Introduction:
After completing my long practicum at a local elementary school working with primary students, the next phase of my teacher education was Community Field Experience. This experience gave student teachers an opportunity to gain educational experience in an alternative environment. For my 3 week CFE I was placed in a rural town in a K-12 school with a small population. This page will be a diary like updates on my experiences. Also, due to the fact that I love photography (and the scenery of the area is so incredibly beautiful) I did my best to add photos of the areas I was fortunate enough to visit and see during my travels.
Day 1:
Today was mostly a travel day. We loaded 3 weeks worth of personal items, food, and bikes into the SUV, said goodbye and then headed to the ferry terminal to start our adventure. We drove from the ferry docks to our first destination where we were staying our first night. Our first day was a lot of travel, so it was nice to see some friendly CFE student faces when we pulled in to rest after our first day of our adventure.
Ferry Ride
Day 2:
Day 2 started with an orientation to the area and school district, as well as a meet and greet. Everyone was so friendly and very helpful. On our drive to our CFE we were fortunate enough to see 5 bears on our way, a few waterfalls, forest area and rivers. We arrived and were shown our lodgings and then taken to the school. The staff welcomed us, and the students were really excited to meet us. The staff has a tradition by ending each day with a cup of tea, this was a lovely way to spend time getting to know the staff. I also learnt a few tips on activities and areas to explore with on bikes and walking. Apparently there is even some pretty awesome caving close by. Overall a successful day, and looking forward to our experience in the classrooms. Tonight we took a walk around town and checked out the water and inlet. It think it will be really nice to live in such a walk-able area with access to nature. I have also found it nice to be out of the city, long commutes, loud noises, and traffic.
We spent the last 2 exciting day in the classroom getting to know the students and fantastic teachers. After school we explored the area by bikes and finding new walking trails. The area is gorgeous, here are some photos from our after school travels to the inlet/ beach, and exploring the area.
Day 4:
Today we had a free day to explore the area. We took the opportunity to see some of the hiking and biking trails in the area. The weather in the area looks like a storm is rolling in, some on and off rain showers and wind. The ocean seems much more choppy than yesterday. We biked from town to a walking trail to explore and take pictures along the way. It was so nice to listen to the birds, and smell the fresh air.
Take a look at the photos below for a taste of our nature adventure.
Walking through the forest
Rope swing and swimming area
Day 5:
Today was potentially the last day of school for the students, so there was a lot of packing up of materials, and collecting and handing out of student work. On a positive note, the duck eggs that the students have been patiently waiting to hatch made its entrance into the world yesterday. The students were so excited to see the cute ball of fluff waiting for them this morning when they arrived at school. This adorable little duckling the students affectionately named "Peep". Here is a picture of this very cute, cuddly, and full of personality classroom project.
Day 6:
Today we went for a hike. It took us a bit to find the start, but once we found it, the hike was a enjoyable trek through the forest. At one point there is even a cave to pass through. Here are some pictures of our outdoor adventure that finished just before a big rain storm. We added to our wildlife viewings a few Seals hanging out by the marina and an Eagle by the fishing docks.
Day 7
Today was a fantastic day. We went on a boat tour through the channels. The Captain even took us to a beach where we hunted for Oysters, (we were able to eat them later). The beach was full of barnacles and mussels. Later we saw old logging sites, and new areas. During the trip we were fortunate to see a raft of curious sea otters. The otters stayed long enough for us to shut the boat engine off and drift close to view them. Although many took off, some stayed and kept an eye on the boat. The boat tour was great to see a different perspective of the area, was a beautiful way to spend the day, and a great way to learn some local history. Here are some pictures from the day on the water.
Week 2:
This week we traveled and continued our CFE in a nearby community. We were a guest in this amazing community and had the opportunity to meet new people and create new friendships. We had lots of learning opportunities this week. Some activities we planned were nature walks using viewfinders, photography walks, creating of puppets, collecting rocks, painting and decorating rocks, story-time read aloud's, and sports. Viewfinders are a lot of fun and provide great learning opportunities because students can look through them and frame a picture. It allows students to be more observant of their surroundings. You can extend nature walk activities with viewfinders by introducing a camera and a limited number of photographs for each student. By giving students control of the camera, how they frame photos and see the world and objects around them, it gives them artistic creativity and freedom.
I found the scenery and surrounding sights in this area were beautiful. The eco-system was abundant and made for some great pictures. Here are some of pictures I took from this past week.
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| Picture Viewfinders in action |
Kayaking
We were fortunate to take the kayaks out for an adventure. We set out when the ocean was calm, and the skies were blue, however on our return trip it started raining quite heavily. Here are some pictures of our kayaking adventure.
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| Cliffs along the inlet, tide was out and sea stars were abundant |
Day 15 Caving
Today a group of student teachers and I decided to go caving. It is a hike and caving system of about 6-7 caves, including one with a waterfall. The caves were easy to navigate. Below are some pictures of our excursion.
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| Inside the caves |
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| Behind the waterfall |
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| Road back, hoping to see a bear |
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