Environmental Education Essay (200 points)
This must be submitted electronically to .
Describe the history and role of the Arlington Public School's Outdoor Lab.
The valley where the Outdoor Lab is located in a valley that was created millions of years ago when the Appalachian mountain chain rose up due to the shifting tectonic plates beneath Earth’s surface. It lies between two mountains now called “Biscuit Mountain” and “Pine Mountain.” The land was weathered by time and natural causes and visited — much more recently — by Native American people and then settled by Europeans. The Europeans settlers, becoming too crowded right on the east coast, began to migrate Westward, building roads and settlements along the way. During the Civil War, the waters of Bull Run ran so thick with blood they were unfit to drink, but fresher water was discovered in Fauquier County. The valley where the Outdoor Lab is now located was an island of arable land surrounded by mountains. The last family to settle there was the Striker family. Mrs. Striker was eventually left alone with a beautiful piece of land that she could no longer take care of. A woman named Phoebe Hall Kipling, around 89 at this time, had a dream. From North Carolina, she had gotten a PhD by age 23, she became a teacher and then the first female Science Supervisor of Virginia, who had a love of nature as well as science. With 355 dollars in the bank, Phoebe formed a group called the Arlington Committee for Outdoor Education. With an ultimate goal in her mind, Phoebe and others formed the Arlington Outdoor Education Association, Inc., whose sole purpose was to purchase Mrs. Striker’s plot of land in Fauquier County. Although many wanted Mrs. Striker’s land, she gave the Arlington people a good deal, because she too wanted to see her land preserved. The land was first called Tahl, which means “wonderful valley,” and also referred to as the “Floraunaretum.” Once the mortgage was paid, it was supposed to be a gift to Arlington Public Schools. A lot of fundraisers and an anonymous donor, the “Lab Angel,” helped raise the appropriate amount of money for the project. Tax laws, however, prevented the gift to Arlington, so volunteers have run the program ever since its origination more than 30 years ago. Today, 9000 children a year visit the Outdoor Lab, learning in a hands-on environment. Phoebe’s original vision centered around the idea that environmental education was essential to the development of young people who would be the future’s leader. She knew the value of hand-on experience for something such as nature, which simply could not be captured in a textbook.
(Kim Smith, “The Story of the Outdoor Lab”)
Demonstrate the importance of environmental education.
In terms of the history of the earth, humanity is only a speck on the far greater timeline of existence. Earth has evolved from a spinning ball of molten rock to a complex biosphere containing tremendous biological diversity. Humans, created as a part of this interwoven environment, should learn above anything else to appreciate nature, which they have (debatably) “conquered.” Before anyone can truly understand their place in society, they have to understand that society itself is an artificial construct formulated by the most intellectually advanced biological species of all (as far as we know): Homo Sapien. Humans, as the most advanced life form in the solar system, have a responsibility to preserve and protect the environment for future generations. Their communion with, respect for, and awe of nature are valuable biologically, sociologically, spiritually, and artistically. Education about nature puts mankind on the path towards wholeness. Education about the environment also has practical application as the world population surpasses 6 billion inhabitants and industrialization now proceeds in virtually every part of the world, to varying degrees. We should be educated about the environment both because we need to preserve it and because unchecked wildness is quickly disappearing from most corners of the Western world. The environment is ubiquitous, yet most people spend the majority of their lives paying it little or no heed. After the example set by people such as Teddy Roosevelt and Phoebe Hall Kipling, we need to seek to infuse environmental preservation as well as education into the American infrastructure…before it is too late.
Describe the benefits of older students teaching younger students.
Older students, like most teachers, have the advantage of more experience and thus more knowledge. Younger students can benefit from the broadened worldview and insight that comes from being older, as well as the greater depth and breadth of information that older students will inevitably be able to share with them. Older students, in contrast with adult teachers, however, are closer in age to those they are teaching and debatably can relate to them more – or at least might serve as role models resembling much-admired older siblings or TV stars, for a few examples. Valuable lessons can be learned from older students and valuable friendships can be made.
Describe your previous experience in working with younger people, using examples.
I have worked with younger people in a variety of situations. In elementary school, we used to go read to younger students who were just learning how to read. I have shadowed teachers since at various elementary schools. Most of my experience, however, has come from babysitting and tutoring where I could. By simplifying things, it is generally pretty easy to explain most things to children.
[Sorry Jim – but I couldn’t crank out 250 + words for those last two questions. Let me know if you want me to do something else in addition to this. Thanks!]
Your responses to these questions should be succinct but complete. As a guideline, most of the questions could be answered in 250-400 words each.