Who We Are and What We Did

The Group

This adventure was part of my practicum as a teacher at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. I was working with a wonderful group of grade 8 students while under the mentorship of Adrienne Rigler. The class comprised of 32 students of great diversity. Six students were labeled as English Language Learners - two of which found english a significant challenge. Culturally the class was very diverse. We had at least 10 different nationalities represented in our students. The Evergreen Brickworks was a completely foreign place for all these students with the exception of one who visited on a school trip the year before. Everyone was physically able with the exception of one student that was a haemophilic which meant, prone to fatigue and injury.

The Experience

We began our day at the school just like every other school day. We rode the street car and subway to the Castle Frank station. Along the way I asked my class to observe their surroundings and try to read them by paying attention to each of their senses, and record their thoughts in a journal. We were met by the Evergreen Brickworks staff at Castle Frank and from there we walked through Rosedale and into Craighleigh Gardens, where the class stopped and was given some time to just simply wonder and explore. After, we gathered in a circle under a beautiful old Maple tree and learned the names - including Nature names - of our leaders. From the park we hiked down to the Brickworks along a semi-rugged trail. Everyone was encouraged to explore and ask questions. We saw signs of all sorts of critters including burrows and bird carcass hanging in a tree! Once in the revine we followed the Milkman's Path and the Beltline Trail to the Brickworks. As we walked along the side fo the road students got to notice how vines were growing up onto the hydro poles and were being cut-back every year. They got to see how intimate "nature" and humans interact on a regular basis. Once at the Brickworks we were allowed to play in the Chimney Courtyard for about a half an hour. This was fantastic! Every student was engaged and exploring on their own terms. We ate lunch together and then started our afternoon. 

First we hiked to the lookout and we talked a bit about the history of the Brickworks site. Along the way I showed my students how they could eat Sumach berries, and they passed on their new knowledge like wildfire! After our short history lesson we split into two groups. One group did a site tour of the Brickworks and explored the myriad innovations in urban design being used and displayed on site. This included rain water collection, solar panels, green roofs, edible walls, and beautiful art. The other group visited the greenhouse where students learned about composting and got to get their hands dirty playing with worms! They absolutely loved this, even the ones that were nervous at first.

The end of our day started with a debrief. We all stood in a circle and said one word that best described their experience out loud. It was amazing! Of the the 32 students only 1 person said something negative. And most comments weren't just good, they were incredibly heart warming and inspiring. We took a shuttle bus up to Broadview station and transited back to school. 

All along this trip students were journaling either on their own or when I asked them to. Each time they journaled they were supposed to be asking themselves what they saw, heard, smelled, felt and tasted, and describe how they felt about each of those sensations. 

The next day at school everyone was asked to review their journals and try to extract the elements of our trip that made them feel the best. Then they created a vision of what their perfect community might be like by drawing it, creating brochure about it, or creating a Prezi. Their vision was meant to be inspired by the elements they identified from their journals.