Tue 17 Mar 2009
Hello Leaflets:
It is that time again in the quarter where you get to share a reflective story of your experiences during the LEAF School while answering the questions posted below. For many of you, this is your second quarter and your tickle has grown a bit stronger. The tickle I am referring to is your realization or personal revolution gained from this service-learning class. May it come from the PCC Natural Market tour in Edmonds, snow tracking for Northwest Conservation or from conferences LEAF students attended this quarter. Please share:
What was your most significant learning experience this quarter?
What elements of the class contributed most to that learning experience?
Web link:
Fall LEAF School Reflection.
March 18th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Mike Holman
03/18/2009
I think the work we did for the Cascade Citizens Wildlife Monitoring Project held the most significant learning experience for me this quarter. The instruction we received from Dave Moskowitz from the Wilderness Awareness School, even though a quick over view of the basics, was informative and covered a lot of information.
Even though snow conditions along I-90 were not ideal for tracking l still picked up allot of information. You can learn allot about an animal or what kind of animal it is by looking at more than just its print. Things like location, direction and the pattern of the trail it leaves tells you allot about what kind of animal it is, how many there are, and what they are up too. The biggest thing I learned is not to jump to conclusions, evaluate all the information around you before you make your determination.
Overall I had great time, the weather was good and the input from Tom and the rest of the class made for a unique learning experience.
March 19th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
When I think about LEAF school this quarter, my first thought is the amount of times my backside hit the snow this quarter while snow shoeing. It may not be an educational learning experience but it’s a learning experience. I would say I learned to keep my balance for the small amount of time I was standing. And Tom, I would like to apologize for falling on your bobcat tracks. Sorry.
But this quarter, I will have to reflect back to what I read in Penny and Ryan’s Afterword’s reflection from the fall quarter. I remember them talking about how their experiences with Leaf school never ends. There’s always more things to learn and more things to experience. Penny described how she was struck by the amount we experience and how each person became effected in their own way individually and then wholly, as a group.
With that I struggle to enter my mind to find the most significant experience this quarter. As Penny said last quarter “I’m struck”. I find every experience to be significant. With every memory I find that I know more, gained more, lived more.
I remember the first day of the quarter when I saw new and old faces. I remember when we had our first reflection. I remember the first time I saw a mountain covered in snow. I would say that I and everyone have experienced a lot. So I guess I don’t have a significant experience. I would say that I have significant experiences.
One of the new experiences would be attending the conferences. When I first heard we were going to the Storming the Sound conference, I immediately thought of rows business people in suits listening to another guy dressed in a suit with a power point. I guess when I got there I was surprised. It wasn’t what I expected it to be. I didn’t see anyone in a suit, which made me relax a little more because I wasn’t in a suit. But we were sitting in rows.
But it was something different from our regular service learning. The day was a discussion day. It was as if our daily reflection was stretched out to fit the whole day. It was a reflection day to answer the questions of who, what, where, when, and how. What could be improved? How could we do that? Who is involved? How can we help? What can we do? Ideas were brought to the table. Help was passed in words and paper.
But I realized that this is where things can start. After words are said they can be put into action. I find this another way to be part of the community we live in. This is another way to help to get people involved.
From Leaf school I have learned a great deal of my community. I have learned how the community plays a big role in our daily lives, even though we lack to notice it. We live in it. It’s probably the biggest element I have pulled personally from Leaf school. So as I walk into a conference, I come to realize that I sit with a group of people who are committed for a change, for knowledge, for people who can relate and people who seek to find a bond in their community and want to create bonds that have been lost, but are ready to be rediscovered.
March 19th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
This quarter has truly been unique compared to last fall. Last fall certainly had more physical labor and pushed us to learn about landscape and its connection with plant life along with human interferences that have hindered growth. But, I must say that this quarter opened up the path to future careers by working more closely with organizations that are looking for volunteers and interns. There was a lot more technical work then the last quarter which, above all else, helped me realize the amount of precise work it takes to work in fields that include finding information about animals. So, in other words, it helped me see what could come out of having a minor in biology. Certainly, with it being winter, I think we, as a group, were far more subdued due to the weather and the shorter days. I hope by time spring comes around we’ll have a more collective energy. Also, in congruence with the shorter days and rather frigid weather, it taught me how it is to work in another extreme instead of the rain and mud. I have a feeling the series of classes follows a list of extreme weather patterns and, by the end; I should be able to handle just about everything Mother Nature throws at me. Though, like I pointed out earlier, above all else I felt I learned most about the jobs and people I may be working with in the future if I continue pursuing an anthropology degree. The most influential day was the first conference. It gave me a chance to observe closely what other organizations are doing within the field as well as talk to people who may later have internship opportunities for me. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend the second conference and that has to be my biggest disappointment this quarter. Though, all in all, I look forward to continuing the series into the spring and summer and possibly making up for that lost conference.
March 20th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
My winter with the LEAF School
By: Arnold Pretz
It would be difficult for me to single out one of the many learning experiences that I had while in the 2009 Winter LEAF School as being the most significant. Therefore, I will comment on two such experiences.
Since childhood, I have always had an interest in plants and although the winter quarter has resulted in a deeper appreciation for the use of plants to restore and enhance the environment, my participation in the LEAF school has increased my interest in the wild animals that live in our area. I attribute this interest to the snow tracking that we did at Snoqualmie Pass. In the past, when I came across animal tracks, I really never gave them much consideration. Now, I find myself looking for them when the conditions are right. I was interested to learn about the status of animals that live near me in the Cascade Mountains. Enlightened to this, I look at my surroundings and my use of plants (for the benefit of animals) in a new light. Being in the environment where these animals live and to be able to actually see and attempt to discover on my own what animal had visited the area, had the biggest impact on my interest and appreciation of what I had until then, never really given much thought to.
The most memorable field trip was our visit to Camino Island Coffee Roasters (referred to hereafter as CICR). Although I was already aware of “fair trade” products, until my visit to this local coffee roaster, I was unaware of “fairly traded” products that differentiated themselves from their fair trade counter parts. Some fair trade products turn out to be what I consider to be watered down versions of what should be a 100% fairly traded products. It is akin to my mind what is known in the “green” industry as “green washing”. Although this was one of the most significant discoveries that I had on this particular day, it was one of many. Another revelation was that shade grown coffee is not only better for the environment (forest trees are preserved, as well as coffee that is more likely to be grown without synthetic chemicals), it is better for us because it tends to be free of chemicals and contains significantly less caffeine. This fact is made clear by CICR’s commitment to only purchase what is the top 1% of coffee that is defined as fairly traded, shade and organically grown and the highest quality bean selected. This results in a better product overall. The concept of a mission based business was another revelation. In short, this business contributes directly to lifting some of the poorest people (coffee farmers) out of poverty in such a way that they are able to provide for themselves in a sustainable way into the future. Another exciting discovery related to this company is that I now know of a gift that I can give to that person that has everything. It is also a way to educate others to purchase products that benifit others in need. The time that I had with the LEAF school and the ability to speak directly with people that have developed progressive practices like CICR’s is what has made such revelations possible. I am grateful to have had the experience.
To see some photos of these experiences and more visit this web site: http://edmondscc.ning.com/photo/albums/leaf-school-winter-2009
March 20th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
Like many of you, I also am having a hard time finding just one experience that I found most significant. I know for certain that the element of service-learning was the most impacting to me this quarter. Compared to many of the classes I’m used to, taking this class has made a special impact on me. While taking this class my interest in sustainability and environmental awareness has grown and I have found ways I can incorporate these into my everyday life as well as my future ambitions pursuing business.
We have made many connections with community partners having a direct impact in helping our community, participating in many volunteer opportunities. While working with community partners, we have found many ways in which we can help in pursuing more sustainable and eco-friendly environment.
All of the sites we have visited I have had different learning experiences. Like I said earlier, it’s hard just to choose just one saying it’s most significant, but having to choose I would have to say working with the Cascade Citizens Wildlife Monitoring Project (CWMP) was very impacting.
While growing up I’ve spent lots of time in the Cascades, whether skiing or spending the weekend at the cabin. I’ve always had an interest in the outdoors and this class seemed to accentuate that interest. Working with the CWMP I learned what animals live in our area as well as what their tracks look like. Many times this winter I have looked for signs of wildlife whenever I encountered snow. I even took some of my friends from outside class on a small animal tracking adventure! It’s been very fun knowing basic tracking skills.
Not only was the tracking learning experience impacting, but the process of gathering data and the I-90 Coalition Project. It was amazing to participate in such a project, learning about the plans being made to reconstruct the highway, as well as animal and plant presence in the area.
Thanks Tom, for creating such a class, and thank you all the community partners that have helped in our learning experience. I hope to come back for summer quarter and enjoy more of what this class series has to offer!
-hayley
March 20th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
Working with Tom and LEAF School for the third consecutive quarter, I am already feel nostalgia from moving on. Earning my an Americorps scholarship, I volunteered over 300 hours of my time in the LEAF program over the summer alone. But the work could hardly be described as such. From camping on Orcas Island, to repairing local salmon habitat, and trailing the water’s edge on Jetty Island, I was handed an opportunity to combine my two favorite things: vacation and education.
Through the combined effort of the LEAF school and our local community partners, I was able to take part in the growing effort to expand sustainable development and education in my local community. The hands-on education and direct exposure to the process, its implementation and results of local and globally sustainable business, industry and agriculture is something I will carry with me for the rest of my academic career onto whichever industry I eventually find myself in. The broad scope of education covered in LEAF holds volumes in an innocuous package, and I can only speak positively about my experience. My only regret is that it is over so soon. Thanks again, Tom.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
Well to start off I would like to say that I have been home schooled for most of my life, so in all the things I learned about through my life I never learned much about the environment and streams and
the crazy green things growing out of the ground or that all this green stuff really had any use other then just making oxygen and being scenery. So I would have to say as simple as it seems that the most significant learning experience that I’ve had would be that the plants and trees and shrubs all around us have really important jobs in the environment and that they all have names and clever uses by humans. I suppose I really noticed all of this when we were planting things in the sand, and I kept thinking that plants need dirt so why are we wasting time planting them in the sand, since in my mind they would probably just die in a short amount of time, but when I asked about it I was told that the plants would adapt and eventually survive. This all was really important to me because at this point I could link a lot of my past learning experience in with the plants. This entire class has really helped me learn all about plants and the environment. With every adventure plants were pointed out, given names, uses, and linked to the environment. So in conclusion I would like to thank the LEAF school for teaching me a lot of (now obvious) stuff about plants and the environment!
March 21st, 2009 at 4:34 pm
March 21, 2009
Greetings,
I loved my all the elements of the 2009 Winter LEAF School (Learn&Serve Environmental Anthropology Field)at Edmonds Community College.
I get to have my classroom out in nature making an impact with my classmates in working with several community partners. It gives me that give me a significant experience I can get no where else in getting a hands on learning.
This quarter I got the chance to snowshoe, and practice animal tracking techniques. One of our partners the Cascade Citizen Wildlife Monitoring Project(CCWMP) gave an animal
tracking training, that will help with the planning of the expansion of the I-90 DOT project and the impact on the crossings of wildlife between Hyak and Easton.
My sit spot this quarter was my second observation assighnment with the LEAF School.
This is a great chance for me to just to find a spot, and sit and use my observation skills.
I return to my spot five times for fifteen minutes, and then write what my observations were, in my field notes. I enjoy this chance to just sit and be aware of my own backyard environment!
Thank you to all the community partners, all the classmates, and especially Tom Murphy and everyone that make this a unique experience of a lifetime!
Take care, Peace,
MT Andrews/Mentor
March 22nd, 2009 at 12:14 am
The most significant learning experience for me this quarter was exploring the importance of learning about and exploring the outdoors as a child. My interest in studying the environment around me and the excitement that it generates in me, keeps me coming back. I want go into the education field. At first a I thought to teach math. Now I am not so sure. Being in the LEAF School, I have come to realize that my interest in the environment started at a young age.
My favorite thing to do in class is planting, getting my hands dirty, the smell of fresh soil. It gives me a sense of connection to the earth. The element of animal habitat that was enhanced by the tracking we did this quarter, expanded my understanding of the larger circle we work to restore. Being able to study animal habits, outside, first hand, could never be equaled in a classroom.
Our children have become insulated from the outdoors. Even when they go to the park to play, its to play on equipment and not to explore nature. They don’t take the time to look at bugs or climb a tree. The interest the students show when studying the pond at Cedar Valley Community School has rekindled the memories of my childhood playing and exploring the creek behind my house. This time outside, definitely had an impact on how much I value the natural world. I have never stopped taking time to enjoy nature. The experience the children at Cedar Valley are getting now will probably stay with them as well, even if only in a small way. In the back of their mind, maybe just a small awareness of the larger natural world around them. For others, like me it will cause them to re-evaluate their path in life. I now have a great desire to offer the opportunity to learn in a outdoor classroom to other children.
March 22nd, 2009 at 3:03 pm
The one thing above all others I that am able to take away from participating in this course is my heightened sense of awareness; awareness of the deep and ever lasting impact that we as a civilized species have managed to place on our little planet. Having been involved in this course I have been able to be a part of an effort to educate and bring about action within our community for the betterment of the environment.
Out of all of my experiences with the LEAF School the most significant was learning about the cycle of sustainability. Even the smallest of decisions a person makes as a consumer can create a huge and long lasting effect on a community across the world that could forever impact their way of life.
Sustainability had been a concept that I was vaguely familiar with before but the reality of it all hit home when we went as a class to the Camano Island Coffee Roasters Company. CICRC is a mission based business that works with the Agros organization to educate communities in third world countries on growing fair trade, shade grown, and organic coffee.
When I realized that my coffee addiction was keeping families in poverty I cringed at the thought. All these years of buying cheap coffee to get my fix at a lower price was allowing coffee producers to pay their workers a fraction of what they should be getting. Their children are used for labor and are not educated while their access to good healthcare is far from acceptable.
It is not just coffee, thinking before we buy can have an affect on a global level. Becoming informed and responsible ‘prosumers’ is a responsibility we all share. Of all the lessons I learned from LEAF School; learning where our products come from is one that I will carry with me for life. Sharing information and knowledge of how we as buyers have the power to make change is monumental and is quickly becoming a conversation I am initiating with all friends and family.
March 22nd, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Teaching the LEAF School is one of the great privileges of my life. I love the opportunity to teach outdoors. Our community partners teach me something new in every class. Watching each of you gain in your appreciation of plants, animals and other humans is delightful. This quarter’s participation in the Cascade Citizens Wildlife Monitoring Project is the result of more than a year of preparation. To see it through to fruition is quite rewarding.
Each of you gets from the LEAF School something relative to what you put into it. The rewards you have gained and expressed here reflect the passion and energy each of you have brought to the class.
This program would not be possible without the support of our community partners, laboratory tech and Center for Service-Learning staff who help make it all possible often in unrecognized way. A special thanks goes out to Penny Green, Lisa Quirk, Yin Yu and Amy Johnson who have been most helpful and supportive of this wild endeavor!
March 29th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
My first quarter of LEAF school was definately the most influential class i have taken in college so far, so it is har to choose just which experience in particular had the most impact on me. I have learned so much about my community and what i can do for it as well as the environment. I guess you could say the wildlife tracking was pretty influential for me because its directly related to my field of interest, but i learned so much more than that. LEAF school has really tought me to stand out and take action, and seeing our hard work put to good use, like our data collected during tracking, is truly rewarding. I cant be more gratefull for having this opportunity. See you next quarter!