Outdoor Ed.

“Due to globalisation (in eductaion), our schools now compete for students. We have the International Bacclaureat because the two other high schools in our school district have it. One school is developing a sports/studies programme (ice hockey, natch) and we are developing an enriched English Second Language - Language Arts option for the many bilingual and English speaking kids at our school.

The boss wants to offer an Outdoor Education/Leadership option beginning in Grade VIII next year. I go on my first course 16-17 & 18 April; this is the Basic course where I demonstrate or learn standard knowledge and skills in climbing. I have to take this course before I take any climbing instructor courses.

I am in need of course structure and resource material as I shall be creating the course myself.

Can anyone provide me with sources? I know Buddha Bear gives a backpacking course and I hope he and others can help me.

Doug”

“Are you sure you aren't just trying to lure scantily-dressed high-school girls into the woods?”

“Is there something wrong with helping Grem do that?”

“Oh... Hadn't thought of that...

Would there be pictures?”

“I certainly hope so...”

“I'll do a Google search as soon as I get5 my marks in.



Buncha pervs phhhhbbllt.”

“wait wait wait...

You posted that other thread and WE'RE the pervs?

Hmph.”

“Dude, you can't tease us with stories about your young, nubile, ill-clad female students and not follow up with some pics!

We want the goods!”

“Gremlin: How many sessions are you going to teach? My classes (backpacking and winter camping) are 2 evening sessions per week, 3 hours each, for three weeks, then an overnight trip. I have the material for those classes I can send you. A cd would be the better way to send it. Do you know what you want topics you want to teach? Bob”

“Okay, okay, I'm sorry (still ppphphhhhtblbthhth).

IB, It will probably be a once a week class throughout the school year plus outings. Needless to say, I'm going to plan as many outings as I can before I get in do-do.

Definitely backpacking, canoe camping, winter backpacking. Also climbing - we have a wall (well, we WILL have a wall once I get it finished - next week, I hope). Rock climbing north of Montreal and ice climbing near Montreal.

I'd love to get your stuff. Can you do it on the internet (I'd dowload it here)?

Also, I could use suggestions.

Class time will be on theory (survival and hypothermia, et c.)and I hope to organise Saint John's Ambulance first aid.”

“Grem: its a lot of stuff, many individual files. I'd rather put it on a cd. My backpacking class does machanisms of heat loss, so everyone is on the same page as far as how to prevent heat loss and therefore hypothermia. Then we bring in survival kits, or lists of survival materials. I ahve a survival kit in a metal salt shaker which has a lot of items for survival. The more students can do, the better, because it breaks up from class from straight lecture.

After we are all on the same page about survival (heat loss), then we have a handout of survival questions. This gives even the newbies the chance to have a reasoned opinion, based on heat loss theory and common sense. We break up into groups, and each group answers their share of questions, and the class discusses.

The more classes that students bring in their own gear, the better. We look at their gear, discuss shortcomings, features, talk price and value, etc. Typically, 1/4 of the class has never backpacked before, 1/2 has, and 1/4 has a lot of experience.

One class we bring in stoves, cooksets, and discuss foods. In one of these classes we had an old bluet stove leak propane, and I was in a 4' fireball which removed my eyebrows and singed my pile coat. It didn't quite melt it, though.

Other classes they bring in packs, sleeping bags, pads, boots, and layered clothing systems.

One class is pure map and compass, with a good video, and practice with compass routes around the campus. I give them the bearings and steps, and they follow the route, and if done correctly, end up where they started.

I use the book: Mike and Allens Really Cool Backpacking Book, which is a great book, and only costs about $12. In the winter class, Mike and Allens Really Cool Backcountry Ski Book.

Towards the end of the sessions, if there is time, we discuss several mountaineering accidents and see what we would do differently.

Your address?”

“That's a huge help, IB; it gives me a really useful idea of how to start organising the year.

My address is dougmurdoch@yahoo.ca

That'e yahoo.CA instead of .com.

Thanks.”

“Grem: How about a street address? Its a lot of stuff to email. I promise I won't start lurking around your neighborhood. You can reply to shaver@dykaslaw.com if you want.”

“Gremlin, could your class include environmental issues such as land conservation, wetland protection, degradation of the environment due to development, etc?

I'm hoping to get sent to a wetlands conference here in May. Its the 25th anniversary of a decisive wetland protection act the State of Michigan passed. They are including activities for teachers. Wonder if there are things like that in your area you can use.”

“Don't bring your class to Bradley Pond.”

“what's Bradley Pond? a waste dump?”

“It in the ADK high peaks. It's the base camp area to do the Santanoni Range. Gremlin has been there 6 times (I think) and still hasn't managed to get all three high peaks in the range. I’ve been there twice and still haven’t climbed all three mountains. The trail into the lean-to has a 1/2-mile long mud hole that I think contains the body of Jimmy Hoffa.”

“It's a lot of fun. Want to go?”

“LMAO, I was there on one trip, staying in the Bradley Pond LT. I spent the evening trying to drain water away from the LT, and succeeded in draining the lion's share of it. I called myself the Bradley Pond Public Works Department. The other LT denizens got a laugh out of it, but were amazed that it was a tad drier than it was at first.”

“sounds, uhhhh muddy (don't tell Scorchfire about it, she'll wanna go claim it as her own)”

“I don't think even Scorchy could make that much mud...”

“Smiley,

Environmental issues, as well as LNT will be an intagral part of every class and not treated seperately - or not often.

LMAO, Zac. That GD range even managed to eat my male menopause Jeep. BASTIDS!

IB, my address is - hey - I'll give you my US addy, it'll be cheaper for you:

Doug Murdoch
P.O. Box 413
Chateaugay, NY, 12920.

Thanks again.”

“Figures those damn Canadians tale one step closer when we're not looking.”

“Mooooohahahahahahahah, eh?”

“Do you mean its a one week class, 5 seesions, that is repeated a lot of times?

I started hiking with a club that had about 5 adults, and 15 high school aged kids. It was affiliated with the YMCA, but run pretty independently. We went on a weekend hike every month, and usually a day hike each month. Each summer we had a 9 day trip, and several 3 or 4 day trips. We had a great time, and everyone gradually got geared up for backpacking.”

“I'd be doing it with younger kids. The point is basic knowledge and outdoor ethics followed by outings.

I'm basically brainpicking for a class format.

My outdoor skills are up to par, but (as many people, especially amateur coaches discover) knowledge does not automatically mean you can teach. I won't have any trouble with the practical part, but I'll have to prepare my material into a classroom format.

I'm also going on week-end courses. The first one from 16 to 18 April is the basic climbing course to make sure my climbing skills and knowledge are in conformity with current practice. You have to take this course/workshop before you can take an instructor's course.

I'm looking into a boating course (Canadian Power Squadron) because, like climbing, kids can get hurt and I want to make sure my instructor's skills are not only correct, but certified.

I even have access to a budget for the courses and costs (travelling, meals, et c.). It's not much, but it's more than teachers usually get.”

“One think you can do with your budget is get a box of compasses. We also have a good compass video, and a number of videos for winter camping: cave making, snow shelters, telemark skiing, snowshoeing, and wilderness first aid.”

“Brilliant, IB! Do you have a source for the videos?”

“Both Brunton and Silva make videos, and I think the Brunton one is the best. I have some Idaho Outdoors Shows on snow shelters. The avalanche video that is the best is "Winning the Avalanche Game". Its long, but a great video, but its geared to adults. How young are your kids?

The weather channel has a lot of shows on survival stories - guy lost in the woods, snowed in, rescued 4 days later, etc. I'd get a Tivo and set it to tape those kind of shows, the download the ones that look good.

One thing I do that makes people think is after we have discuss heat loss, and after we have discussed some survival questions, I show slides of a recent climb of Mt. Hood. I identify features, talk about the times I experienced, when we got to the hogsback, to the top, back to the ski lifts, and back to the lodge, etc. Then I read a story of a mountaineering disaster on Mt. Hood where about 9 people died on a climb during a storm. WIth 20-20 hindsight we can think of a lot of things to do differently, starting with NO GO when a major storm is predicted.

I try to find other mountain accidents, and discuss them. Preventing them always turns on some pretty rules that were broken.

I tell that that if they only learn 2 things out of my class, it is to not wear cotton in the mountains, and to always take a foam sit pad when hiking or camping. Of course there are other things to learn, like always let someone know where you are going, and taking adequate gear.

If I had a lot of time to kill in a class, there are some great survival movies. One was with Alex Baldwin and _________(brain blank), in which they crash a plane in the Alaska bush, and have to kill a Kodiak bear taht is stalking them, and then hike out.

The survival stories on the weather channel are nice short ones.”

“The Edge, with Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin.”

“HPM and I have some books that are excellent for teaching outdoor skills and ethics and leading group situations. I'll find out the names, authors and publishers for you.”

“Compass routes around a campus are great: they learn orienteering, and get to walk around for awhile.”

“Grem: A CD is in the mail.Its kind a data dump of a lot of documents. When does your class start?”

“Gremlin: did you get the CD, and is that going to help? If I had a long class to teach, I'd use the book Freedom the of Hills, and just go chapter by chapter teaching that material.”

“Idaho Bob,

I was just scrolling down to bump up my 'Thank you, Idaho Bob' thread.

Yes I got it and I am profoundly grateful.

Thank you very much.

Doug”