Education
Teacher burnout is a grave reality.
A recent Gallup poll noted that educators have the highest burnout rate in any industry within the United States, with 44% of K-12 teachers reporting feeling overly stressed, exhausted, and strained.
The statistics are alarming, but also not surprising.
Yet I believe there is hope for this ever-growing problem, … Read more
Education
There is something about play as both a construct and an action that is so intuitive. No one has to specifically teach a child how to play. Yes, we often find children mimicking the world around them and taking the lead from an adult, but play is an intrinsic part of who we are as … Read more
47 Parks
Returning to a favorite national park feels like coming home.
I drove only a few miles into the Smokies and was met with waves of nostalgia. I remember that trailhead! That huge majestic willow tree looks familiar!
My last visit to the park had involved multiple adventures over the course of a week. I trekked … Read more
Education
New site is up and running! Check out theparkpilgrim.com (47parks.com still works).
What makes a natural space a place? What is it about these outdoor locations that grow, move, and change depending on the rise and fall of meaning that we, as humans, assign to them? What makes a local environment feel like home?… Read more
Education
A teacher lies in a field.
A host of colorful rain jackets litter the grass like petals.
Students join the adventure,
Backs to dirt, watching raindrops cascade down from a gray sky.
I enjoy being an educator, but there are some days where I simply love my job and the opportunities it affords to … Read more
Education
I was in the checkout line at REI, waiting to purchase some (much-needed?) gear when I spotted the most recent Outside magazine.
The title alone captured my interest, so I grabbed a copy and began reading it at stop lights on the ride home. The aforementioned article – a collection of thought-provoking essays – was … Read more
Africa
Outdoor education is near and dear to my heart.
Along with the mental and physical benefits, getting kids outside in a school-based environment encourages them to become passionate about the places that they will one day seek to protect. In his book Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv talks about the inevitable joy … Read more
Education
We were foraging for sticks – good ones that were both sturdy and sized correctly.
“How’s this one? And look at the pine needles I found for the brush part!”
I couldn’t help but smile, relishing the contentment I felt at spending time outside with a league of children. Our current project: creating paintbrushes using … Read more