Experiential Education: In AWE of Itadakimasu

In recent pedagogy, the term “experiential education” has become an increasingly desirable aspect of progressive educational institutions. ISEEN (Independent Schools Experiential Education Network) defines ExEd as a “pedagogical process by which educators engage students through a cycle of direct experience, reflection, analysis, and experimentation. ExEd values personal connection to deep and applied learning and inspires growth in both the student and the teacher.” We set off to delve deeper into what exactly is Experiential Education (ExEd)? What are all the ways we are facilitating it at Shawnigan Lake School, and what sort of impacts can ExEd have on students and staff alike?

 

This conference supported 160 participants from independent schools and service providers across Canada, the United States, Europe, and even South Africa. This diverse group of directors, heads of school, educators, teachers, service providers, and many more, came together to create a hands-on learning environment through workshops, seminars, discussion groups, and adventure programs. We reflected on Shawnigan programs while learning from others in their processes of creating ExEd. As we all delved into “finding our places to flourish,” we incorporated the Kolb Learning Cycle directly into our practices. Consisting of four steps (concrete experience, reflection/observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation), this learning style can offer unique place-based learning in hands-on environments. Through this conference, we were given the time to reflect and share both successes and failures in the process of creating meaningful, impactful, student-driven experiential education.

 

During our time at the Athenian School, we as “students” went through many cycles of Kolb-style facilitation. Below, we will each highlight one experience from the ISEEN conference that exemplifies the work towards providing ExEd to Shawnigan students.

 

 

This wilderness experience was of particular interest to us as it is at the core of the school and its ethos. The Athenian School is committed to “developing teamwork, personal and community responsibility, self-reflection, compassion, and student resilience.” The AWE is an opportunity to enhance these qualities amongst all students. During this expedition, Grade 11 students embark on a 26-day program, exploring the beauty of either Death Valley or the High Sierras. There are two timings for this program — either spring break or summer — and it is a requirement of graduation that you attend. The students are divided into smaller hiking groups so they can build a culture of teamwork while they embark on this journey. It offers students time to appreciate the freedom from technology, routine, and homework while developing the skills listed above. This program is foundational to the well-rounded education and opportunities that are offered to Athenian students.

 

Shawnigan Lake School also offers its own unique wilderness experiences to students. One example is the Grade 9 Beyond the Gates Capstone program that runs in June every year. This multi-week experience offers students the opportunity to hike a portion of The West Coast Trail and to sea kayak in the Broken Group Islands, with time spent in Bamfield learning about marine science and Indigenous perspectives. Taking place over the final two weeks of the academic year, this program excuses Grade 9 students from their final exams and instead immerses them in an experiential education expedition of a lifetime. This is the Shawnigan way to cultivate independence, versatility, resilience, teamwork, and a deeper connection to their surrounding environment. For more information contact btg@shawnigan.ca. Encourage your child to join us for the 2024 Capstone!

 

This year we are also thrilled to announce Shawnigan’s inaugural EDGE Yukon Expedition taking place in Summer 2024. This multi-week program is open to students currently in grades 9-11, and it departs for the Yukon after Closing Day. We will paddle on the world-renowned Yukon River, hike the historic trails of the Klondike Gold Rush, learn through Indigenous perspectives and principles, develop teamwork strategies, and refine practical hands-on backcountry survival skills. More details on this program will be released after Ski Week so stay tuned for more information and registration details!

A full day of immersive ExEd in Action Workshop provided a chance to do a deep dive into Family Style: Connecting to Identity and Culture Through Food, or what Athenian staff and students call Itadakimasu, which is a Japanese phrase meaning “to humbly receive,” used to show respect and gratitude for a meal, and everyone who helped make it. Itadakimasu is one of the many March Term courses which are two-week intensive Experiential Ed programs. Michelle, a teacher who identifies as Korean American, introduced us to the iron-rich history of miyeokguk, one of her favorite dishes, a traditional seaweed soup eaten on birthdays. Armed with an authentically deeper cultural understanding, fresh ingredients, and friendly Athenian student helpers, we were slurping delicious soup in no time. We learned that during the two-week course, students are invited to bring in family recipes (as well as family members) to teach and share their backgrounds. Visits to local ethnic markets for ingredients help them to break down barriers and make new friends. Through this deeply personal and collaborative activity, participants have their horizons and pallets expanded while having a deliciously great time. Perhaps the most valuable takeaway is a new-found pride in one's culture and identity.

 

At Shawnigan, Marion Hall, Duke’s and The Stag Café are the social and culinary hearts (and stomachs) of our bustling community. The murmur of a quiet conversation in a corner of Marion, sharing fries at the Stag, or grabbing a coffee with friends at Duke’s are vital components of the Shawnigan Journey. But are we truly connecting our food to each other's identity and culture? Perhaps it is time to bring back elements of International Week, and the world-famous Food Fair which was last hosted in 2017.

 

The opportunity to attend the ISEEN 2024 Winter Institute, Rooted in Experiential Education: Finding our Places to Flourish, has left both of us immensely grateful and humbled to be educators in a school that has been, and continues to provide a richly rewarding experiential education for its students. The value of engaging students through experience, reflection, analysis, and experimentation can be seen in the plethora of our 360-course offerings, our Outdoor Education department, affinity groups, and EDGE programs. It is here, outside of the traditional four walls of a classroom where students learn different aspects about themselves, create deeper connections to their peers and the environment, develop resiliency, and strive to become outstanding world citizens through important DEI work. As a society, we are facing challenges that require us to educate students about self-awareness, community participation, teamwork, compassion, and an appreciation for the natural world. We should always be looking for ways to use experiential education to enhance our classroom education to create the most well-rounded and prepared individuals possible. After all, Shawnigan is dedicated to continuing to be rooted in experiential education and finding our places to flourish.

 

“There is more to us than we know. If we can be made to see it, perhaps for the rest of our lives we will be unwilling to settle for less.” - Kurt Hahn