A JOURNEY THROUGH RELATIONSHIP INTO WONDER Sharon Anne Nehring-Willson Bachelor of Arts, University of Victoria, 1994 Bachelor of Education, University of British Columbia, 1997 PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF EDUCATION In the Faculty of Education O Sharon Anne Nehring-Willson 2003 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY December 2003 All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. APPROVAL NAME Sharon Anne Nehring-Willson DEGREE Master of Education TITLE A Journey Through Relationship Into Wonder EXAMINING COMMITTEE: Allan MacKinnon, Associate Professor Senior Su~ervisor liet, Assistant Professor PARTIAL COPYRIGHT LICENCE I hereby grant to Simon Fraser University the right to lend my thesis, project or extended essay (the title of which is shown below) to users of the Simon Fraser University Library. and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. I further agree that permission for multiple copying of this work for scholarly purposes may be granted by me or the Dean of Graduate Studies. It is understood that copying or publication of this work for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Title of ThesislProjectlExtended Essay: A Journey Through Relationship into Wonder (Date) Abstract This project is a philosophical discussion addressing the idea of what is value in education, more specifically, the value of the natural world and its impacts upon humans, and how we should be teaching this in our classes. I am proposing that the present educational system is defunct in many ways, but its inadequacies in fostering the development of a relationship with the natural world has negative repercussions for not only human society, but also the rest of the world. Biophilia is healthy, and should be fostered in the classroom setting, along with a more holistic attitude towards education. It is a major theme in many religions, and an integral theme in the human psyche. Through a more natural, gentle, and holistic approach to education, we can begin to solve some of the crisis of today. Acknowledgement and Dedication I would like to acknowledge the substantial contribution in terms of support and ideas given to me by my professors. Without the help of Bob Jickling, Ethel Gardner, David Zandvliet, Heesoon Bai, Penny Simpson, and especially the aid of Allan MacKinnon, I don't think I could have completed this paper. Thank you! However, this paper is dedicated to Kea, Tillei, and especially to my husband Walter. Without them, life would be very dull. Table of Contents Fireweed along Chilkoot Trail. August 2003 frontispiece Approval .....................................................................................................................................ii ... Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... 111 Acknowledgement and Dedication .................................................................................................iv Table of Contents .............................................................................................................................v Pictures ............................................................................................................................................vi A Journey Through Relationship Into Wonder ................................................................................1 Four Elements Defined ....................................................................................................................5 Fire ................................................................................................................................................... 9 Part One .What Is Education. Anyway? ....................................................................................... 11 Air ..................................................................................................................................................25 What is Value? How is the Environment Valuable? .....................................................................26 Earth ...............................................................................................................................................56 Part 2 .Environmental Ethics and The Six Principles of Environmental Education .................... 57 Water ..............................................................................................................................................67 Part 3: Practical Applications and Relationship in the Classroom .................................................68 Outdoor Education Schools ........................................................................................................80 Outward Bound ......................................................................................................................81 National Outdoor Leadership School ....................................................................................82 Wood Street School .Experiential Science ...........................................................................82 North Vancouver Outdoor School ..........................................................................................84 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................88 Pictures* Picture 1 .Kea and Tillei in Haines. Alaska ...................................................................................2 Picture 2 .Author. Kea. and Tillei in Haines. Alaska .....................................................................4 Picture 3 .Looking towards Carcross from Montana Mountain .....................................................7 Picture 4 .Fish Lake. Yukon ...........................................................................................................9 Picture 5 .Abandoned mine site on Montana Mountain ............................................................... 10 Picture 6 .Carved boulder of First Nations elder ..........................................................................13 Picture 7 .Kea and Tillei on Montana Mountain ..........................................................................18 Picture 8 .Lake along Chilkoot Trail ............................................................................................20 Picture 9 .Statue of man at Yukon College. Whitehorse ..............................................................25 Picture 10 .The value of water; Schwatka Lake Dam in Whitehorse ...........................................27 Picture 1 1 .Author's husband and abandoned Buddhist temple on Montana Mountain ..............30 Picture 12 .Boulder depicting turtle at Yukon College. Whitehorse ...........................................31 Picture 13 .Statue of First Nations woman at Yukon College. Whitehorse .................................33 Picture 14 -Looking towards the Mount MacIntyre Ski Trails in Whitehorse; what lessons were learned there? ..............................................................................................37 Picture 15 .Lake along road to Montana Mountain ......................................................................38 Picture 16 .Looking south towards Buddhist temple on Montana Mountain ...............................43 Picture 17 .Kea and Tillei playing slide on frozen stream at Montana Mountain ........................46 Picture 18 .Ancient Balsam Fir trees . These trees were the highest in elevation on Montana Mountain; 300 years old and not 2 metres high in the extreme climate .................................................................................................................. 49 Picture 19 .Pathways; Mount MacIntyre ski trails .......................................................................50 Picture 20 .Author's husband and dogs at old mine site. Montana Mountain .............................. 52 Picture 21 .Squirrel in pine tree ....................................................................................................53 Picture 22 .Author and dogs at Mount Riley summit, Haines. Alaska .........................................56 Picture 23 .A multi-use trail; the White Pass railway shares the same route as the Chilkoot Trail for trekkers ...................................................................................63 Picture 24 .Road up Montana Mountain ......................................................................................66 Picture 25 - Looking towards Haines, Alaska, from Mount Riley ................................................67 * All photos by author or her husband. Walter Nehring. reproduced by permission . Picture 26 .Kea in leaves ..............................................................................................................69 Picture 27 .Tillei in leaves ............................................................................................................70 Picture 28 .Trail at Mount MacIntyre ...........................................................................................74 Picture 29 - Looking west on Montana Mountain .........................................................................79