Connections

Ever have those moments when life is like the 'connected' song - you know...

The foot bone con-nected to the (pause) leg-bone,
The leg bone connected to the (') knee bone,
The knee bone connected to the (') thigh bone,
The thigh bone connected to the (') back bone,
The back bone connected to the (') neck bone
The neck bone connected to the (') head bone
Oh hear the word of the Lord!"

There have been a lot of connections going on in my learning journey. And I have been looking for connections. But I'm resistant at the same time! Funny this!

I met with Dr. Daniel Vokey at University of British Columbia as a potential advisor. I liked him. Even more important was the discovery made as I was about to leave the office. We were on our feet and started playing the 'connect the dot' game of who we mutually know. This could have been a very long game, which is a good indicator. The most important connection is that Daniel studied under Bert Horwood - who taught experiential education at Queen's University. Bert is who I credit with the 'head, heart and hands' piece that I am so intent on studying - he did an article on adventurous learning in schools and within this talked of connecting the head to the heart and hands for students within our classrooms, not just without. This has influenced me (and my students! - this is the source of our learning contracts) since my first year at Briercrest. There is great significance in the fact that Daniel learned under the man that has influenced what I want to study in my PhD!

Furthermore, I google Bert to see what I can learn about him. Turns out, he's not only an experiential educator, but a Quaker. This may seem an odd connection, and it would be if not for another major influence in my life as an educator: Parker Palmer. Parker is also a Quaker, and his work primarily deals with the heart of the teacher and with ways of knowing - both of extreme importance to education and to me. There starts to be a faith and experience connection here that is again, significant.

Well, what did I think of UBC? I think it's in a very crowded, rainy city that I don't want to live in. Beyond the necessary attitudinal shift it would take to live in Vancouver, honestly, these connections excite me more than I'm almost willing to admit, even to myself. So, my application is in, but my decision is definitely not made - I spent the day expanding my vocabulary for the GRE exams that I will write in San Diego to gain acceptance to the other two schools that I am also applying to: University of New Hampshire and University of Colorado at Boulder (did you know Boulder has over 300 days of sunshine a year?!?).

That's all for now!!!