The 2nd Quarter Begins - Grad School Update #4

by Mary Kiesau, Methow Conservancy Educational Programs Director

As many of you know, I started a Masters of Education in Environmental Education degree program at Huxley College at Western Washington University last fall.  The second 10-week quarter (and the last one I have to spend on campus) started Jan 6, so I'm well into the thick of things now.  (Scroll down the blog for three posts from the first quarter.).  

I'm in Bellingham 3-4 days a week, and am, oddly, getting significantly more sun over there than folks in the Methow.  Spring seems nearly ready to sprout in B'ham with cottonwood buds already sticky and sweet-smelling, and 2" long alder catkins hanging from trees.  I wouldn't be surprised if crocuses started blooming any day.  Coming back to my snow and ice covered yard every week is both very weird and welcomed because despite enjoying walking to campus without a coat, I miss winter when I'm over there.  

This program is set-up relatively well for working professionals in that I only have to do two 10-week quarters on campus, then the rest of the program is independent, including the Masters project, and I'll complete that work in the Methow and in-conjunction, as much as possible at least, with the Methow Conservancy.

Though the fall quarter felt fairly demanding time-wise, this winter quarter felt more intense right off the bat.  The professors must have been easing us into things in the fall!  I have the same number of classes as last quarter - three - but I'm also a "teaching assistant" (TA) for the unique environmental education "spring block" that about 20 undergrads do.  So, technically I'm taking 15 graduate credits this quarter, versus last quarter's 11, so maybe that's why I feel like I have much more to do.  Spending about 11 hours in a car commuting every week certainly cuts into my time as well, but at least I'm getting some great books listened to!  (Recommendations are always appreciated!)

My classes this quarter are:
Assessment, Evaluation and Research in Environmental Education
This course combines a major evaluation planning project with lecture, discussion, activities, and smaller assignments to teach concepts and skills emphasizing program evaluation in environmental education.  The evaluation planning project I've chosen to do is an assessment of the Conservancy's education programs with an eye towards what changes or enhances, if any, may be warranted based on community feedback.  This class is very reading and project heavy, and I'm glad to be apply to directly apply the learning and the project work to the Methow Conservancy. 

Curriculum in Environmental Education
This course examines all aspects of curriculum for environmental education, especially
in the non-formal setting of environmental learning centers, nature centers and outdoor schools.  This class interacts with the undergrad EE curriculum class by teaching the class, observing and evaluating undergrad students, and mentoring them.  We also do our own work of learning curriculum theories and designs, which we'll use to design our own individual curriculum outlines.  We'll have to teach one lesson from our curriculum to our classmates.  I'm thrilled that this class, like the one above, allows me to easily apply the learning and the curriculum project to my work. 

The American Literature of Nature and Place
This class is an upper level undergraduate course that I'm taking as an elective.  I'm one of two grad students in the class with about 25 20-year-olds.  That alone is fascinating!  The reading and writing in this class is right up my alley, but it is a lot of work.  I probably spend more time on this class, the undergrad class, than the either of the other two classes.  In this class, we primarily (1) read, discuss and write about the work of American non-fiction writers of nature and sense of place, and (2) practice descriptive and expository nature writing, critical reading and research.  I alone will also be teaching one class (about which I'm terrified).  I'm going to teach on “Future Directions in Nature Writing and Emerging Voices.”  If you have any ideas for my class (format, readings, activities...), I'm all ears!  We are required to read:
* Winter Creek by John Daniel
* The Meadow by James Galvin
* Refuge by Terry Tempest  Williams
* Riverwalking by Kathleen Moore
* and then one other book from a list, from which I choose The Immense Journey by Loren Eiseley  

I'm still managing to keep up with Methow Conservancy work, though you aren't seeing me at First Tuesdays or in the office much.  You can find me there some Thursdays and most Fridays, and I'll be back to a fairly normal office routine by mid-March.  Time flies!