tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51647136461626528152024-02-22T17:07:09.260-05:00Lister Academy Costa Rica Class - BryanThis is the story of alternative education students, in an experiential and interdisciplinary class, learning about Monteverde, Costa Rica and fundraising to travel there. It'll be a life-changing experience.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-55369354575642864802012-01-09T12:30:00.003-05:002012-01-09T12:35:34.317-05:00The Next YearThis post is in case you are surfing the web, have come across this blog and are thinking, "These students have done some very cool stuff... I wonder what they are doing now?"<br /><br />Based on the huge success of this class, the school is conducting a new interdisciplinary class during the 2011-2012 school year. The design is similar, the sweat equity just as important, the growth as wonderful to see, and the destination is Puerto Rico. I hope you'll check out our blog, and see what the <a href="http://listerleafbusters.blogspot.com/">Lister Leaf Busters</a> are doing now.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-45366773932967899072011-06-28T20:05:00.003-04:002011-06-28T20:16:28.837-04:00End of the yearIt has been very difficult to keep up with the blogging during the second semester, and especially since returning from Costa Rica. On June 20th, the students exhibited their final projects, allowing them to share all of their hard work and vital growth that took place throughout the year. I encourage any and all readers to check out the student blogs (links are on the right), where they uploaded digital versions of their projects. <a href="http://youtu.be/MAoO2b823Ws">Winston's project</a> was presented at the Portsmouth Sustainability Fair, and can be seen in a post below, or at our YouTube Channel.<br /><br />Thank you again for all of the incredible help and support that we received, and I hope that you will continue to follow next year's Sustainable Education class - modeled after this year's Costa Rica class. Please check out <a href="http://youtu.be/ZW1AQWly0iY">the video for next year's class</a> on our YouTube Channel.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-43571325334134762952011-05-13T20:57:00.005-04:002011-05-13T21:19:08.856-04:00Winston's Project for the Sustainability FairAs we read <a href="http://walkingwithwolf.wordpress.com/">Walking with Wolf</a>, studied different aspects of Monteverde, and prepared to travel to Costa Rica, students developed and began their individual research projects. Many changed and evolved as we gained better insights and everyone is now hard at work on their projects. Winston's project developed into a presentation for <a href="http://portsmouthsustainabilityfair.org/">Portsmouth's 4th Annual Sustainability Fair</a>. Winston has been one of our most vocal students regarding the unique power of this class, and creating a presentation for this forum is a natural fit. He created a video that looks at our class through the lens of sustainable education. He asks the question of what makes for true sustainable education - that will inform and inspire students in such a way that they will become the change agents we so desperately need - and whether or not our class is a model for that. I hate to ruin the ending, but his conclusion is a resounding YES - so please check out his video to see why.<br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MAoO2b823Ws" allowfullscreen="" width="425" frameborder="0" height="349"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-36582048669493008432011-05-11T20:38:00.003-04:002011-05-13T20:57:32.404-04:00Looking to Next YearEven while I was in Costa Rica, students were asking me what we're doing next year. In truth, I had also been thinking about it, but hadn't come to a certain conclusion. I listened intently, though, to some of their insights about the value of our class and the particular aspects that they grew from. After returning, I consulted with the rest of the staff at the Lister Academy and my principal, Nancy. Despite being exhausted from the trip, my devotion to the power of hard work and travel as a transformative experience, is stronger than ever. I spent this past weekend creating a video to introduce the possibility to the student body, and this morning received an excited response as I showed it in our morning meeting. <br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZW1AQWly0iY" allowfullscreen="" width="490" frameborder="0" height="380"></iframe><br />Who knows what next year will bring, but I know it'll be powerful.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-71483903980368901302011-04-18T20:34:00.001-04:002011-05-13T20:38:51.955-04:00Back to SchoolWe're back at school and the students are starting to shift back into their research projects. It's a difficult transition for all of us, since it was only a few days ago that we were back in Costa Rica and enjoying much warmer weather. We worked hard while down there, but it's a different kind of work and everyone is wishing that we had a bit more time before returning to the classroom. Thankfully for all of us, the end of this week marks the start of a week's vacation - how much are tickets for a quick trip back to Monteverde?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-68201431481951900372011-04-12T07:15:00.002-04:002011-04-12T07:22:53.999-04:00Tuesday 4-12-11It is 5am our time and we're getting ready to leave Monteverde for Arenal. We'll be whitewater rafting and planting trees on our way. Much of the group is a bit sad to leave here - it's been beautiful and a very family-like feeling while staying at the Valle Campanas. However, there is more of Costa Rica to see. We will likely have more limited internet access at the next two locations, so overnight, we uploaded some of the zipline and wildlife videos to the YouTube Channel. There's no way to edit them here, so you're getting us in our full glory. Here's a sample.<br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-hiQuGk2QTE" allowfullscreen="" width="480" frameborder="0" height="390"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-44693325037755741662011-04-10T19:58:00.008-04:002011-04-10T22:39:50.237-04:004-10-11Hola!! Thank you for all of the great questions - here are our responses!<br /><br />How hot is it? ~Maria<br /><br />Around 60 when it is dark 80 when it is bright.<br /><br /><br />What was the forest like? Is there a lot of bugs? Is it humid? ~Connor<br /><br />The forest is like the forest back home times 100! Everything is, greener,hotter,prettier. It can get humid, but for the most part its fairly dry.<br /><br />How are you guys adjusting to the time difference? ~Katrina<br /><br />It is very easy to adjust, the time difference is 2 hours, so 7am for you is 5am for us!<br /><br />How big is the San Luis waterfall? ~Sean<br /><br />1,603 meters... Side note- that is 300 more meters than the hike to get there!!!!<br /><br />What was ziplining like? Have all of you been horseback riding before? Did you hike all the way up the cloud mountain? ~Jasmine<br /><br />Zip lining was spectacular. Let's just say it felt like you were flying. No only 3 of us had previously been horseback riding. No we drove to the top of the "cloud mountain" then hiked around the top.<br /><br />Do you have to climb the whole forest? ~Katie<br /><br />No we don't have to hike everywhere, we get taxis for some trips ;)<br /><br />Did you get to try any of the cheese?<br /><br />Si!! It's a totally new flavor, delicioso!<br /><br />Have you seen any wild animals: What does the Costa Rican flag look like?<br /><br />Yes we some a monkey, some sloths , little bugs, a dead scorpion , and the works scariest crab that brittney f thought was a tarantula<br /><br />We know It's red white And blue but we have not seen one<br /><br />How hot is it in Costa Rica? ~Nathaniel<br /><br />Refer to Maria's question :P<br /><br />How much hiking have you done? ~Skylar<br /><br />A lot, probably 5 is miles a day just walking about!<br /><br />How was it seeing the sloths? Was the water from the waterfall warm? ~Chris<br /><br />It was pretty cool !!!! No the water was absolutely freezing!<br /><br />Thank you!!<br />April 8, 2011 12:35 PM<br /><br />P.S.<br />We are having trouble uploading videos to our pages, look to the student blogs, our Facebook and Youtube channel (hopefully) and such for the good stuff!!!!<br /><br />PPS<br />Our itinerary for Monday is some are going on an early morning hike in the Children's Eternal Rainforest to try to see monkeys, while others get to experience real brown sugar making on the farm we're staying at. We leave Tuesday morning to go whitewater rafting on our way to Arenal. Pura Vida!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-72427063585547954732011-04-08T22:53:00.004-04:002011-04-11T07:42:20.191-04:00Friday April 8th<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlims1bfxr_js9vEGvYTx8uI9JjpLOFTlHiU88AV1GFoZvLgAkMO41gM1JuQTovY9WoLiv_zFhtNVTlzhOV7Fs3AVitmGaeig8FsLVdrNbP4X7p54HDvNUWpI1mcjcpUP7y2KekRTUCLk/s1600/Bull+Pen%252C+Sloths%252C+San+Luis+100.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlims1bfxr_js9vEGvYTx8uI9JjpLOFTlHiU88AV1GFoZvLgAkMO41gM1JuQTovY9WoLiv_zFhtNVTlzhOV7Fs3AVitmGaeig8FsLVdrNbP4X7p54HDvNUWpI1mcjcpUP7y2KekRTUCLk/s320/Bull+Pen%252C+Sloths%252C+San+Luis+100.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594161110085642034" border="0" /></a><br />Today was a very active day for all of us. Some of us also experienced brand new things today. We went horse back riding, as well as a little hike to the San Luis waterfall. The waterfall was amazing. We all went in the water. At first the water was pretty chilly but we all got used to it. We all took turns jumping into the waterfall which was also amazing. The views here in Monteverde are quite incredible. There are more adventures ahead of us. We can't wait to share them with you all.<br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/LZcPU5DkyVI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-65979149599113652622011-04-08T00:44:00.007-04:002011-04-10T23:38:05.687-04:00Thursday 4-07-11<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSX5_6oOPnligXOi2GILmtTsl6V3UyI6sFSnyBxCM1o0j7YsbbgI_uanqCauMGEHhoQw0Dldmth6I4ueO-SUh7PGwQ1A521ODshF1hcD3b-JfnogGsKhrVjlmd1pHFUn5_RE8u-4prTVE/s1600/DSCN6743.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSX5_6oOPnligXOi2GILmtTsl6V3UyI6sFSnyBxCM1o0j7YsbbgI_uanqCauMGEHhoQw0Dldmth6I4ueO-SUh7PGwQ1A521ODshF1hcD3b-JfnogGsKhrVjlmd1pHFUn5_RE8u-4prTVE/s200/DSCN6743.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594153630596347538" border="0" /></a><br />This post will be quite short again, since it was another full day. We started off with a real Tico (Costa Rican) breakfast with Reina and Leo, then the tour at the Quaker Cheese Factory. After that, we met Wolf, Lucky, Kay and Eladio - that was amazing. It would be difficult to really express how it was, but we'll talk lots more about in posts to come. We finished off by seeing the sloth sanctuary.<br /><br />Friday we're horseback riding to the San Luis waterfall, Saturday we're having a guided hike in the Monteverde Cloud Forest, and then Sunday is ziplining and a butterfly garden - we have lots of excitement to come.<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3sUIga_KF8Y" allowfullscreen="" width="480" frameborder="0" height="390"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-30794485074919622452011-04-06T22:07:00.003-04:002011-04-06T22:25:16.350-04:00<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzzLE-NBCkr8kR6XJxQTXVOHjYO_BOOdVJGGLKOux9OSNOTTiAmgpg_4pqpWcPQ0lOcL2oSciK4lGCNpB4RxA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />We have arrived after a long day of travel. We are all very excited to finally be here. While traveling we saw some pretty amazing things. We got to see the sunset which was beautiful. Tomorrow we are having breakfast with the people who own the place. Then we are off to the cheese factory . But this is the best part of the day we get to meet Wolf, Kay, Lucky and Eladio. We are looking forward to the amazing adventures we have ahead. Well since we are all absolutely exhausted we are going to bed. Goodnight!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-8234413091471749132011-04-01T09:54:00.020-04:002011-04-01T16:47:26.687-04:00Celebration Dinner<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZ0hbl4ZFnth5uZdOvYR9r7CO5B9MyQWwbKENUSPSggEbDfvdYf7Mw-6qU6u03InklUimFD2By-y6Lqb7pxQdp4D50Ltw2sa96TokHeLEkWjYpSOAX0jj2Wq4SYYxcaJzJV6cb3Id7mY/s1600/P1190880.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzZ0hbl4ZFnth5uZdOvYR9r7CO5B9MyQWwbKENUSPSggEbDfvdYf7Mw-6qU6u03InklUimFD2By-y6Lqb7pxQdp4D50Ltw2sa96TokHeLEkWjYpSOAX0jj2Wq4SYYxcaJzJV6cb3Id7mY/s200/P1190880.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590626131045080514" border="0" /></a>Last night we had our celebration dinner, hosting family members, friends and wonderfully supportive community members from Portsmouth and beyond. Jessica and the students did a fantastic job preparing all of the food, including 3 types of Gallo Pinto, an Avocado and Mango Salsa, Hearts of Palm Salad, and assorted Tropical Fruit. Everyone raved <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3d0uGyyEloHNJOlrOcR82c6OQrnqKqGGs_pyGJRsy837fNBDQ1BoaxIr2lo2iIKx8fReOj9LakhbTbDB6dz-imW6TCqDTAc6IEv6sMHa4WuFC2qoyKojmJxO3wnTQe87zjzv25I59ow/s1600/P1190868.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF3d0uGyyEloHNJOlrOcR82c6OQrnqKqGGs_pyGJRsy837fNBDQ1BoaxIr2lo2iIKx8fReOj9LakhbTbDB6dz-imW6TCqDTAc6IEv6sMHa4WuFC2qoyKojmJxO3wnTQe87zjzv25I59ow/s200/P1190868.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590625554563191778" border="0" /></a>about the food and we will be sharing the recipes soon. The night was all about celebrating the students' hard work and achievements, and especially showing our appreciation for all those that have supported us along the way.<br /><br /><br />The students specifically recognized:<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20091125-NEWS-911250370">Dr. Lister</a>, the namesake of our school, for his devotion and support of the idea of educating <span style="font-weight: bold;">all </span>students<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOnER16BdNytjhXFtez3uKt2rQ9-r7E-jM9Mct4wWttyL4DeOap-xKoral_h_FJqKhSCu6rguJlkm8mOz9ar9VQjKDDhMR84_X5_JQ9Ps70XUFFlmtteC-nhpk04n0sUf-TMD8D-Dwh0U/s1600/Student+Speech.bmp"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOnER16BdNytjhXFtez3uKt2rQ9-r7E-jM9Mct4wWttyL4DeOap-xKoral_h_FJqKhSCu6rguJlkm8mOz9ar9VQjKDDhMR84_X5_JQ9Ps70XUFFlmtteC-nhpk04n0sUf-TMD8D-Dwh0U/s200/Student+Speech.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590630831119001186" border="0" /></a></li></ul><ul><li><a href="http://www.scarponeassociates.com/">Kristi Scarpone</a> for her superior fund-raising talents and guidance</li><li>Amy Smith for her grant writing and enthusiasm</li><li><a href="http://aleurosolutions.com/wordpress/who-we-are/kelley-sue-leblanc/">Kelley-Sue Leblanc</a> for donating her invaluable time to help us with all-things-online</li><li>Martha Fuller Clark for an incredibly generous donation that is covering the airfare for the entire group</li><li><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lister-Academy-Costa-Rica-Class/124033450983550">Carmela Mascio</a> for her help in every fundraiser and support in between</li><li><a href="http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/category/index.jsp?categoryId=2367824&ab=TopNav_Outdoors">Dick's Sporting Good</a> and Timberland for helping to outfit us</li><li>Jennifer Feals, of the Portsmouth Herald and Seacoast Online, for sharing our story with the larger community<br /></li><li><a href="http://www.stonyfield.com/">Stonyfield Farm</a> for a grant that covered all of our transportation costs while in Costa Rica</li><li><a href="http://www.nhcf.org/">New Hampshire Charitable Foundation</a> for a grant that is covering many of our adventure tours including a day of white water rafting and tree planting</li><li>Joe Arnstein for providing us a place to dump all of the leaves that we raked as a fundraiser</li><li>Vicky Avery, from the <a href="http://www.strathamfair.com/">Stratham Fair</a>, for helping to arrange for us to have a fundraising booth last summer</li><li>The Middle Street Shell Station in Portsmouth for hosting our car wash<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp5i8l0Ojp8q_i6pgaFNyzydSrdwKqNuBOpf6zK3Yr3yfjX-rZTdHsDbSXn1o2_yNGUb3ngz05ThuDBJ4sd9iimpCCNjU1s4G52IODoKSctOfGk8SZGaz-k5-0FGzX36q-vomRv6XXH8o/s1600/Hugs.bmp"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp5i8l0Ojp8q_i6pgaFNyzydSrdwKqNuBOpf6zK3Yr3yfjX-rZTdHsDbSXn1o2_yNGUb3ngz05ThuDBJ4sd9iimpCCNjU1s4G52IODoKSctOfGk8SZGaz-k5-0FGzX36q-vomRv6XXH8o/s200/Hugs.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590630904159983826" border="0" /></a></li><li>The entire staff and student body at the Robert J Lister Academy, but in particular Ellen Gagnon, Ilysse Sirmaian, and Nancy Roy.</li><li>The students were also very gracious in thanking Jessica and me for our efforts and the relationship that we have developed - I can say that this was an especially emotional moment for us.</li></ul><br />As I am now continuing the final preparations for the trip, last night's festivities keep me more inspired than ever. We are now only 5 days away from our departure and are all home today because of an April Fool's Day snow storm - the tropical climate of Costa Rica seems all the more appealing.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-44728346206001948062011-01-17T16:36:00.010-05:002011-01-17T17:37:29.190-05:00We're So Excited!In full disclosure, I do have the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQqwG_rQx7A">Pointer Sisters' song</a> echoing in my mind as I write this post. I am so excited, and we all have lots to be excited about. The students at the Lister Academy continue to work incredibly hard and we have taken several big steps closer to our goal. Almost all of the students have received their passports - something that few had even considered getting otherwise. We have also purchased our airline tickets - leaving early in the morning on Wednesday, April 6th and returning even earlier in the morning on Sunday, April 17th. Additionally, we have arranged for our accommodations while in <a href="http://www.monteverdeinfo.com/">Monteverde </a>- see my earlier post on <a href="http://www.vallecampanas.com/">Cabanas Valle Campanas</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrl6Ha9xT5o2VMPfJGpMpcj3sE7vuvLee3r4zPhd09v7Q0KChwaozzFWUU3iohRvRDf6mZMDrLQe0gZRt6FFC0ndgGzHPSzn78d5UWdL-PI57jStKNINnb7qtuaHjUCSIS0d1GKH7ziw/s1600/papa+gino+flyer.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 318px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrl6Ha9xT5o2VMPfJGpMpcj3sE7vuvLee3r4zPhd09v7Q0KChwaozzFWUU3iohRvRDf6mZMDrLQe0gZRt6FFC0ndgGzHPSzn78d5UWdL-PI57jStKNINnb7qtuaHjUCSIS0d1GKH7ziw/s400/papa+gino+flyer.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563286410979960354" border="0" /></a>The students have finished reading <a href="http://walkingwithwolf.wordpress.com/">Walking With Wolf</a>, and are starting to decide on their research projects that will dominate the spring semester and dictate our itinerary while in Costa Rica. We were also thrilled to be featured in the Portsmouth Herald this past Friday, with a great <a href="http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20110114-NEWS-101140401">article </a>by Jennifer Feals. In the article, we share our current status and plans for finishing our fundraising. We have a fundraiser at Papa Ginos in Portsmouth this coming Thursday night - just print out the flyer pictured here if you can come and support us. We'll also be doing a Costa Rica dinner mid-February - details to come.<br /><br /><br />I hope that you have been checking out the student blogs, and may consider a donation at our <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/listeracademycostaricaclass/donate">website</a>, to help the students cross that finish line.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-40298579571720925142011-01-10T17:02:00.008-05:002011-01-17T18:11:57.982-05:00Cabanas Valle CampanasWhere you stay while traveling can be an important part of the experience, and this was my dilemma - until now. Originally, I had priced out <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hostel">hostels</a>, figuring that it was the most economical <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge9JAcRMgLbqgZobdS14PfQs3uCQDNHqFSZ-ziARtj_em33-H8LBDeWxSu85c0F2vId3A06ZJZdAkLSFh5qDrMQzeQdpLAqvlyHhW5b2qf_-0I18d6UPTb7I3_z_9NQEjBYwI7DQSoqp8/s1600/cabin.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge9JAcRMgLbqgZobdS14PfQs3uCQDNHqFSZ-ziARtj_em33-H8LBDeWxSu85c0F2vId3A06ZJZdAkLSFh5qDrMQzeQdpLAqvlyHhW5b2qf_-0I18d6UPTb7I3_z_9NQEjBYwI7DQSoqp8/s400/cabin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563289318455420674" border="0" /></a>way to go. There is certainly nothing wrong with a hostel - in addition to being the right price, it can have a very cool vibe with its common areas and communal living. I visited several very nice hostels that were family run and very safe right in <a href="http://www.govisitcostarica.com/region/city.asp?cID=68">Santa Elena</a>, just outside Monteverde.<br /><br />I was satisfied with those accommodations, but throughout our planning I continued to be nagged by the idea that there was a better solution. While a hostel is an interesting experience, it's a travel experience rather than an indigenous cultural experience - which would be a better fit with our class. When my wife and I went back to <a href="http://www.monteverdeinfo.com/">Monteverde </a>last year, we stayed at a wonderful family farm that had added a few cabins on their property - <a href="http://www.vallecampanas.com/">Cabanas Valle Campanas</a>. The cabins range from 3-person to 10-person, and each have running hot water and a full kitchen. It was paradise! Rather than being surrounded by the bustle of a hotel or town, we went to sleep with a private view of a splendid sunset and awoke to the birds just our door. We had breakfast a couple of the mornings with the family, in their home. (If you'd like to see some video of the cabins, they are in our feature video on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/ListerCostaRicaClass?feature=mhum">the class YouTube Channel</a>)<br /><br />After speaking with the owner, Reina Cruz Brenes, we all decided that this would be an ideal solution. During our previous stay, I had spoken with Reina about my hopes of "someday" bringing students to Monteverde, and she had commented on my passion and dedication to them. As I started to fill her in, now, on the details of our class, she surprisingly shared that she knows Wolf - the main character of our book, <a href="http://walkingwithwolf.wordpress.com/">Walking With Wolf</a>. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgQElcVGgeV806aNi6NrH4gJ-H-3kCUMJJmWi2iC2iamz-VoXf9OO87NXrIQNZz7eoB4eTzLwzRiWK2W2FWN8fe4D6C3DqBS84HrjBx4GBsfdfT-9Z89eOUA0e8nbsBfddcq6E5Zwqac/s1600/frank-wolf-eladio.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitgQElcVGgeV806aNi6NrH4gJ-H-3kCUMJJmWi2iC2iamz-VoXf9OO87NXrIQNZz7eoB4eTzLwzRiWK2W2FWN8fe4D6C3DqBS84HrjBx4GBsfdfT-9Z89eOUA0e8nbsBfddcq6E5Zwqac/s200/frank-wolf-eladio.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5563293715419341474" border="0" /></a>Now, I gather that many people in Monteverde "know" Wolf, but Reina explained that her uncle, Eladio, worked with Wolf - and it hit me that Eladio Cruz has a central presence in Wolf's stories (the picture to the right is from the author's blog, and has Wolf in the middle and Eladio to the right) . I can think of no better way to have the students immersed in what they have been learning, and am incredibly excited about this fateful discovery.<br /><br />Please take some time to check out the student blogs, and if inspired to do so, head to our <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/listeracademycostaricaclass/donate">website </a>to see ways to support their work.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-70266511177456908542010-12-11T16:15:00.001-05:002010-12-19T17:09:35.637-05:00Learning While RakingWhen our class decided to start raking lawns as part of our fundraising efforts, I never would have imagined how successful and powerful the experience was going to be. First and foremost, I want to thank all of the people that made this possible - the community members that hired us, the staff at the school that continuously stepped up to cover for those of us that were out raking, and all of the students left behind at the school that dealt with the inevitable disruptions.<br /><br />As a class, we basically stepped away from our book, <a href="http://walkingwithwolf.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Walking With Wolf</span></a>, during the month of November - but the learning certainly did not stop. Most people that aren't involved in manual labor generally don't realize the amount of thinking involved. Thought is what makes the difference between a job getting done, and it getting done well. I've seen it clearly in the past while watching my father-in-law run an excavator, and I was able to see it develop as some of the students started approaching the raking jobs with deliberation and strategic thought. As they started giving directions in order to more efficiently complete the task, I knew that a lesson had been learned that would have been rare to find in the classroom.<br /><br /><iframe width="425" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rin9T57n8oY?fs=1" frameborder="0"></iframe><br /><br />Beyond logical problem solving, all of the students grew in their own important ways. Some started taking more responsibility for their decisions - both in and outside of the school day. Others showed greater tolerance for unpleasant conditions and strenuous hours. We sometimes worked for up to 10 hours, all exhausted, but fewer and fewer complaints as time went on. All of the students demonstrated times of great fortitude and perseverance. Especially having recently read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Surprising-Truth-About-Motivates/dp/1594488843"><span style="font-style: italic;">Drive</span></a>, by <a href="http://www.danpink.com/">Daniel Pink</a> and a variety of essays by <a href="http://www.alfiekohn.org/index.php">Alfie Kohn</a>, I am confident in the importance of this kind of growth. This ability to step up and push through is incredibly valuable, and a far more powerful indicator of future success than much of what is done in the classroom. Additionally, the students are able to articulate what made the difference - them and their effort. This, in and of itself, is an incredibly important idea to hold and I would highly suggest that any educators or interested readers take a look at Carol Dweck's book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Success-Carol-Dweck/dp/0345472322/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1292795362&sr=1-1"><span style="font-style: italic;">Mindset: The New Psychology of Success</span></a>, to learn more about why. Only those that know that they have the power to change, actually do - and my students are gaining that needed power.<br /><br />I am very proud of the students in this class, but more importantly, I know that they are proud of themselves. We're all getting more and more excited about our upcoming trip and know that we still have more fundraising to do. If you are interested in helping them out, please check out our <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/listeracademycostaricaclass/">website </a>for ways to support their efforts. <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br /><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-54309881143091846702010-11-07T16:46:00.004-05:002010-11-07T18:27:34.142-05:00YouTubeWe now have a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/ListerCostaRicaClass?feature=mhum">YouTube Channel</a> so that we can better utilize video in our work. The first video I have included is an adaptation of the video that I used to introduce the new class to the students at Lister Academy last Spring. I made a few minor alterations and updates, but for the most part, this is the video that excited the students who chose to commit to a year of hard work and amazing learning. We're reading <a href="http://walkingwithwolf.wordpress.com/">Walking With Wolf</a>, each student has their own blog, and we're fundraising our way to Monteverde, Costa Rica. This is exciting!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QaJgrgRdBwc?hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QaJgrgRdBwc?hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />If you would like to help support these students, please check out our <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/listeracademycostaricaclass/">website </a>to see how. Thanks.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-9512810480501108912010-11-07T15:41:00.004-05:002010-11-09T17:22:18.820-05:00Power and ControlI am trying to utilize more technology so that the students have a variety of options for capturing their ideas. Up until this point, I have been suggesting that they take notes while reading the book, <a href="http://walkingwithwolf.wordpress.com/">Walking with Wolf</a> - similar to how I was taught and how I teach at the college - but I would like to hand them more options. I have created a <a href="https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?service=grandcentral&passive=1209600&continue=https://www.google.com/voice&followup=https://www.google.com/voice&ltmpl=open">Google Voice</a> account so that they can possibly leave digital voice recordings of their thoughts as they read. I have tried it out here as a model. I'd love to know what people think.<br /><br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="https://clients4.google.com/voice/embed/embedPlayer" width="100%" height="64"><param name="movie" value="https://clients4.google.com/voice/embed/embedPlayer" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="FlashVars" value="u=14656615333497450039&k=AHwOX_AbTJuQt1-rG0PPTLXMxZmnSpppaPkM8K8V9H_lqoBX1RoInxzREPHDRCiuhNoMcHARVMDbaZj8hG984gW41gl3h5-0MgXoUYv-gCiSitj4Mf5cGecdf3JpqZdIQeFSXt2p8b9G0K_NtZIVAB7-iVNyx4xgyObE20Kun20P7aQADwRpkdA&baseurl=https://clients4.google.com/voice&autoPlay=false&cap=Power%20and%20Control" /></object><br /><br />Too often, teachers resist adoption of technology - and I'm guilty sometimes. I am hoping that use of multiple technologies can empower my students and shift more power and control to them - where it belongs. This feels more in line with our class, as we prepare for our learning about Monteverde, Costa Rica.<br /><br />If you would like to help support these students, please check out our <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/listeracademycostaricaclass/">website </a>to see how. Thanks.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-19644843522002545082010-10-16T17:29:00.007-04:002010-10-29T07:03:08.901-04:00Chilean Miners - a lesson in bondingI first referenced the <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/10/13/chile.miners.timeline/index.html">Chilean mining disaster</a> to my Costa Rica class in early September - at that point we knew they were alive, but weren't expecting a rescue to happen until Christmas. It was a Monday and we were sharing the connections that came to mind while reading the latest chapter in <a href="http://walkingwithwolf.wordpress.com/">Walking With Wolf</a>. We had just read about their early settlement of Monteverde, Costa Rica and how they developed rudimentary hydro-electric power and dug their own wells for water. It seemed to me that if Wolf could hand-dig a well that would work for years, then, with all of our technological advancements over the last 60 years, we should certainly be able to dig out these miners in less than 4 months.<br /><br />It turns out that the rescuers did their job in half of the expected time and all of Chili and the world has recently rejoiced as the last miner was lifted to the surface. When I think about this ordeal now, it is much more than a story of disaster, rescue, or even survival - it is a story of bonding. These men came together and jointly made decisions and commitments that kept everyone alive. Under stress it is very easy to just look out for "number 1", but this is an example of the good that comes from seeing the importance of the group.<br /><br />I am especially intrigued by <a href="http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/10/16/chilean-miners-consider-book-and-hollywood-deals-cautionary-t/">their agreement</a> that they would all split the monetary gain that any of the men received from his story. Only time will tell if this holds true, but the very fact that they agreed to it is meaningful. I have been similarly impressed as the students in this Costa Rica class have been fundraising for their trip to Monteverde. While we started out with each individual student focusing on their own efforts and goal, the language I am more commonly hearing now is how "we" are doing for "our" goal. This kind of change and growth is even more rewarding than the academics involved.<br /><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/BRYANM%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.png" alt="" /><br />If you would be interested in supporting these students, please check out <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/listeracademycostaricaclass/">our website</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lister-Academy-Costa-Rica-Class/124033450983550?ref=share">Facebook page</a> where you can get information about our Leaf Raking, our fundraiser at Texas Roadhouse, or online donations.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-79657640707852264972010-10-11T11:29:00.013-04:002010-10-11T12:12:13.244-04:00Let The Healing BeginKay Chornook, the author of <a href="http://walkingwithwolf.wordpress.com/">Walking With Wolf</a>, mentions several times how her experiences in <a href="http://www.monteverdeinfo.com/">Monteverde, Costa Rica</a> acted as a hospice for her. This happens, first, as she recovers from a difficult divorce, and then again after she has been treated for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hodgkin%27s_lymphoma">Hodgkin's Disease</a>. Part of my drive to create this class and bring my students to Monteverde is because I believe that it can have a similar healing effect for them - and it has already begun.<br /><br />I am seeing commitment and perseverance in the classroom that I have rarely seen before. These students, unaccustomed to completing homework or having adults expect them to do so, are keeping up with the reading and taking copious notes. They're asking questions and pursuing answers, at times when they may otherwise have stayed silent. They are spending hours researching information that is related to the text and connects it to their interests. They are taking feedback and making changes to pieces of writing that they have labored over - both hard pills to swallow for students that have histories of just wanting to be done.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRUN0-pZTIvPSOPhLwsph-OjZ43VGuhoxWmyxvNz0_kCwzdaeyLPu-p4a84xGV3sLcTyOvRQY9Pg7xX6G9RtsxAj5c0NNvdZjtTopTWR3w_zhHhqhXr3Mmw_mu_I1TPpNRpdJBGOJEos/s1600/Harlem+Wizards.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRUN0-pZTIvPSOPhLwsph-OjZ43VGuhoxWmyxvNz0_kCwzdaeyLPu-p4a84xGV3sLcTyOvRQY9Pg7xX6G9RtsxAj5c0NNvdZjtTopTWR3w_zhHhqhXr3Mmw_mu_I1TPpNRpdJBGOJEos/s200/Harlem+Wizards.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526821580644309618" border="0" /></a>These changes extend to the non-academic as well. We just had a fundraiser this past Thursday night - selling raffle tickets at the <a href="http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20101008-NEWS-10080417">Harlem Wizards</a> game at Portsmouth High School - and I can't speak highly enough of how well the students stepped up. While other members of our school had a dinner out before the game, my students didn't complain when they had to miss out and come to set-up early. They stretched their comfort zones as they sold tickets at our table and even ventured out into the crowd to sell more. When I saw two, otherwise self-conscious, students stand at half-court with <a href="http://www.marthafullerclark.com/">Senator Martha Fuller Clark</a> to draw the winning tickets, I knew that this was only the beginning of a powerful change for them all.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-6586471795833839762010-09-29T09:58:00.015-04:002010-10-03T18:43:46.181-04:00Developing CommunityAs I hear news reports about rebuilding <a href="http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/08/ap-impact-wasted-billions-rebuilding-iraq/">Iraq </a>and <a href="http://trade.gov/afghanistan/">Afghanistan </a>after the wars, and rebuilding <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/sep/20/earthquake-rubble-stymies-rebuilding-in-haiti/">Haiti </a>and <a href="http://www.rtno.org/">New Orleans</a> after natural disasters, I can't help but think about what I'm reading in <a href="http://walkingwithwolf.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Walking With Wolf</span></a> about how they built the community in Monteverde, Costa Rica. To be fair, there may be a difference between building and rebuilding, but it seems to me that the central questions are the same. Most everyone seems starts with <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">"what </span>does the community need?", and <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">"how </span>do we build that?", but perhaps it should be <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">"who </span>is the community?", and <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">"how </span>do they make these decisions?"<br /><br />Many times when "settlers" enter a new area the indigenous people see them as something else - "conquerors". This was not the case when Wolf and the other Quakers settled Monteverde, which speaks volumes of their vision of community. In chapter 4, a local <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tico">Tico </a> talks about the arrival of the Quakers, saying that, <blockquote>"For us, it was a great thing when the Quakers came because they brought new ideas. But it was more than that..." <br />"It was like a new dawning and it was wonderful. Those of us who stayed became great friends with the Quakers. With them, peace came to our mountain."</blockquote> The Quaker settlers were not only interested in creating a home for themselves - they saw themselves as becoming part of a community that included all those that lived there. Initially they created businesses that were centered on their needs and leadership, but they quickly incorporated the needs and voices of the larger community. This can specifically be shown in how they created a credit union to help the locals get loans, and then developed the <a href="http://www.monteverdeinfo.com/monteverde-cheese-factory/">Monteverde Cheese Factory</a> as a co-op that eventually included far more Ticos than Quakers.<br /><br />I find this all very inspiring and believe that a key part of its success is the Quaker belief in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consensus">consensus</a>. This is the practice of making decisions through unanimous agreement on the path forward, rather than being handed down from authority or even majority rule. It's an incredibly difficult and time consuming method, but has tremendous rewards. As I have been developing this Costa Rica Class, I have tended towards discussion and consensus-seeking when we have new problems and decisions to make. This has included grading criteria, structuring the class time, and fundraising. I have dictated very little, and the students have really stepped up to voice their opinions - and then own their decisions. I hope that you'll check out their blogs (links are on the right), and support their efforts.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-2409465830674869632010-09-26T16:53:00.005-04:002010-09-26T17:29:53.378-04:00Why bring students to Monteverde, Costa Rica?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotoptimizeforbrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotoptimizeforbrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";">When my wife and I first went to <a href="http://www.monteverdeinfo.com/">Monteverde </a>in the summer of 2009, we only spent a couple of days there as we toured different parts of Costa Rica, but that’s all it took to fall in love with the culture and the beauty of the surroundings.<span style=""> </span>When I showed the pictures and told the stories to friends, family and colleagues, I mentioned that I would like to bring students there – and they smiled and nodded politely.<br /><br /></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotoptimizeforbrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";">I hold an adamant belief that travel can be an invaluable, life-altering experience.<span style=""> </span>Families that have the means to travel often see it as a luxury, and take for granted the incredible learning that they and their children gain.<span style=""> </span>I work in an alternative high school – most of my students are from families that do not have anywhere near those kinds of means.<span style=""> </span>Their experiences have been, in large part, a struggle and the larger world is mostly an abstraction – including the potential wonder and hope that it can hold.<span style=""> </span>Monteverde epitomizes that kind of wonder and hope – blending the culture of indigenous inhabitants with that of the <a href="http://www.govisitcostarica.com/region/area.asp?AID=3">American Quaker settlers</a> that arrived in the 1950’s, and balancing a model of conservation with becoming an international eco-tourism destination.<span style=""> </span>The book, <a href="http://walkingwithwolf.wordpress.com/"><i>Walking With Wolf</i></a>, tells this story in a remarkable way.<span style=""> </span>When I went back to Monteverde during my next February vacation, I bought and devoured this book – changing my fanciful desire to my bring students there, into a passionate drive to do so.<br /><br /></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:donotoptimizeforbrowser/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";">When I returned from my second visit and spoke about my intentions to share this experience with my students, I no longer received simple smiles and nods – I was met with excitement, doubts of my sanity, and lots of questions:<br /></span><ul><li><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style=""></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">What will students learn?</span><span style=""> </span>They’ll learn everything from ecology to economics, history to agriculture, and community development to world affairs.<span style=""> </span>Most of all, they’ll learn what wonders the world can hold and what role they are capable of having in that world.<span style=""> </span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-weight: bold;">What will the class look like?</span><span style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span> </span>It is a yearlong, interdisciplinary class that will include a significant amount of experiential education. We'll spend the fall reading <span style="font-style: italic;">Walking With Wolf</span> and blogging about the learning adventures it sparks – I hope you keep checking back and follow the student blogs (links are on the right sidebar).<span style=""> </span>In the spring, students will pick an area of personal interest and create an individual research project that compares some aspect of our home to that of Monteverde.<span style=""> </span>Mid-spring, we’ll go to Monteverde for 10 days and students will determine the itinerary to meet the needs of their projects.<span style=""> When we get back, they'll be producing a culminating product to represent their learning. If all this sounds vague, that's because I'm not arbitrarily dictating the outcome - this is student-centered and student-driven.<br /></span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style=""><span style="font-weight: bold;">Am I crazy? </span> Well, certainly not because of this. It is a challenge to do international travel with any group of students and plenty of people wouldn't dare do it with students that have struggled - but aren't those the very students that we should be doing this kind of inspiring thing with?! The students that I have in this class have made a commitment to working hard and they deserve a chance to prove themselves. They are turning their lives around and if I can be a part of that then I'll do whatever it takes - crazy or not.</span></span></li><li><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-weight: bold;">How will we pay for it?</span><span style=""> </span>Hopefully, with your help.<span style=""> </span>The students have already been working hard (even during the summer before the class started) and we’ll be including future fundraising information here, but we’d also really appreciate a check for any amount you can offer – we have to raise $15,000 by January.<span style=""> </span>Checks can be made out to “Lister Academy – Costa Rica Class”, and mailed to: Robert J. Lister Academy, Attn: Bryan Mascio, 35 Sherburne Road, Portsmouth, NH 03801.</span></li></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-68754936595637740912010-09-19T16:45:00.013-04:002010-09-26T16:47:45.968-04:00Walking With Wolf - Chapter 3Making connections is what I love about teaching, what I do in everyday life, and why I decided to use <span style="font-style: italic;">Walking With Wolf </span>for this class. When I read about history, I think about the world today. When I read about a foreign culture, I think about personal relationships. These things aren't that far apart, and that was what I was thinking about while reading this chapter.<br /><br />More of the modern <a href="http://www.geographia.com/costa-rica/history.htm">history of Costa Rica</a> is revealed in this chapter, explaining how it developed following it's revolution in 1948. As a country renews itself, there are a lot of choices to make and each of them could hugely alter the future trajectory of its people (this is just as true during transitional times for individuals). Costa Rica is located in a part of the world that is notoriously unstable - yet it has been quite stable for more than a half-century. Is that because of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_of_Costa_Rica">decision to have no military</a>? When my wife and I were traveling there, tour guides said that the money which would have gone towards an army was spent on hospitals and schools - and now virtually every town, no matter how small, has adequate services. This has to impact the stability of a country. The lack of a military is certainly a major factor in why Wolf and the other American Quakers decided to go there - how many others chose to go or stay there because of that, and helped make the country what it is today?<br /><br />On page 27, Wolf is recounting the little he knew about Costa Rica before he went there. A main feature is that the revolutionary hero <a href="http://alum.mit.edu/pages/sliceofmit/2010/08/16/mit-in-costa-rica/">Pepe Figueres</a> "...invited people from developed countries to come and invest in Costa Rica." On the face of it, this seems like a natural thing to do during a time of transition - to bring in people that can help - but I believe that this kind of openness and tolerance was a courageous act. This act resisted two major tendencies that people follow, especially during times of difficulty and uncertainty: people tend to want to project power and confidence, and people tend to shift into an "us" and "them" mentality. It is rare to see a modern leader have the courage to admit that they need the help of outsiders. It is far more common for a leader to vilify outsiders or "them" so that people will come together and bond over a common fear. <a href="http://www.michigandaily.com/content/challenging-our-notion-democracy">This kind of mentality can be seen throughout the world</a>, or even here at home - but Costa Rica took a different path and opened themselves up. Monteverde is still largely influenced by the Americans that settled there and their children, as well as people from all over the world that come to appreciate what has been created.<br /><br />This kind of openness made for a perfect home for Wolf and the rest of the Quakers. I was particularly moved by the group dynamics during the difficulty of finding the best location to settle. It had taken a long time and each new site turned out to have a major flaw, so the group considered splitting up to cover more ground. On page 31 we learn that they decided to stay together because, "...the more financially able members of the group remained committed to helping the younger members. Of equal importance was the group's belief that staying together for worship and schooling was essential to their future as a community." This value of the community and putting <a href="http://hondurasweekly.com/youth/2929-in-service-of-the-greater-good">a greater good</a> before your personal comfort, seems so rare now but it is precisely what we try to instill at our school. In a society that can appear so "me" centered, it can feel like an impossible task to teach people to be kind and giving - but I've already seen it from the students at our school and in this class. It was such a vital quality for Wolf and his community, and I think it will be of equal importance for us to be successful.<br /><br />One of the things I love the most about Kay Chornook's writing style is how she weaves her story with that of the main character, Wolf Guindon, and that of the broader topic - be it the country of Costa Rica or the development of Quakerism. This is a writing technique that I remember first coming across in another one of my favorite books - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Into-Wild-Jon-Krakauer/dp/0385486804"><span style="font-style: italic;">Into The Wild</span>, by Jon Krakauer</a>. On its surface, blending all of this information together could seem confusing, and I suspect that some readers find it such, but I love how it shines a bright light on the connections that exist all around us. Kay and Wolf are of different generations from different countries and different family traditions, but their stories are connected - and not just because of their time spent together or their love of Costa Rica. Their stories are connected in the spirit of their lives and in the message that they can tell us - and through this book, it's now connected to our story. When we travel to Costa Rica this spring, we will then be connected to all of that broader history that both shaped their decisions and was shaped by their actions.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-76763098931313739622010-09-12T11:09:00.005-04:002010-09-12T13:50:13.136-04:00Chapter 2Having already read the book once, it is hard for me to remember what information was delivered in a single chapter and what was an accumulation over the course of the entire book. This difficulty is exacerbated by the fact that I read the book in only three days last February (an unusually fast reading for an otherwise slow reader). The reason that I mention this is because I was particularly struck by the incredible amount of information that Kay Chornook packs into very few pages - and she does it in a way that I find engaging rather than overwhelming.<br /><br />In chapter 2, we get a great overview of what it is to be Quaker - including a brief historical context, an overview of their beliefs and practices, and a glimpse at the pedagogy of Quaker schools. When I returned home from Monteverde last February, I told my brother a bit about this book and was surprised to hear of his familiarity with Quakers. Corey has spent much of the last decade working as an activist for a variety of causes, and cited the Quakers as a major supporter of peace rallies. That conversation helped me understand that the impression I was getting of Quakers in the past, is not just in the past.<br /><br />The other area of information that struck me was all of the historical references. This may be overwhelming for the students - in large part because of how much of it will be unfamiliar. I believe that it was while first reading this chapter that I became confident that the book could be used as the basis of an interdisciplinary course. So often, people see history as theoretical and distant, but this shows how it is alive and relevant. The world events that Wolf and his friends were following in their early adulthood changed the way that they saw the world, which then influenced the decisions that they made. They went off and helped settle Monteverde (which the book hasn't quite gotten to yet), which has become a major ecotourism destination. When we go there, we should appreciate the fact that it didn't happen randomly or spontaneously - it was a result of ethical and courageous people in the past taking control of their lives and destinies, and thus altering the present world for all of us. Any one of these historical events would make a great research topic. <br /><br />Speaking of taking control, there were several other passages that relate directly to locus of control. This is an area of particular interest to me, and I consider it to be the centerpiece of the work I do at the Lister Academy and at Great Bay Community College. <a href="http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCDV_90.htm">Locus of Control</a> is whether you see life as in your control or or not. It's whether you see yourself as a victim or creator, whether you are a leaf in the wind or a bird flying in the air. I believe that taking control and having an internal locus of control is the central most important factor in becoming successful. On page 22, Wolf's Aunt Mary takes control of segregation in her home. Too often, people excuse historical wrong-doing because of what the societal norms were of the time - but not Aunt Mary. Her solution to a house guest that "...wouldn't feel comfortable sitting at the table with Negroes.", was to "...fix him a place at a table in the utility room." This is a woman that was a creator of her destiny - and so is Wolf.<br /><br />Wolf showed tremendous locus of control through the telling of all his hardships - he grew up with a mentally ill mother, was jailed for following his religious beliefs and resisting the draft, and then lost his father and needed to take over the family farm. Despite all of this, his voice is never that of a victim. He identifies that it was difficult, but never blames others for the difficulty. These events and others certainly have an influence on his life, but he is clearly always taking ownership for the course that he steers. I am constantly teaching about locus of control - perhaps Wolf's story will serve as a powerful guest speaker in these lessons.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-69136679547349721282010-09-03T15:31:00.009-04:002010-09-03T17:13:30.414-04:00Chapter 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6oGrMDkkWhzVMzmNz8icuUtAuuv0-Np_CQwE4idQKOVFFOn5ZtrmQQ3UvEgfAeJUdUz8Cu5RgtUl3AmlKbSxw2_NqCNrCv7rS2nhMnlhi0PyRMLY9x_mhBZIbKnFK0WH6lfa06muwk0/s1600/wolf_cover-big.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 135px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6oGrMDkkWhzVMzmNz8icuUtAuuv0-Np_CQwE4idQKOVFFOn5ZtrmQQ3UvEgfAeJUdUz8Cu5RgtUl3AmlKbSxw2_NqCNrCv7rS2nhMnlhi0PyRMLY9x_mhBZIbKnFK0WH6lfa06muwk0/s200/wolf_cover-big.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512791675525553474" border="0" /></a>While I have been blogging my travels all summer (<a href="http://www.bryansummertravels.blogspot.com/">BryanSummerTravels.blogspot.com</a>), and had posted here about the fundraising we have done, this is my first blog about the book, <a href="http://walkingwithwolf.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-style: italic;">Walking With Wolf</span></a> - the text that forms the foundation for our year-long class. The students are going to be reading a chapter each week and then using their own blogs to post responses and reflections as well as updates on the research that each chapter has inspired them to pursue that week. I have decided to blog along with them this semester, and have given a lot of thought to what my posts should look like.<br /><br />First and foremost, I hope that my posts can act as a model for theirs - especially right now in the beginning while they are learning the new technology and format. They're probably not sure what I'm looking for so I'll try to pick possible responses out of the chapter and record them here as potential examples. Recognizing that my background knowledge may be a bit broader and deeper than theirs, plus I have been to Costa Rica twice and I have already read the book once, creating a "model" for their posts is a bit more complicated. Of great importance is that I want to be authentic in my posts - the relationship I nurture with the students demands it. I am not going to pretend to be surprised by things that I am accustomed to, or question things that I already understand. The last thing I want to do is parody what a student post would look like.<br /><br />I re-read the first chapter today while waiting at the barber shop. I'm not a fast reader, but I do find this to be a quick read. I jotted down some notes so that I could have some structure to this post - this is what I have asked the students to do as well. The first thing that struck me as I opened the book up was how much I enjoy the opening quotes that begin each chapter. I've read other books that start chapters with famous or important quotes, and I like how it provided a framework for the reading of the chapter - but this is different. These quotes are from Wolf Guidon - the central character of the book. The author, Kay Chornook, provided Wolf with a tape recorder and turned 17 years of his story telling into this book. These beginning quotes certainly don't summarize the chapter, and I'd even question whether they represent the central idea of the chapter, but they do adjust my mind in such a way that it has a wonderful impact on how I read the chapter.<br /><br />As I continued reading, I was struck by all of the names of places. I'm a little familiar after having read the rest of the book - and I can even match a few up to what I saw when I was there - but I find myself flipping to the map inside of the front cover, pretty regularly. I've noticed the students doing the same thing, and even asking questions about it. I suspect we'll be including a similar map on our website - some of the students may even want it on their individual blogs. That might also help with some of the unfamiliar measurements that the book uses - kilometers, hectares, and even meters of elevation. In a society that doesn't use the metric system, it's difficult to really conceptualize these things - the book uses them a lot, so I may need to figure out an activity to help students connect with it. (On an aside, I couldn't help notice that the author uses the phrase, "... he has walked countless <span style="font-weight: bold;">miles</span>..." - it just struck me as odd since everything is in metric.)<br /><br />The students will be doing research each week on the ideas and topics that they find interesting in the chapter. This kind of give-and-take with a text is essential to making it real and I hope that it will inspire greater curiosity and inquiry. There were several terms and ideas in this chapter that I clearly remember wondering about when I read the book the first time - and I did look into many of them. The term "Quaker" was the first one - and it's a central one to the book. I didn't know anything about Quakers other than that picture on the oatmeal container. The book taught me quite a bit and I've done some additional research on Quakerism since. The more I learned about it, the better I understood my feelings for Monteverde. There were plenty of new plants and animals that I found fascinating, but the Bairds's tapir particularly stood out as a name that I wanted to know more about. I also remain interested in the Pink Impatiens mentioned on page 4. The author, Kay, explains that they came from Europe and are wide spread along the sides of the trails. Here, environmentalists call plants like these "invasive" and lament their existence, but Kay doesn't seem to assign any negative status. This is a topic that I find very interesting - in the environmental education courses that I've been involved in, I always asked when an "invader" becomes an accepted addition to an environment ("wild" horses in America?).<br /><br />My wife, Carmela, and I traveled this summer out west, and I found several passages in this chapter had new meaning for me because of those experiences. On page 4, Kay describes how amazed she is by the giant trees in the rain forest, and I immediately thought about the redwoods in northern California - it's hard to imagine the size and scope of these titans. On pages 4 and 5 Kay talks about the change in elevation as she's hiking in Monteverde, and the significant change that makes in temperature, sounds and sights. While we were traveling we ranged from approximately 10,000 feet elevation (Brian Head, Utah and Tualomne Meadow in Yosemite National Park) to 282 feet below sea level (Death Valley). As I wrote about on my blog, the difference was astounding.<br /><br />On page 3, Kay makes the comparison of her hike to the "convoluted" path that the settlers in Monteverde were on as they developed and conserved the area. I love the imagery and analogy of this paragraph and understand it quite well, having read the whole book. I wonder if it even registered with me the first time I read it - or whether the students will even notice it. This relation between the evolution of their community and the natural surroundings - both literally and figuratively - is why I am drawn to Monteverde and so dedicated to bringing my students there. This book is what made that visible to me, giving structure and clarity to what I had felt the moment I first visited. I am thrilled to be sharing it all with my students.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-83615953556844580152010-08-04T23:44:00.002-04:002010-08-04T23:48:15.495-04:00New BlogJust a reminder to the students in the Costa Rica class - you are expected to be following my blog this summer, as it is our practice with the technology and a way for us to stay connected. Please leave appropriate comments, as we are also sharing the blog with friends and family. As I have emailed you, the new address is <a href="http://bryansummertravels.blogspot.com">BryanSummerTravels.blogspot.com</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5164713646162652815.post-84271948152597492872010-07-25T11:06:00.001-04:002010-08-01T00:09:11.056-04:00Stratham FairThe students were fantastic at the Stratham Fair! From Thursday July 22nd through Sunday the 25th, our class had a fundraising booth at the Stratham Fair. Our booth sold jewelry, including design-your-own-earrings, and raffle tickets for 3 different raffles. It was a great success and all of the students went above and beyond - Josh and his mom made jewelry ahead of time; Dylan came the day before and helped set up; Mariah, Winston, Brittney and Kristine all learned how to make the earrings for people at the fair.<br /><br />In addition to the students, we relied heavily on staff and friends of the school. First, there were parents - Josh's mom, Lee, put in almost as many hours as the kids; Kristine's mom, Deanna, made fantastic throw pillows that we sold; Dylan's foster mom, Deb handmade earrings for us. The staff also really came through - Ellen and her daughter Kate, Gina, Jess, Jody and Christine were indispensable. It was a pleasure to see Nancy and Erika at the fair, and Erika is helping to coordinate the lobster raffle. A big thanks to the friends and family that came by to purchase raffle tickets and support our efforts. I also can't give enough thanks to my wife, Carmela, who put in countless hours beforehand helping me plan, plus worked the vast majority of the fair.<br /><br />This is one more step towards our fundraising goal.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1