May 14, 2024 – Outdoor Learning

I left my home on April 23, 2024 to attend the ABCDE Roundtable in Kelowna, BC. From there, I went to Vancouver to spend time visiting friends and family. I also took the time to visit places like the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Chinese-Canadian Museum, and the Chinatown Storytelling Centre to learn more about Indigenous weaving and Chinese history in BC to complement a book I was “reading” on audiobook, Real Americans. My research agenda has taken a dramatic turn to investigate my heritage and identity as a second-generation Chinese Canadian. Part of my research program is out-of-field teaching and leadership. For me, I am a member of a 6-member research team that is focused on Climate Education in Teacher Education. Here, I am interested in out-of-field teaching in climate education, professional learning experiences, and teacher leadership.

The research team have worked on the project for almost 2-years. We facilitated 8-workshops so far (aka., a workshop series of 4-sessions per year) and we are in the midst of completing a chapter for a book on teacher leadership, of which I am taking the lead on that task. I appreciate this research team for many reasons. First, I appreciate the collegiality and collaboration. Second, I appreciate what I am learning about the research process and participating when and where I can. Third, there is an ebb and tide to our workflow and we are seemingly managing to contribute in ways that works best for each of us. I have lots of gratitude and humility when working in this group. Understanding my positionality, value, and contribution is a foreign experience for me, but I am learning as I am doing.

Last weekend, the principal investigator of the research project and I went to Banff, AB to present our team’s research project at the National Outdoor Learning Conference from May 9-11, 2024. The venue at the Banff Centre was spectacular. I walked down to the city centre on May 8th before the conference had started. That was the only time I took to explore the place because I preferred spending my time at the Banff Centre to enjoy the quiet, the fresh air, and peacefulness of the place. I loved my room too. The bed (and desk) faced the window that perfectly framed a mountain (and the Northern Lights) in a beautiful and spectacular way. Why wouldn’t I want to spend my time in places where I could enjoy nature.

We presenting on May 11the. There were over 400 people attending the conference. The participants were K-12 educators, researchers, or folks from industry that focused on the outdoors and environmental education. I met people from across Canada and United States attending this conference. I was reminded of the importance of in-person conferences. I learn so much in sessions and during informal sessions, like at meal-times. Everyone at the conference seemed to be like-minded and driven to endorse, promote, and facilitate outdoor learning. The elder that greeted us each day was through provoking and seemed to be talking to me directly. I’m not sure how he did that. The keynote speakers were also compelling and one left me feeling seen. That person was a truth-teller and I appreciated their courage, insight, and frankness throughout their talk. Moreover, it aligned very much so to my autoethnography of being a Chinese Canadian.

Although I did feel like a person who was “out-of-field” at this conference, I did bump into a couple of people I know from BC and a couple of people approached me to introduce themselves to me because they know me from BC education. These interactions made me feel like that I was not 100% out of place. The conference attendees, presenters, and conference organizers were so welcoming, inclusive, and friendly. The conference started with folks asking if they could sit with me (as I sat at a table alone not certain of what to do) to ending the conference asking a person at the table if I could join them for the meal. The act of connecting with others and eating together was transformational over time for me. I started recognizing people and by the last day, folks who sat with me at dinner on the first day, sat with me for breakfast. That was a full circle experience.

Finally, as you can see in the image above and below, the views were spectacular. I was so lucky to see the Northern Lights in Banff, AB. I took so many photos. I was not sure if they were going come to where we were, but they did. I was lying in my shorts and sweatshirt (and dang, it was cold at 11pm), looking up from the amphitheatre with other folks from the conference ooo’ing and ahh’ing. I never seen the aurora borealis like this before. Maybe I’ve seen moments of green in past, but here, the lights were colourful and all around us. they lasted for quite some time. I had to get back to my room to prep for my conference presentation, which was the next morning. As you can see with the image below, that’s what I looked at when facing the audience of those attending our workshop. Gorgeous.

I am so proud of myself to take the time to travel, explore, and wonder… to be curious and courageous. These may be micro-steps for some, but it’s new territory for me. And by doing so, I am learning more about myself, my work, and my place. I am really indulging in my “non-teaching” term (my first one in 5-years) to embrace the opportunities to present at conferences, learn more about my research program and how the piece fit together, and write about what I am learning. I am very content with where I am and what I am able to do. I love my freedom, autonomy, and agency to make my life into what I want it to be. These images shared truly depict my gratitude and happiness for my work, place, and life.