09-05—-12-05-2016

Tangen College Outdoor week

This trip (maybe more like instructor work and practice) was different from all we “outdoors” had before. This time we had to prepare activities and execute them with Tangen College students from Kristiansand. On this trip all the time we, outdoor education students, were in charge and organizing everything: activities, time, place, groups and our professor Len just was watching us and sometimes gave some advices.

Before this trip our outdoor education group gathered at University and decided which activities, games and who of us should prepare and do it. We all agreed to do 9 activities- fire making, orientation, chicken game, “floor is the lava”, blindfolded trust game, shelter making, abseiling, paddling, make stretcher of rope. Also we split in to 2 person groups to execute those activities- I and Mike got to prepare and instruct student’s with abseiling. But later we agreed with that after every day we outdoors will change with activities with each other, to check out our situational adaptation and spread activity area, kill boredom of 3 days doing the same.

Tangen College outdoors week plan was like this: Monday at 11.30 h. we had to arrive at Donevann, settle there and prepare activities at Roligheda area. Than every day, from Monday to Wednesday at 17.00-18.00 h. we had to meet arrived students and from 18.00-20.00 h. provide them our activities. Then every day from Tuesday to Thursday, we had to provide activities to groups in the morning from 8.30 to 12.00 h. and 12.30 h. say good bye and see off them. The last day after last group departed we had to collect all our equipment and leave the place.

In these four days (from Monday to Thursday) at Roligheda arrived and departed 3 groups, in which were about 30-40 people (students) age 17-19, and always our main leader and student’s mentor Page separated them in to 7-8 groups (4-6 people)and before activities She always were presenting us and the plan for 2 days. We also were evaluating student groups in activities. We were checking their activity style and technique, how good and proper they doing this and also team work and cohesion. Before every departure of student groups, we were calculating points of all activities and groups, and after this Page was presenting third, second and first place’s and gave them some prizes. Students stayed and slept in wooden shelters, we slept in our self made shelters or just under the sky in sleeping bags (like Me).

So first day on Monday we (outdoors) firstly gathered at Spicheren, there collected equipment that we needed ( Me and Mike for Abseiling took 4- 50 meters climbing ropes, 4 helmets, 7-8 karabinas, 2 slings, 4 belaying plates, 4 harnesses). After that we moved with cars toward Donevann. When we arrived at Roligheda, Len walked through us around the area and showed the places where we can do our activities. After that we split off in to our 2 man groups and went to prepare our activities. Mike and I our activity prepared on 6-7 meters height rock. One climbing rope and sling we tie up around the tree and students were using it by itself, controlling their speed and pace when they were abseiling, second rope Me and Mike tie up on second tree and we  used it like a safety rope for students, but this one we were controlling and belaying. With the same second climbing rope we made safety anchor for ourselves too. Third rope we used like a line, which prevented people standing near the edge, and showed the way up, also students near the beginning of the rock could grab this rope and more easily climb up on it. Len of course were watching us and gave some advices how to improve our preparation, He gave us “hand” and some tips ( about knot made of sling for emergency situations, knots, line preventing from the edge, safety anchors), because this activity was more dangerous than most of it.

After preparation we outdoors just were killing time until firs student group showed up. When they arrived, Page separated them in to 7 groups and gave them in to our activity executor hands. This evening Me and Mike had 3 groups. To every group firstly we introduced ourselves, then explained activity which they had to do. Down man explained about equipment (harnesses, helmets, ropes, belaying plates), explained all safety things ( harnesses should hang around the waste really tight, not cross safety line before they have safety rope on them, who have long hairs they should place them on the back, because it might can get in to belaying plate and rip off). Also before they were abseiling belaying member demonstrated how to do that with explanations (both hands below belaying plate, try to lay back because then it is more stable to go down, choose the pace by themselves and everything more what was in our heads at that time…). We decided that at first 3 person should go with belaying member up, and rest of them wait down with second instructor and wait until students on top get down and give their equipment to those who were waiting. Up on the rock belaying member explained about safety rope, about knots which were we using, how to put them on harnesses, how to put rope in to karabina witch students control by themselves. Also both of us ( Me and Mike) all the time were giving tips and advices, talk with students, using humor most of the time what students really liked, we were trying to encourage scared ones. More we told them do stupid things like throw cone’s or little branches at each other while they landing, or cheer their friends because then all of them even who were standing  down had some fun.

After all 3 groups done their activity we instructors evaluated groups, their technique, time, teamwork and gave some marks (1-10). Later in the evening all outdoors  had some dinner around the campfire (my food reserves for all four days breakfast, lunch and dinner were really very “simple” but nutritious: a lot of tuna cans and canned food, dry food, peanuts and some meat balls; it is not the most delicious and “luxurious food”, but we didn’t had to use a lot of energy so it was ok for me- good percentage of gains- carbs, protein, fats). Water we could drink from the lake. After dinner, Norwegian students involved us in their games so we had some fun activities that night too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Second day, after quite warm night under the stars, in the morning we outdoors after breakfasts had to execute their activities with 5 more groups. This morning Me and Mike changed with positions now I was belaying and he was standing down the rock. We did exactly the same like last day, maybe we were giving more tips and were trying talk with them much more and make fun environment more, because after yesterday we saw how first groups dealing with abseiling and now we could advice and put new things in our activity. After all student groups done their activities, all the people (outdoors and students) gathered at main campsite, while their were collecting their things and preparing leave the place, Page calculated the results ( activity evaluations) and announced the first 3 places and prizes. After that we outdoors gathered around the our campfire (we done this every day before students were leaving) in the circle with Len, had discuss about first students group, what was good, bad, did we need to change something or add, what can be improved for example: if group done their activity faster than time is given, don’t care them to the next activity station, because then it’s harder for the activity executers with 2 student groups. Doing this kind of discussion we were showing results and signs of group dynamics and group cohesion. Later when students were leaving campsite, one of them were injured so teachers ask some of us (Me, Max, Julian, Jonas) to care her and few more students with canoe to the road. We did that and after this we also had plenty of time until the next Student group arrives and because of this we went to the beach. Later before 1 and a half hour before Second student group arrival, we back with canoes to campsite and we had to prepare for activities again, because now we had to change activities with each other and ask what their were doing, tips how to execute and explain it. Me and Mike had to present now fire building task.

When second Student group arrived, Page presented us like last day, give some speech about what we (outdoors) and they (students) going to do, separated them in to groups and give to our hands again. Now Me and Mike with fire starting task, like with abseiling, firstly presented each other, than explained the task, what students had to do (find their own kindle, wood and other fuel for starting the fire, make fire and make some tea for us). Also, before they went to search for the wood and kindle, Me and Mike explained about best kindle to start fire around that area (dry grass, birch bark…), about wood ( that they have to find dry one, at beginning of the fire don’t put big logs on it, start with very small branches and then let escalate to fire with bigger and bigger branches). Also we said that they have to collect all kindle and wood before starting the fire, because kindle like dry grass fires up really very fast and burns too, so they have to have something to put in the fire. More over, we tell them how to use knife and flint for starting the fire, we even demonstrated it, explained how they can make kettle holders. Last thing what we always showed them was 4 styles or techniques how to make fire:

1 Pyramid- wood logs go from the biggest ones in the bottom until the top with smallest one and kindle on the top (shape of pyramid),

 

 

 

2 Council or cooking- wood logs goes on top of each other ( on vertical ones put horizontal ones) with hole in the middle and kindle there,

 

 

 

 

 

 

3 Star- best in the winter when there is no a lot of woods around, put big wood logs in the shape of X or put as many logs as you want pointing their front in to the middle of fire and slightly push them in to the middle time to time, because then wood can burn for longer time.

4 tipi style. After all this information and something more what was in our heads Me and Mike were giving the start to search for the kindle and wood, and starting evaluate their team work, proper “fuel” for fire, how they are starting and making fire, and did we get our tea.

Also we were talking a lot, giving tips, using humor too. Besides I forgot to mention Jonas H., were helping to Me and Mike in this task too, because he had no activity at the time. In this evening and next morning we had 7 groups, and their were really different, some of them really good but most were dealing quite hardly with fire making. Especially in the morning when some groups were really unmotivated, but we tried to motivate them as hard as we can so they did atleast something. After all groups did their activities and left campsite, we decided that we could done this activity little bit different: maybe we should show them only how to start the fire with knife and flint and explain about kindle and kettle holders, but no fire styles and techniques, because of this Students were trying to use one of these styles (cooking one always), but not their creativity and improvisation, they couldn’t learn by failing (which is really important and effective). We shared with these tips with other outdoors.

When the third student group arrived on Wednesday Me and Mike, because of lack of students, didn’t had any activity at the time, so we asked to change with Girls in our group , give us abseiling activity again and their could just rest. Girls accepted so we were executing abseiling activity like on Monday and Tuesday again.

Last day on Thursday when the last student Group left campsite, we outdoors had discussion about whole week, what was good, what could be improved for the next year. Len commended our work and said we done really great job, because students were happy about that. After that we collected gear and left the place.

This trip was great. I had a lot of experience with working and communicating with young people, even multi country people (in last student group were a lot of not native Norwegians). I learned a lot of things by watching and observing other people doing stuff, also from tips and advices which gave Len and fellow outdoors. Also, I lowed to deal with changes, I mean adapt with new activities, deal with students who were scared of height’s and encourage them, deal with unmotivated people and motivate them to do things. More than this this whole experience of organizing and working with people can be emphasized as work experience .