My name is Tom Gardner and this is my first attempt at blogging.
The purpose of this blog is three-fold.
1. To explain "Adventure" learning in simple terms.
2. To provide a forum for discussion on "Adventure" topics.
3. To inform others about the "Adventure" services that I provide in Upstate New York.
What is Adventure?
Adventure learning is a form of experiential education. So what is experiential education? As a child did you ever touch a hot object for the first time and get burned? That was experiential learning! You experienced something that taught you a lesson. Another example of experiential learning is how I first learned to do carpentry. My father-in-law and I remodelled my first home together. He demonstrated how to use a power saw, and guided me using it myself. I made mistakes and messed up lumber on a regular basis at first but through my experiences using the saw I began to learn how to cut wood with excellence.
Adventure uses simulated situations to provide an experience for learning. During an adventure program participants are given a challenge to accomplish. During the process of accomplishing the task learnings take place that can be transferred to real life situations.
Here is a simple example:
A group of people are planning a mission trip with their local church to New Orleans to help with the Katrina recovery. They want to learn how to communicate effectively. An early challenge for them might be to line up by birthday month and day without talking. The group struggles to figure out how to communicate each others birthdays and solves the initiative. Then the group is led into a time of reflection where they discuss what they did, what they learned about communicating, and how they might use this learning when they are in New Orleans.
So an adventure program, as I see it, is a planned out sequence of initiatives that build upon one another and take people on a journey of discovery focused in on their predetermined goals. It has 5 parts:
The goals
The experience
The reflection
The learning
The transfer
Would you help me out refining this definition? Share your comments.
5 comments:
I have utilized the Adventure Center with my daughter's girl scout troop. We had such a great time and the girls learned so much about working together. They love coming here. We are looking forward to moving outside with Tom at his LaFayette Ropes Course.
Thanks for the affirmation. We love to work with your scouts.
I am an employee of SCSD where I was introduced to Adventure initiatives with Tom and his partners. I love it. It made me see myself differently and realize that I can do anything I set my mind too. So I did, I went back to school and received my Masters in Therapeutic Recreation and am looking forward to getting a job in that field soon. I have worked with Tom and his crew at many different sites and they are truly wonderful teachers and motivators.
I think the best was when I took one of the Special education classes that I worked very closely with out to a ropes course. These kids were the toughest around and thought they were indestructable. Until you get them up a wire and asking them to walk across. I saw emotions and confidence in this group of kids that I had never seen before.
Learning through adventure is a great avenue of teaching that I feel benefits all ages in many different ways.
annie,
Thanks for the kind words. We love it too.
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