PUBLISHED BY THE A.C.T. SCHOOLS AUTHORITY 1977, BARRY COOPER

In joining A.M.E., I was able to bring along  from my former N.S.W. position a $3 500 schools Commission grant for integrated excursions. The opportunity to teach in an environment which allows outdoor activities as an integral part of the teaching program has taken me over 15 years to attain.

Early in my career, I found that taking inner Sydney students some place like Wee Jasper for caving resulted in both the enjoyment of each others company and an extension of the students' awareness of an alternative environment.  The term "outdoor education" was of no relevance to me then - the trips were simply something I did with a number of economically deprived kids who generally had never been more than 30 miles from their homes.

As a primary school teacher with a philosophy based on getting children out of the classroom and into outdoor experiences, I have found over the past three years at A.M.E. that specific outdoor activities like caving, rock climbing, river crossing, and cross country skiing build a group feeling among most of the kids, and give them a better concept of themselves.  I believe that if a child can feel that he has accomplished something difficult he not only feels good about it, but will transfer that success to other things.  If he has tried and succeeded, he will try other things hoping to succeed in them as well.  It is in this area of group identity and transfer that I feel lie the value of these activities, even with children who seemingly are quite happy at school and have a lot of outdoor experiences with their own parents when away from school.

I think to give you an indication of what outdoor education is like at this particular "alternative" school I should use a specific example. In this way one can contrast it with other methods of approach.

Last year another staff member, Vaughn Croucher. and I felt that it would be a great idea to introduce all the primary school kids (about 80) to a caving experience.  We sat down over a couple of nights and worked out what we exactly intended doing.  By contacting a farmer at Wee Jasper we got permission to use a vacant farm house as accommodation. We divided the groups into 20's based mainly on classroom groups and contacted parents for supervision and help with transport.  sounds very typical doesn't it?  The rest of the arrangements, however, we left to my class of 10-11 year olds.  By this time they had spent about 20 nights away with me so they were proficient in organizing the menu and ringing people to make final arrangements.  They found parents to take them shopping and bought the goods.  They kept a tally of what was spent and wrote receipts for money accepted.  They organised themselves into cooking groups and when we went to Wee Jasper, they did the cooking and handling of the groups as we arrived.  Four of the children in my group stayed the full eight days of the trip.  All of my group at some time either acted as cooks, guides, or helpers for the smaller ones.  The groups who came down were rostered by the more experienced kids and were shown what tasks to do.  Vaughn and I with the parents were involved in taking the children to the commercial caves and organizing equipment for those going into the non-commercial caves.

A lot of my time is spent training the kids in the things that are important for them to know on a particular trip - rope tying for rock climbing, menu making for camping, safety measures and fitness for cross country skiing.  I receive a lot of cooperation from the staff and feel free to involve my group in any activity as long as safety measures have been covered.

Teachers here, although they may not approach teaching in the same way, are tolerant of different methods and are helpful.  sometimes as with the caving experience the main emphasis might be on introducing pupils to a new experience.  Other times it may be more specific as for example in orienteering where the emphasis might be on teaching map- reading or taking bearings.  In the future I hope to use the resources of our new school to make photographic records of our trips for presentation to parents.  From trips come a lot of writing although I'm wary of attempting to trick kids into an artificial situation where I say isn't this an interesting experience could you explain why to me in three pages.  If I want kids to specifically write about their experience I state so before the trip and they know the purpose.  If they write because they have become interested, then that's pleasing.

Children who have been in my class three years ago are now in the secondary section of the school and I find that I can call on their help when we are going on trips and in teaching skills such as swimming.

I think that the major benefit of teaching here is the willingness of people to accept different attitudes to teaching and to be helpful. and receptive to new ideas.

Barry cooper has taught, at one time or another, grades K - 12, in Canada and Australia. he has been at the A.M.E. school for three years.