Beyond Our Borders Integrated Curriculum Programs in British Columbia By Julie Johnston Although I grew up and trained to be a of heights on untouched mountains to the teacher in Ontario, most of my teaching serene beaches of the Pacific coast:” career has been in Western Canada. So when this opportunity came up to talk about • surfing British Columbia’s intergrated curriculum • telemark skiing in the backcountry programs (ICPs), I jumped at the chance to • lake, river and ocean kayaking show them off. • low-impact camping • hiking In this province of sea and mountains, can • rock climbing you guess what figures prominently in our • cycling ICPs? You guessed it: outdoor adventures— • cross-country running with a healthy dose of environmental and • orienteering sustainability education mixed in. Here are • yoga five examples from BC. The program is taught with the environment Earthquest Outdoor School, Vernon in mind, allowing students to develop a (www.earthquest.ca) sense of kinship with the rest of nature. Early on, Moe and Barrie established trusting Earthquest (EQ) is known as BC’s longest- relationships with local First Peoples, so an running ICP. It was established in 1981 as environmental consciousness is established a five-month outdoor immersion program by weaving First Nations technologies, offered to 20 Grade 11 students per philosophies, stewardship and lifestyles into semester in School District 22 in Vernon outdoor adventures. (in the Okanagan area). Founders of the program, Moe and Barrie Reid (a wife and Diversity is a motif running throughout husband team), believed that “relevant and the EQ program; students are exposed meaningful learning takes place in the best to a variety of stimulating learning possible classroom: the outdoors.” A main environments, landscapes, physical settings, objective of the program is “to make learning social situations and challenges. Teamwork, enjoyable and engaging by removing responsibility and group accountability are students from the confines of the traditional promoted at every turn: adopting a group classroom and integrating outdoor activities mentality while hiking and skiing, working as tools for learning.” together as a group practising kayak or beacon rescues, packing a doubles kayak, These days, EQ gives credit for English 11, teaming up with a partner to perform a wet Biology 11 and Physical education 11 and 12. exit, belaying a classmate as they rock climb Because of its collaboration with the school and preparing a nutritious meal together district’s online learning program (called for the rest of the group are examples of the Vlearn), EQ is now able to accept Grade 12 Outward Bound-like nature of EQ. students, who can take other courses as well or instead (Digital Media 12, First Nations Saturna Ecological Education Centre Studies 12, Geography 12, English 12, Foods (SEEC), Saturna Island 12 and Independent Directed Studies 12). (www.seec64.ca) S Students study online (when and where Y A they want), fitting their studies around 9–10 The SEEC Semester for senior secondary W weeks with EQ, in pre-expedition learning students is the ICP I know best. That’s H T and then expeditions spread throughout the because I’ve taken my own Pender Island A P semester. students camping at the Saturna Ecological Education Centre many times, and because 24 EQ students get credit for a variety of in 2010–2011 I helped expand the program by expeditions that take them “from the greatest Beyond Our Borders recruiting students beyond our small school • taking command as coxswain of a district’s borders. Spanish longboat • designing and sewing a dress for prom The SEEC Semester began in 2006 when Steve Dunsmuir, the principal/teacher of The SEEC Semester is an excellent example Saturna Island’s tiny school, recognized that of 21st-century learning: personalized, an alternative high-school program would self-directed, co-created and integrated; keep the elementary school from closing. place-based and sustainability-focused; (Enrolment has gone as low as four children challenging students to develop creative and in this community of 300 people!) critical thinking skills. Students (8 to 12 each semester) stay in rustic but funky off-grid Perhaps the niftiest thing about the cabins in a valley behind a working farm SEEC Semester is that its Grade 11 and and use the whole island as their classroom. 12 participants, who come from several Dunsmuir admits, “It’s kind of exciting surrounding school districts, only spend because they come off the ferry and it’s so three days (and three nights) on Saturna, but different—it rocks their world a little bit.” they take five courses and earn 20 credits: The TREK Program, Vancouver • English 11 or 12 (Environmental (www.vsb.bc.ca/programs/trek-program- Communication) prince-wales) • Science and Technology 11 (Ecological Citizenship) The Vancouver School Board’s best-known • Physical Education 11 or 12 (Outdoor and best-loved ICP is TREK, a year-long Adventures) program for Grade 10 students. It began in • Teaching and Learning 11 or 12 (a 1987 to provide students with opportunities locally developed elective course; to learn outdoor skills, study environmental students mentor the younger children issues and develop personal and leadership at the school, and learn how to lead skills. Even before the term “sustainability eco-adventures when groups visit from education” was coined, the TREK program off-island) was founded “on the belief that outdoor • Independent Directed Study (IDS; adventure and experiential education, Community Connections) combined with academic work and a bioregional overview, will allow students It is the IDS that sits at the centre of the to develop their skills, confidence and students’ integrated coursework. They can leadership, connect them to the landscape follow a passion or choose a new skill or they live in and educate them about area of knowledge (related somehow to any what they can do to move towards living Grade 11 or 12 course offered by the Ministry sustainably.” of Education) to study with the help of a community mentor. Local folks love the TREK’s 100+ students are divided into two program for the youthful energy it brings to groups. For half the year, one group is “on- their island, so they are happy to lend their TREK” while the other group is “off-TREK,” mentoring time and wisdom. Past examples and then they switch for the second semester. of IDS projects include By the end of the year, all students have met all Grade 10 requirements. Here’s how it • designing and building a shed for the works: school S Y • writing and directing a play at the During the on-TREK term, students are A W community level involved in a combination of outdoor H • creating a field guide for a local beach activities, field studies, trips and classroom- T A • learning and teaching about sheep based academics including P farming • English 10 (half the course) 25 • Social Studies 10 (half the course) Beyond Our Borders • Planning 10 (half the course) in the natural beauty of the Sunshine Coast • Physical Education 10 (complete course) and Desolation Sound areas. As coordinator • Outdoor Education (complete course) Ryan Barfoot explains, “We are located in a beautiful area where the snow-capped During this semester, about half the time mountains meet the ocean. This is the canvas is spent on field trips of up to a full week, we paint our semester on.” Cohorts of 14 and half the time is based at Prince of Wales students experience paddling, climbing, Secondary School. hiking, biking, boating and working with younger students. The final project requires In the off-TREK term, students complete students to design, plan and implement a their academic curriculum including month of residential camp programs for all of the Grade 7 students in the school district. • English 10 (half the course) • Social Studies 10 (half the course) The CMA started as a local tourism- • Planning 10 (half the course) training program with a strong focus on • Math 10 (complete course) hard skills, and now also incorporates a • Science 10 (complete course) stronger leadership component as well as • a second language (French or Spanish) citizenship. Taught by a team of teachers, industry leaders and experts, students get Can you imagine the logistics? According to senior secondary elective credits in Physical TREK’s Antony Blaikie, due to the depth and Education 11 or 12, Work Experience 11 breadth of the program, there are logistical or 12, Adventure Tourism 11 and 12, and challenges to be met nearly every day by Leadership Studies 11 or 12. The CMA may the program’s four teachers. But, he adds also offer the following certifications: that the rewards must continue to outweigh the costs, because TREK teachers remain in • Outdoor Leadership Skills the position for an average of seven to eight • Flat Water Sea Kayak, Paddle Canada years. And hundreds of students apply to • Level 1 Sea Kayak, Paddle Canada TREK every year, so the program must be • Wilderness First Aid (40 hours) meeting its goal of providing a rich source • Occupational First Aid of learning, adventure and rewarding • Foodsafe relationships for young people. • Avalanche Safety Training Level 1 • VHF Radio Operator, Industry Canada Coast Mountain Academy, Powell River • Small Craft Operator, Coast Guard (www.outdoors.sd47.bc.ca) • Toastmasters • Streamkeepers, Counsellor in Training Coast Mountain Academy (CMA) is an enriched outdoor education program (“a The CMA has become something of a gift five-month rite of passage”) that focuses to the community of Powell River. Other on action education, service learning and organizations in town often make requests character and career development through for assistance with various projects, which “Leadership, Citizenship and Outdoor keeps the curriculum dynamic. The program Adventure.” The program accepts Grade resides where theory and application meet, 11 and 12 students from across British and students learn that knowledge in and of Columbia for a unique semester-long itself is valuable, but it is in the application program that includes an emphasis on of knowledge—in this case, through S outdoor certifications and community community-building experiences—that it Y A service, along with academic credits and comes to life. W hard skills. H T The Valhalla Wilderness Program, Slocan A P The CMA, which runs during the second (www2.sd8.bc.ca/schools/weg/default.htm) semester from Monday to Thursday, gives 26 students opportunities to combine practical W.E. Graham Community School in School and theoretical learning while immersed District 8’s Slocan Valley in the Kootenays Beyond Our Borders offers two “district choice programs” that outdoors and 60 percent in the classroom, focus on health and physical fitness while with a portion of the academic curriculum utilizing the outdoor area around the school integrated with wilderness studies and to promote practical application of the skills outdoor living skills. Science, math, English and concepts taught. Over the last few and social studies are taught primarily in years, the school has developed the Outdoor the mornings, and students participate Environmental Leadership Program (OELP) in weekly day trips plus six week-long for students in Grades 7 and 8, which out-trips involving hiking, backcountry is designed to complement the Valhalla skiing/snowboarding and winter camping, Wilderness Program (VWP) for Grade 9 mountain biking and canoeing. and 10 students, a program that has been in operation for more than a decade. During the course of the year, students take their St. John’s Ambulance Level One The OELP is a full-year, enriched educational First Aid and CPR-C course in addition to program that offers students the opportunity the Avalanche Skills Level One course to to learn in many environments. In the enable them to participate more safely in mornings, students are involved backcountry activities (a big part of living in regular academic in the Kootenays!). The program introduces classes. In the technical skills, safety and decision-making afternoons, students strategies and participate in a knowledge of the combination of natural world outdoor activities, to provide an physical education, entry for applied skills students (woodworking, interested textiles, home in a career economics) and in the fine arts. The field of students also wilderness/ participate in six adventure three- to five-day tourism outdoor trips, management each focusing and outdoor on a specific recreation. outdoor activity, such VWP was as hiking designed to and backpacking, canoeing, cycle be challenging, both physically and touring, rock climbing, cross-country skiing, interpersonally. The record shows that VWP alpine skiing, mountain biking and essential students, as with most, if not all, graduates outdoor skills. The OELP enables students of integrated curriculum programs, I’m to meet curricular outcomes while allowing guessing, go on to high levels of achievement them to apply the concepts in a variety of academically, with increased self-confidence environments. By the end of the year, OELP and a heightened sense of their place in students have completed all necessary Grade the world. Indeed, each of these programs 7 or 8 courses, plus outdoor education. epitomizes the transformative power of S Y outdoor education and experiential learning! A The VWP describes itself as “a self-propelled W H wilderness experience that offers a high level T of personal challenge.” It is a full-year eight- Julie Johnston is with Green Heart Education, an A P credit program during which, like TREK, integrated curriculum program in BC. students spend about 40 percent of their time 27