Environmental Alternative Spring Break
Connecting With Students Across Washington Through Environmental Science
The Pipeline Project has been another important experience for both my personal and professional growth throughout my time at the University of Washington. One program within the Pipeline Project that I have been involved with since freshman year is Environmental Alternative Spring Break (EASB), which is a unique teaching and learning opportunity that connects groups of UW students with students in rural/tribal communities across WA. To prepare, EASB participants research the communities they will be traveling to and design their own curriculum using a place-based learning approach. EASB participants then facilitate their environmental education and science projects in elementary and middle school classrooms. I participated in EASB first during my freshman year, and then became the EASB coordinator for the past two years.The Pipeline Project’s Environmental Alternative Spring Break has meant a lot to me personally because it has allowed me to connect with and learn from students in a new community in the state that I grew up in. The biggest reason I’ve stayed involved in EASB is the relationships that I’ve built with the community members of Brewster, a small community with a dominant migrant and Hispanic/Latino population. While we primarily work with the 6th grade science classes, I’ve also had the opportunity to connect with other students and community members through events such as engaging in college talks, sports events, and visiting local organizations. Even though EASB is a weeklong experience, my ongoing relationship there has provided me with a new perspective about community partnerships, the ethics of service, and the importance of self-reflection.
2016 EASB crew - what is environmental science?
Group Development
Being a part of a team is a core part of EASB, as each UW student works with a group of four to five other EASB participants throughout winter quarter in a seminar. Each site team researches their community, develops place-based curriculum both individually and collectively. Group development is also important for the overall dynamic within the EASB seminar, as we engage in dialogue involving self-reflection, sharing, and discussions on various educational and environmental issues. As an EASB facilitator, it’s also critical for me to make sure that the classroom space is non-hierarchical and each person has a chance to share his or her voice.
Verbal Communication
As an EASB participant, I have been given the unique opportunity to practice effective verbal communication through leading and supporting other UW students in facilitating various environmental science lessons with classes of 6th grade students. As the EASB Coordinator, I have also been able to practice strategies to develop effective verbal communication through leading the winter quarter prep seminar with UW students, developing and delivering content, and facilitating conversations during the seminar.
Productive Relationships
EASB currently partners with four communities: Brewster, La Push, Oroville and Curlew. For EASB to function in a meaningful, ethical, and productive way, it is vital that each team talks to the teachers and other members of the communities that we are collaborating to make sure that we understand the circumstances of the students, schools, and broader community culture that we are partnering with. For example, each site lead connects with the teachers before Spring Break to discuss what the students are already learning, which is significant because it allows the perspectives and assets of the community to be incorporated into the development of the program and makes EASB more relevant.
Reflection
The EASB curriculum building process has showed me the importance of adapting to varying levels of student knowledge and creating place-based curriculum since to be an effective educator, it is vital to use a strengths-based perspective and be mindful of a school and community assets. My engagement with Brewster also included college talks with high school students, which gave me a new perspective on contrasting college-going cultures and larger barriers to educational access in WA. Lastly, I’ve learned how integral it is to listen and be reflective of how I am engaging with others and how my identity impacts students’ perceptions. Overall, all of my insights gained from EASB are applicable to my other involvements at UW and learning skills related to environmental, place-based pedagogy will provide more depth to my preparation to enter the field of education in the future.
