want to know what people's opinions of the title is. Of the two camps I've ever worked at, the title of "teacher-naturalist" has always remained consistent, when really we're all counselors with a varying knowledge and interest in the natural world. Some more than others just need a summer job and a chance to get outside, while others like myself love teaching kids about nature and getting the chance to show off our knowledge to the younger generation is a wonderful and humbling experience. When I get the chance to ask that question, I'd love to follow up on it with another post. Maybe even this week too. I would love to see what others think of this question.
Have a good week and stay cool. It's supposed to be a scorcher "they" say.
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