By Samara Ridley-Thomas (she/her), teacher teaching on call, traditional and unceded territories of the Secwépemc and Ktunaxa Peoples
A 6:30 a.m. call can seem early, especially on a dark winter day, but it is also so exciting! It means that you have the chance to cover for someone who does one of the most important jobs in the world—teaching the leaders of tomorrow!
I moved to Invermere, BC, from Vancouver with the intention of semi-retiring and just picking up “the odd day” of on-call work in the Columbia Valley. I soon found myself discovering all the different schools in the surrounding area and loving the fact that I got to learn so much about the local area through the eyes of young learners.
One of the first activities I presented to each class I taught, was a challenge to share a picture or description of a favourite recommendation for a newcomer to the area, like me! I made a collection of ideas on index cards with a key ring for handy reference. Here are some of my favourite ideas/comments/recommendations from Kindergarten to Grade 7 students:
Head for a hike in Wilmer at School Hill. They are building a new water system so head back when you see the orange fence.
Watch for cactus on the steep hill.
You should hike Pedley Pass to the tarn, and on a less windy day hike the ridge as well.
Go skating on Lake Windermere, or you can ski on the tracks there too, but watch out for big cracks.
Watch out for bears here … black bears will run from you, but brown bears will run for you.
You should know that you should flash your headlights if you see a deer on the road to let other drivers know to slow down.
When you are in the bush, watch for speedy pick-up trucks.
You should eat ice cream in the winter.
Another simple, yet successful, activity I have done with several classes is stick sanding. I ask students to find a small stick outside and then to sit in a circle with their sticks and a variety of sandpaper, from coarse to fine. The challenge is to strip, smooth, and polish the stick as much as possible. Then we pass the sticks around the circle with the intention of using our senses to see what we can discover about each stick.
I would highly recommend the TTOC experience to anyone who finds joy in learning something new.
I will have my ringer turned on Monday morning. After all, the snow has started to fall, and so I need to consult with the students about where to find the best ice cream in town!