My human relations experiences at Northland happened naturally, by being an active member of my school and my community. Several of my human relations experiences involved attending concerts. I attended Northland College choir concerts to support my friends who sing. At the concerts I was surprised by how many of my friends were in choir and by how many members of the community were also at the concert. Additionally, I went to an orchestra concert and a band concert, both put on by Ashland Middle School. This was a fantastic opportunity for me to connect with my 6th grade students and feel pride for their accomplishments.
Another human relations activity that I participated in was leading Outdoor Orientation trips.. Every incoming freshman at Northland College is required to go on an Outdoor Orientation (or OO) trip. This helps introduce new students to each other and the values of the school. To be a trip leader, I had to plan each of my trips the spring before the trip happened and then facilitate the trip the week before school started in the fall. Both of my trips were important learning opportunities for me as a teacher and as an outdoor professional.
One further human relations experience I participated in was completing the third stage of the Trans-Amazon Expedition with The Wilderness Classroom Organization. I paddled the Amazon River from Manaus to Belem (about 1,000 miles) with five other people. During this expedition we connected via the internet with approximately 10,000 grade school and middle school students. My daily duties included assisting with daily internet updates including: photographs, journal entries, podcasts, short movies, data collection and creating questionnaires for the students. I also presented at school assemblies in Chicago before and after the trip. This activity contributed to my awareness of human relations in numerous ways. I learned about living in a different culture. I learned about communicating with a broad group of individuals (both back home through internet updates and in our immediate surroundings), in a professional setting. I was continually considering how the Brazilians we met viewed us. I also had to work closely and effectively with the other expedition members in order to complete our goals. All of these experiences, and countless others, have helped me grow as a teacher and better understand human relations.
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