Tag Archives: interactions

The blind leading the blind

Initially I did think of it as the blind leading the blind. Every person being totally new to Singapore and attempting to lead our peers steadily through an environment we’d never be able to visit before.

After having a little more time to reflect on my facilitation day as well as other groups’ facilitation day in Singapore, I’ve felt more positive about the experiences, and have been able to view them in a more constructive way. Yes, I can still see many ways in which our facilitation could’ve gone better, however after speaking with other groups it has reassured me a little; knowing they faced similar obstacles, perhaps to a lesser extent.

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Do what you love, love what you do!

As I’ve been nearing the end of my degree at university, I’ve been questioning myself, in terms of my readiness for the teaching profession. Am I happy with the level of knowledge that I have? Will my students really gain the experiences and passion for the outdoors that I have?

Outdoor Education in Singapore didn’t appear as those it could ignite this passion for the environment. To me, it seemed to revolve only around recreation, which I used to think meant students would only enjoy the activity, and not gain a deeper connection with the outdoors.

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Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success!

Over my time here spent in Singapore, I can’t help but notice how much new knowledge, relationships and connections I have gained over such a short amount of time.

I have meet new people, visited different places, gained a wealth of knowledge about myself, others, nature and the culture of Singapore. But none of this could of happened without the support and guidance of others. How I see it is that when you gather a groups of people from around the world who both share such passion for the Outdoor Environment and the Outdoor Education outcomes, something magical happens. We begin to grow and flourish our ideas together to make something wonderful happen.

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Two ears, one mouth

“God gave us two ears & one mouth, so listen twice as much as you speak.”

This is a quote I have heard and describes my time in Singapore travelling over the past two weeks. The world I have grown up in is different to what I have experienced here I Singapore. My upbringing, background and values impact on outlooks in life. Gaining an understanding of this different culture is imperative to the relationships I have built with Singaporeans whilst here.

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Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot. Nothing is going to get better, it’s not.

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot. Nothing is going to get better, it’s not.” (Dr. Seuss, 1998)


This quote is one of my favourites. It reminds me that when I care about something, I need to act on it. Because if I do not, unless there is another person just like me, there will be no change.

Or at least thats what it meant to me before Singapore…

Continue reading Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot. Nothing is going to get better, it’s not.

Bike Ride Day #2

What does 1/2 day bike riding look like in less than 1 minute? You just witnessed it.

This video is a time-lapse of 1/2day bike riding we undertook under guide Nam Jim. The 2nd man in Singapore to gain a University level qualification degree in Outdoor Education (through LaTrobe University, Bendigo) he is a wealth of knowledge and currently heads  up the Raffles Leadership Institute in Singapore’s number 1 school. He is a passionate man with a background in Outward Bound Singapore and has major plans for the future of Outdoor Education in this country. Through his expertise and willingness to share we explored a majority of the East Coast of Singapore including history and environmental impact through use of a network of Connector Paths.

Thank you Singapore For All You Have Taught Me

I have written a poem about how Singapoe has changed my views on life – why I value OE and the importance of creating a connection with a natural place, especially in a country that has so little left. The power of humanity and finding peace, in a country with such diverse cultures. It has made me really reconsider the way in which I will go about life from now on… in terms of the way I approach other cultures, the way inwhich I instill values in my students and the way I look at Australia (the lucky country).

Singapore a new place I have never been,
Has allowed me to reflect on everything I have seen.

A place of such greatness and success,
That has come out thriving from such duress.

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A bunch of people in an elevator

 Learning with and about others…

Recently I created a portfolio of teaching resources and information that aimed to answer the question, ‘Does innovative classroom design contribute to student learning?’ It was one of the more interesting assessment tasks I’ve completed whilst at university. I found that that the classroom environment has a large part to play in student learning. If you’re wondering where I’m going with this, don’t be alarmed, it will all become apparent soon.

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Tell me what you see…

Ok guys, throw on your thinking caps and get ready to look between the lines. This post is all about your opinion. Im interested to see what the following image makes you think? What is it about in your eyes? How does it make you feel?

Headspace

I look forward to reading your comments below. And remember, there is no wrong answer..

Big Yellow Taxi – Joni Mitchell (performed by Counting Crows)

They took all the trees
Put ’em in a tree museum
And they charged the people
A dollar and a half just to see ’em

As a kid growing up hearing this song I enjoyed it and loved the boppy fun beat that gets stuck in your head. I also loved the ‘quirky’ lyrics that described a world different to the one I live in in Australia. A world where the trees were all cut down, so much so that people had to pay ‘a $1.50 to see them” in museums. I remember having conversations with my sisters about a world that looked like this, we just couldn’t imagine.

Continue reading Big Yellow Taxi – Joni Mitchell (performed by Counting Crows)