Learning to Apply My Senses

There is a difference in the stiff chairs arranged in grids underneath the humming fluorescent lighting, surrounded by stale air and the droning tones of a lecturer. There is a difference in my countenance that clearly expresses self-doubt as I stare at an exam covered in red ink. Remembering my first school experiences, that was the way of it; year after year with almost average results and an almost average GPA. I feel the difference in my awareness, my participation, and my confidence. This difference leads me to believe that field experience methods are a critical component of my learning.

This belief was a tiny kernel when I was bouncing atop a D9 bulldozer for the Navy, learning to be a heavy equipment operator. Physically doing an inspection or adjusting levers to control various moving parts of a 14 ton grader solidified the classroom instruction for me. I would listen to the trainers go through each new step before I slammed my hardhat on and set out to perform the tasks myself.  It was my first confidence building experience, very different from my performance in school. I completed my training at the top of my class with a 96%. At the time, I merely thought my success stemmed from my familiarity with farm equipment. All I knew was that I liked working with my hands and translating what I was told into an action.

At age 32, that tiny kernel blossomed, through an easily excitable, yet patient instructor during my first terrifying semester back at school. There were no fluorescent lights or stiff chairs, just the warm sun glinting off the lush grass outside the brick buildings.  The spirited instructor spread the class across the lawn and assigned one peer to be ‘food’, the next ‘water’, then ‘shelter’, another as a ‘deer’, and some a ‘predator’. On her mark, the ‘deer’ were supposed to run and find a sustaining component of their habitat without getting caught by the predators. A child’s game similar to tag, she said, assigning each a role to play, all while relaying her lesson about wildlife management. Silly, but so effective! I felt the stress and anxiety melt away with each passing class. I could participate in juvenile games, and still become a successful and upstanding professional in natural resources.

The significance of being able to physically and intellectually immerse myself into coursework finally took on literal meaning. Whether I was measuring trees or snowshoeing through the forest to collect data for a lynx study, I was amazed by my own ability to learn. The difference is obvious in my grades and newly found enthusiasm for learning. I graduated community college with high honors and three certificates. I have come to value the diligence of instructors who find ways to reach students, like myself, who struggle with singular teaching methodology. I believe that the field experiences and hands on teaching methods have allowed me to discover my own passion and appreciation for my journey of successful learning.