A Pedagogical Paddle in the Connecticut River Watershed
Paddle and camp along the Connecticut River with fellow educators, exchanging ideas, exploring place-based teaching, and finding fresh inspiration for bringing learning outdoors.
Program Description
This five-day professional development workshop open to teachers of all disciplines and all school contexts is a mini learning expedition in the CT River watershed modeling an interdisciplinary approach to place-based education and exploring how to center a watershed and its myriad complexities in our teaching and learning. Imagine sitting around the campfire with new friends and colleagues on a northcountry sandbar, watching the moonrise and discussing place-based pedagogy: the effects of climate change on northern forests, say; how we might better honor Abenaki culture, past and present, in our classrooms; or what we might learn about living well in a place from the various dam removal project stakeholders. Our time on the river will be tranquil and rejuvenative, a combination of formal workshops and classes and informal conversations and connections–with this place, with each other, and with those who know it best.
This program will be a transformative professional development experience that will expand your thinking about interdisciplinary environmental education and revitalize your work with students and colleagues. In the end, our hope is that this Pedagogical Paddle will invite exploration of an alternate way of thinking about the ties that connect school communities–namely, that an ecologically intact entity like awatershed–can bind us geographically, intellectually, pedagogically, and even spiritually. For those of you who have been hankering for ideas on how to get your students outside in new ways, it might just be the perfect way to gain both the skills and the habits of mind necessary to connect your students to your home watersheds, wherever they might flow.
*Note: You do NOT need to be an experienced paddler or camper to participate in this program. Novices and Newbies are welcome, and if gear is a precluding factor, we can help you source anything you need to be comfortable in the field!
Program
Dates
Contact us to inquire
Program
Location
Connecticut,
United States
Application
Status
Contact us to inquire
Cost of
Participation
Contact us to inquire
What You'll Leave With
Return home with fresh ideas for bringing learning outdoors, practical approaches to place-based teaching, and a renewed sense of connection to your work. Just as importantly, leave with new colleagues, shared experiences, and the confidence to help students discover the stories and possibilities of their own local watersheds.
A new appreciation for the ways rivers connect people, ecosystems, and communities
Creative ideas for using local landscapes to spark curiosity and meaningful inquiry
Greater confidence in leading outdoor learning experiences, regardless of prior experience
Ways to weave ecology, history, Indigenous perspectives, and environmental issues into your lessons
Lasting relationships with educators who share a passion for learning beyond the classroom
A clearer vision for making your own local watershed part of your students’ education
Bringing Learning Back to the Land
A river has plenty to teach us, if we know how to ask the right questions. Pedagogical Paddle invites educators to see their local landscapes as places for inquiry, conversation, and discovery across disciplines. Through time on the Connecticut River and thoughtful exchanges with colleagues, participants explore how the stories of a watershed can enrich their teaching and help students develop a stronger connection to the places they call home.
Transform
your teaching by connecting ecology, history, culture, and local landscapes.
Empower
yourself to lead meaningful outdoor learning experiences with confidence.
Inspire
your students to see their own watershed as a place for discovery and learning.
