April 2014
A Classroom Outside the Classroom The Bishop Marroco/Thomas Merton staff would shape an experience in cross-curricular arts - including music, geography, history, visual arts, video production & culinary arts with their high school students at Lighthouse Landing Camp. This would be applied towards an SHSM school credit. What is an SHSM school credit? If you do not have a child in high school, you may not be aware of some of the new programs being offered. High schools are teaming up with Universities and Colleges to offer specialist courses. These are called Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) courses. When students apply to university or college, SHSM courses may help them get into the programs they desire. One of the requirements, among many, is to participate in experiential learning. The opportunity for experiential learning at camp has long been known, and three SHSM teams from Bishop Marroco/ Thomas Merton (1. art team: painting, photography documentary, 2. culinary team & 3. construction team) chose Lighthouse Landing as their site for experiential learning. We are posting a link to Jim’s thesis where he goes into detail about the benefits of experiential learning at Lighthouse Landing.
Little Light
HOW WE LET OUR LITTLE LIGHT SHINE
This comes from teacher Jeana McCabe-Gray: “For four daxs and three nights, Bishop Marrocco/ Thomas Merton SHSM students engaged in their first cross-curricular arts & culture experience including music, geography, history, painting, photography, video production & culinary arts, all in a natural outdoor environment. En route, the artists, construction students & culinary team ewplored the McMichael Gallerx’s Group of Seuen Paintings, the photographic works of Edward Burtynsky and examined the structures of the buildings including Thompson’s original cabin. Our bus continued north to Magnetawan, Ontario where we spent three exhilarating nights in cabins at Lighthouse Landing on beautiful Lake Cecebe, experiencing art in nature. The fall leaves, the smell of our campfires, the stars and the birds, the lake and the trees, touched all senses and inspired the students to paint, photograph, build and examine life as no classroom with four walls could ever have accomplished. The combination of arts, construction & culinary students broadened the students’ sense of possibilitx. Some students had never been north of Kleinburg! The seamless interconnectedness of each and every one of us as stewards of our earth informed our every activity – whether we were canoeing together, participating in a team survival mural hunt in downtown Huntsville, or painting the scenes at Thompson Rapids where the Group of Seven had actually created their art. At night under the stars around a campfire, we shared our learned experiences - not once was there a complaint about an outhouse, having to haul wood, or traipse through mud or do KP duty – there was only endless positive energy, teamwork and joyful reflection. How was this possible? Great students, dedicated staff, beautiful weather and a bit of luck! The are the out
connections made beyond the classroom on this trip a testament to experiential learning for not only students but also the staff…ve reallx need to get of the building more!
Planning for newt xear’s fall trip is alreadx in the vorks.” Cathy Ferry, an adult volunteer on this trip, wrote: We were blessed with sunny autumn weather; the colours were at their peak. The students were delightful, so joyful, and revelled in each other and their good fortune at spending a few days together in a natural, quiet and serene setting. As a volunteer, I was fortunate to share in their experience and found it to be profoundly uplifting to see how multidimensional, enthusiastic and bright these students are. Our future is in good hands.”
This is a fascinating model for the education system to be using to develop student life experiences. Each new skill, each new place, every good decision for their lives, every person they encounter and share with, they are empowered for life. I was fortunate to watch a bus load of young people from the big city embrace with utter joy every part of a northern experience. Why? They entered in! They said - “Yes!” Thex were not in yesterday or tomorrow but in right “nov” and euerxone vas engaged. The teachers were ever present, caring, inspiring and supportive. Lighthouse Landing watched artists, photographers, documentary makers, as well as culinary and construction students learning in a class outside of a standard four wall classroom and so much happened. Thanks for giving me the great privilege of witnessing this at Lighthouse Landing. Again and again we see people of all gifts coming together under the common blanket of Mother Nature. We see the excitement of nature encounters like duck hand feedings, the beaver slap or loon calls. Together all walks of life share their stories around a campfire, on a canoe trip or sitting on the beach and these moments are etched in our memories until we can do it all again! Whether one is a master builder, photographer, artist, or culinary supreme, each of us equally participates and with many hands, the world is truly shaped!
Click to see SHSM Documentary