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Overview

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Our La Push team spent six days there, taught courses during 8AM to 2PM every day, four of us taught different subjects about environmental science: I focused on geography and maps for the 8th graders; Nik and Andrew taught about biology and salmon; Panda was passionate about doing experiments on climate change. Our host, Quileute Tribal School, gave us plenty of support during that week and we were very grateful. 

Besides teaching, we also had some fun after classes: we went hiking in the woods nearby, enjoyed the sunset on the first and second beach, and tried the best salmon burger together. Overall, we made positive impact for the tribal community, as one of the kids told us on the way to our salmon field trip, saying that our stories made him want to go to college!

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Personal Importance of Task or Work

 

Grew up in Guangzhou China, I am an “ocean” person and really enjoy the beach scene. Transferring from Spokane, I have been interested in knowing more about the native American culture and I do love traveling around the Washington state. Also, with my passion towards mathematics and science, La Push trip is a best combination to fulfill my curiosity and train me with group work experience and teaching.

I heard about this program since the day of my orientation, and I was eager to apply the second I knew about the experience from previous participants on the introduction video. I decided to take part in this Environmental Alternative Spring Break program because I would like to explore the opportunity of being an instructor. This out-of-classroom experience matters to me, as it is my first time to start being a peer mentor and peer educator. It has further prepared me to apply for the First-year Interest Group leader (FIG Leader), which is a program where experienced student leaders will be teaching a college transition courses for transfer students.

 

Tasks Accomplished

 

1. Prepared one-week of courses work during the winter quarter seminar, including making slides, course package, and ordering required equipments for experiments

2. Gained deep understanding of “place-based” education, which is a deep learning model that connects students with their community, in such way it increases students academic engagement and makes a positive impact towards society

3. Obtained friendship with group members and La Push local children, staff, teachers

4. Had a trip to the Second Beach, and hiked around the Olympic Park area

5. Taught one week of class for the eighth graders, topics cover the Earth, the U.S states, and Map designing

6. Got interviewed by La Push local newspaper

7. Hold a successful farewell party for over 200 staff, students, and their parents

8. Joined a Native American monthly celebration night

9. Hosted team meetings every night to prepare for next day’s classes

 

Leadership Competencies Gained

 

Empathy

I have a better understanding of empathy during my spring break. I have experienced two different education system, both in China and in America, and three various institution, high schools in Guangzhou, community college in Spokane, and University of Washington in Seattle; but I did not know anything about tribal schools, their struggles and improvements. Due to lack of resources, students do not have solid foundation for life science in general, but they are trying really hard to learn and faulty there also implementing new lab equipments for them to get hands-on experience.  

Even though we only stayed there for a week, but we were so welcomed by the people in the town. Our group was invited to student cafeteria to eat with them, we got to know, and care more about our students, their family, and the whole La Push community.

 

Research

I did quite a lot research, on reading about how to teach and what exactly is the place-based education. It might sound odd that as a Math and Econ double major, I made up my mind to teach geography. During the preparation seminar in winter quarter, I also contacted my previous geography instructor to go through my course plan and concepts that I would be illustrating, we brainstormed and researched for ways that can present them in interesting and intellectually-stimulating ways. Therefore, I reviewed my geography notes for almost one month and put the best effort to my ability for my first teaching experience. I have always believed that teaching and learning are a two-way street, I gained as much as how I cared about it.

 

Collaboration

We made a great team during our La Push trip, because we have the common goal to work towards for, to provide La Push students with a novel view of life science through place-based education curriculum, with a focus on hands-on activities. As a team, we supported each other. Audrey taught the first grade about salmon and fishery, Nik showed the fourth graders how to use microscope with basic knowledge of biology, Panda made a course package about climate change and stressed this vital issue to her fifth-grade students. We helped out during each others’ course and in this way we reached our objective most effectively and efficiently.

 

Facilitation

We led discussion with students, to encourage them to learn and raise questions. One day, we mentioned about our choice to go to college, I shared about my diverse education background coming from China and studying abroad. Students were curious about the world outside of La Push as well as our rationale of why college mattered. It was moving and inspiring as what we were doing here might influence their decision for further education.

 

Empowerment

Sharing passion and information with my team, and that we all have a sense of commitment towards this La Push trip is crucial. Spending the whole spring in a rural area in WA state might not sound as fun as being on the deck of Empire State Building in New York City, but it is worth so much more to me. From Monday to Thursday, we spent at least two hours together to brief each other about our plans in the next day’s class, providing feedbacks and reflecting on each other’ performance. There was a fun fact that Audrey was good at cooking and she was our chef making our team’s meal every day, and the rest of us, Nik, Panda, and I were fighting to do dishes after every meal.
 

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Lessons Learned and Future Oriented Statement

 

Inspired by the UW spirit of making a world of good, I am determined to empower my peers, as well as my students in La Push. The lessons that I learned are to be proactive and prepared. I incorrectly assumed that my students would know more about geography and was a little bit unprepared for the first class, therefore I learn to adjust my courses plan accordingly. I am really grateful for all instructors in the world, because right now, I understand how much effort that we need to commit before teaching a 40-mins class. I can not stress more that education is a life-changing act, and I am going to start an internship in the field of educational advancement this summer with Department of University Advancement in UW.