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Season One Recap
29 Plays24 days ago
Due to a scheduling conflict we have no guest this week, so I thought it would be a good time to revisit some of my favourite moments from season one! We will be back next week with all new episodes!!
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Transcript
Introduction to the Outdoorsy Educator Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
Hello and welcome to the Outdoorsy Educator Podcast, the show where curiosity meets the open road. I'm your host Alistair and I invite you to join me as we explore the world through travel, nature, getting outside and the power of learning.
00:00:17
Speaker
Each episode we will dive into stories from inspiring educators, adventurers and global citizens who are reshaping what it means to learn whether it's in a classroom, on a mountain trail, or even halfway across the world. From backpacking trips that change your perspective to educational journeys that transform communities, we will cover it all. So pack your curiosity, lace up your boots, and let's discover how the world teaches us.
00:00:44
Speaker
One step, one story, one adventure at a time.
Sponsorship by Whole Earth Provision Company
00:00:56
Speaker
Since 1970, Whole Earth Provision Company has been the Texas outfitter for side quests, big and small. Whether you're gearing up for the open road, chasing a trailhead, or hunting for that just right gift, they have got you covered.
00:01:12
Speaker
Think durable clothing, shoes that will actually go the distance, gear that's road trip ready, and books, puzzles, and toys that will spark wonder at every age.
00:01:23
Speaker
You'll find Whole Earth in Dallas, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio, or anytime online at wholeearthprovision.com. And hey, because you're rolling with the Outdoorsy Educator podcast, here's a little extra love.
00:01:37
Speaker
Use the code OUTDOORSYEDU for 20% off your next adventure at Whole Earth.
Guest Cancellation and Alistair's Background
00:01:49
Speaker
Well, hello and welcome to this week's episode of the Outdoorsy Educator podcast. This week, it's just me. We had a guest scheduled, but unfortunately there was a bit of a conflict with when we could actually record.
00:02:04
Speaker
So rather than not put an episode out, I thought I would put one out myself and tell you a little bit more about me and who I am and revisit some of my favorite moments from season one.
00:02:16
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So we'll be playing some clips of some of my favorite guests and looking at the most impactful moments of that season. Well, first of all, thank you guys for tuning in and listening.
00:02:28
Speaker
This podcast has been a wonderful thing for me. I've really enjoyed meeting new people ah both via the interviews and also listeners who have reached out said that they are really enjoying the podcast so far.
00:02:42
Speaker
Well, my name is Alistair Green. I'm a professor at Texas Women's University here in Denton, Texas. But before that, I was a public educator teaching in a local elementary school, actually a few local elementary schools,
00:02:56
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for a little over a decade. I was 27 years old and I didn't really have a career mapped out. I had been to college previously and left and was a little lost, but I knew i wanted to teach.
00:03:10
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So at 27, I walked into a local college and said, these are the few qualifications I have. What do I need to do to become a teacher here in Texas?
00:03:21
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And I sat down with a lovely lady who mapped out a very long plan and said, this is what you need to do, and we can help you get started with it. So it was a long path.
00:03:34
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um There was a lot going on in my life that could have thrown me off track, but managed to stay the course. And i took about seven years, I believe, and managed to graduate with my bachelor's degree in education and started teaching here in Denton.
00:03:50
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I started off teaching third grade, having been a substitute teacher in pre-K and kindergarten classes for several years while I was getting qualified.
00:04:01
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and then taught third grade for three years. um Those of you back in the UK, that's eight and nine year olds, then moved up to fourth grade for three years, and then had a wonderful opportunity to lean on my area of study and research a little more. I've always been interested in the social and emotional aspect of learning.
00:04:25
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How can we prepare students and teachers to be most successful in the classroom? How do we embrace who the students are and what they bring to the classroom in a learning environment?
00:04:38
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So I became became an engagement and behavior coach with Denton ISD. Initially, I was working with students more than teachers, helping those students who were having a tough time in school for whatever reason, but would traditionally have fallen through the cracks.
00:04:54
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They weren't receiving any special services or any other help. So I helped them really work through why they were having troubles in the classroom, and what I could do and how I could support them be successful.
00:05:09
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That position transitioned into working more with staff who were feeling burnt out, didn't know what to do with in certain situations, were struggling. And we they were great teachers. We didn't want them to leave the profession. They just needed some support.
00:05:25
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So I was very fortunate and I'm very thankful to have had the opportunity to work with many wonderful teachers and help them get back on track.
00:05:36
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And then just this last year, um i was invited to apply for a visiting professor's role at Texas Women's University. And I'm so thankful I was offered the position.
00:05:49
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I'm finishing my PhD, I hope this year. I'm doing lots of research into classroom environment and culture and will continue doing my work and research at Texas Women's University.
Alistair's Love for the Outdoors
00:06:02
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But how does this all tie in with the outdoors? The outdoors, whether it be hiking or kayaking or camping or simply just being outside, has always been a wonderful retreat from the stresses of the real world for me.
00:06:19
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It's a place where I can truly gather my thoughts, recenter myself, think about the next steps in my life, think about how to deal with challenges that have come up. And I decided to make my Instagram and my social media a place that was simply full of people that also embrace the outdoors. I wanted to use my social media as a positive thing in my life.
00:06:41
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that has slowly transition transitioned into connecting with many outdoor influencers and just simply people who enjoy camping and hiking and the other things that I've mentioned.
00:06:52
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And i wanted then to try and share what I had learned from these wonderful people. And that is where the Outdoorsy Educator podcast was born. And I'm several episodes into season two now, and the great guests just keep coming. I have probably five or ten people who have said they would love to be on.
00:07:14
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But if you are somebody listening to this and you think, I might have something to share, please reach out and get in touch. If you've listened to all the episodes so far, you can see the diversity and the range of guests we have on. These don't need to be people who have hiked thousands of miles or gone on tremendously big adventures.
00:07:34
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They can be, but they can also be people who are just making, I say just, you know what I mean, people making difference in their local community, um which is just as if not more impactful as going on huge adventures and massive hikes.
00:07:51
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ah So please get in touch if you feel you have something to share but have never perhaps found the platform to do so. This might just be the platform to use for you.
00:08:02
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But what I would like to do is revisit just a couple of clips from season one and talk about the guests. We're going to start off with, I believe it was season one, episode two, ah JJ, who has become a good friend and shared some wonderful information when she sat down with me.
Career Paths in Adventure Production
00:08:22
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And also I will say to those that want to come up and do adventure producing, like say they want to go work, you know, for National Geographic or the BBC and things like that. Don't try and take the leap of like production assistant to director.
00:08:37
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Take the steps. I think had I tried to go like that, I have would not have been prepared to be the creative director of an outdoor brand. Because each step from like production assistant to camera assistant to the biggest thing, like I say, is logistics when you're an adventure travel producer.
00:08:56
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That helped me go, okay, I know on this mountaintop, I need to get an RV. I need to get five ah RVs. And, oh, by the way, there's a military base with fighter jets.
00:09:08
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I need to fly a drone. How do I get this permit permission over a national forest with fighter jets to fly this drone at this window? So JJ really spoke a lot about taking steps to get to where you want to be. And it really resonated with my story of walking into North Central Texas College and just say, what is it I need to do?
00:09:30
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And especially now looking back, I'm so glad that I took all these little steps to get me where I am. JJ has been on some I've been involved with some wonderful shows, met wonderful people and has great stories to share. ah Real Traveler is her handle on Instagram and I would highly recommend you give JJ ah a follow.
Connecting Children with Nature through VR
00:09:54
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um Second up is Liz. Liz is based in Minnesota and does wonderful work at her local aquarium. We've got V, which is the vision and innovation one of our goals within the next five to 10 years.
00:10:11
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i don't want to say one to two years because though I love the idea, the grant funding is going to be really hard and going really hard to find fundraising opportunities for this. But we want to develop a virtual reality headset game ah that is focused on ah the just being in nature. we want it to be wildlife and conservation themed so students can tag great white sharks in this game. We want it to be able to, they can skydive out of a plane and release
00:10:43
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tree seeds and, you know, help support monarch butterflies by going out and counting them or picking them up off the ground and putting them on the tree. Just these little things that they can learn about that they can do themselves in nature or in a career, but in a game first, it's more of a simulation. So utilizing technology to get people closer to nature is a huge thing, especially right now with technology being the way it is. And it's just going to continue to grow.
00:11:12
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So that's what our V stands for. I love how Liz is embracing technology and making nature and the outdoor world accessible to children, especially in a landlocked state like Minnesota.
00:11:27
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It really gets me excited for the future of education. when we have people like Liz who are doing these wonderful things, setting the bar high, and is so determined to help stir this excitement of the natural world in children.
00:11:43
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We wish Liz all the best with that. The next clip I wanted to play is one that is really quite special to
Engaging Storytelling in Education
00:11:52
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me. It was Muriel McKenzie, who has been a friend of mine since we were around 13 years old. So that is a very, very long time, unfortunately.
00:12:05
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Muriel and I went to secondary school together and then we we sort of lost touch until um the worlds of social media started to come about. We reconnected probably via MySpace, I don't even remember, but certainly via Facebook and then Instagram and you know sort of rekindled that friendship, which has been wonderful. She is a teacher.
00:12:26
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um in Lewis in Scotland and she just brought so much great information. I highly recommend listening to that episode but here's a quick clip from my conversation with Muriel.
00:12:40
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Well I think that when you're teaching a subject it can be I mean I remember when I started teaching somebody said to me teaching us two-thirds theatre one-third knowledge because it's the way that you put across information is the way that you present it it's you've got to make things come alive for children Like we could all stand in front of kids and read pages out of textbooks and they they just would be bored and they switch off.
00:13:15
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So I think if you can bring life into the classroom, if you can connect what you're teaching with stories and experiences, then makes what you're saying more genuine for them and it makes it more enjoyable for them.
00:13:32
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i love how Muriel talks about it's... It really is true. Anyone could stand and read out of a textbook or you know off of a piece of paper. That's not teaching.
00:13:43
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Teaching truly is an art form. um Here in the States, it's under the banner of um a science, which there's definitely, of course, truth to that. But I truly believe that good quality education is an art form and how you communicate it is even more important than the knowledge that you are trying to bestow on the kids you are working with.
00:14:06
Speaker
I cannot thank Muriel enough for joining me and I was thrilled to catch back up with her after so many years. It was just wonderful. um Back in February, I was in California for a work conference and I was very fortunate to go out for dinner with my the yeah the guest whose clip I will play next.
00:14:30
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We had connected via Instagram four or five years ago. You may well know him. Kempthropology is his handle and Roland is his name. He's a wonderful man and shares incredible information about camping, the outdoors, and how everybody can get outside, practice, ah leave no trace, and how to really care for nature while you're outdoors. Here is a clip from my interview with
Feeling Safe in Nature Over Time
00:14:59
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Roland.
00:14:59
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One of the things I was asking is how they felt safety-wise when they started the trail versus how they felt, you know, two weeks in, three weeks in, four weeks in. i kind of gave them a survey, and a lot of people actually said at first they felt really scared their first couple of nights, especially because when they were solo, but by the time they hit like week six around there, they started to feel like they were protected by nature, and they felt more scared going into town to resupply than being in nature.
00:15:27
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So this is a story I've heard over and over again from people who go camping and hiking over ah a reasonable long distance or a decent amount of time for for the first time.
00:15:39
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They're often nervous or concerned about wildlife, about strangers at the campsite, what to do if this happens or that happens. But it's amazing how quickly we settle into our new new environment.
00:15:52
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And people truly do become more hesitant being around people again once they've been alone or just with a close group of people for a period of time.
00:16:03
Speaker
My conversation with Roland truly was wonderful. He's doing amazing things in his community. But I do want to highlight his Camp Homies initiative. It's a group of... Well, Camp Homies that he is often going out into nature with and creating a tremendous environment um where people can just connect, be together, and just enjoy nature in the company of one another.
00:16:27
Speaker
So please follow Campthropology, that is Roland, or look up Camp Homies, I believe it's camp.homies on Instagram for wonderful, wonderful content.
Teaching Abroad and Cultural Navigation
00:16:39
Speaker
And the second to last clip I'm going to play for you is from Sydney, who is world-travelling educator. I truly enjoyed talking to Sydney. She was a student teacher across the hallway from me back when I was teaching fourth grade.
00:16:57
Speaker
And we've stayed in touch ever since, and I've loved following her globe-tracking journeys. She had so much wonderful information to share with us. As I arrived six months before the pandemic, so that in of itself was a very interesting experience, but I'm actually very grateful for it.
00:17:16
Speaker
I spent all three years there um and it really built up my confidence in how to approach and navigate situations that were very different, um as well as get me more confident in being able to solo travel as started.
00:17:32
Speaker
um for most of my teaching abroad experience has been um' done so as well. Right. And China always feels a very interesting topic because I don't know if there's a ah country in the world that people's opinions differ on from those who have not been and to those who have been.
00:17:51
Speaker
Sydney has taught, I believe, in here in the States, and then in China, in, I think it was Estonia, and then is now in Peru.
00:18:03
Speaker
And as as a young, single, single-travelling female, she offers such insight into how to navigate so many challenges. ah both in teaching in different countries and simply traveling to all these different countries, but how to make the most of that experience. That was what I really took away from my time talking to Sydney.
00:18:27
Speaker
Well, I was going to play one more clip from Akuna, who was one of our final episodes in season one, but unfortunately that file simply does not want to play. I do want to take a moment to to highlight all of our guests who appeared on season one.
00:18:43
Speaker
I could not be more thankful for people who took time out of their busy schedules to spend some time with me and talk about their experiences in in the outdoors and how that has really affected and impacted their life in so many positive ways.
00:19:01
Speaker
um We had Laura Clark, JJ as we've heard from, Liz Kaltenhauser as we've heard from, Roland, Sydney, ah my good friend Zach Darden.
00:19:12
Speaker
um Zach has such an interesting insight into living in and embracing the outdoors. ah Abstract, ah somebody who's taken the leap of faith and started her own art business, doing wonderful things. Look up Abstract Hikes on Instagram. You'll see some beautiful, amazing art.
00:19:32
Speaker
You should definitely get some. Sean Critchfield, Sean and I Really got together. Actually, he was a Queer Eye hero. If you've listened to the episode, you'll be familiar with the fact he was a guest featured on the Queer Eye television show.
00:19:47
Speaker
And I actually reached out to him because we actually had so much in common from silly things like both our wives' names are Kate, but so much of what he spoke about I resonated with. And I'm so proud to call him a friend now.
00:20:00
Speaker
And I'm looking forward to going to visit him in Las Vegas. at Muriel, Akuna, and everyone else who's been supportive of this podcast. My wonderful wife, Kate, who tolerates me being attached to the microphone on the weekends, and all of the listeners who have reached out to thank me and show support for the podcast. It truly, truly means so much.
00:20:24
Speaker
We will be back next week with our next guest as we walk our way through season two. But I would like to say if you would like to get involved, you'd like to be on an episode, please reach out. I would love to talk to you.
00:20:37
Speaker
I would also like to thank Whole Earth for being such a great supporter of this show. You will have heard their ad at the beginning. But until next week, thank you so much for tuning in to the Outdoorsy Educator podcast.
00:20:51
Speaker
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