Live the Metaphor
I never knew a “ducky” could be so intimidating. For the first two days of our rafting trip, I eyed the inflatable kayak with a mixture of fear and anticipation, mostly fear.
World Leadership School partnered with Confluences River Expeditions to coordinate five days on the Salmon River for independent school heads to reconnect with purpose. The river became a metaphor to deepen our learning about leadership in an experience that mirrored the Live the Learning philosophy of Graland’s educational founder, Georgia Nelson, a philosophy that brought learning to life for generations of Graland students by providing memorable, experiential, and impactful lessons.
World Leadership School partnered with Confluences River Expeditions to coordinate five days on the Salmon River for independent school heads to reconnect with purpose. The river became a metaphor to deepen our learning about leadership in an experience that mirrored the Live the Learning philosophy of Graland’s educational founder, Georgia Nelson, a philosophy that brought learning to life for generations of Graland students by providing memorable, experiential, and impactful lessons.
When I stepped awkwardly into the ducky for the first time, I questioned the whole concept behind that philosophy. Did I really have to Live the Learning so directly? Wasn’t there a book I could read? Still, I joined my friend and fellow head Aaron, and we pushed off into the river. Like it or not, I was going to fully immerse myself in this wet metaphor.
Tumultuous, like the roar of Class III and IV rapids that we heard ahead, where the river’s horizon sheared off like a cliff. Aaron, in the rear of our ducky, took on the role of skipper, using his paddle like a rudder and following the raft ahead of us. Desperate to stay in their line, we paddled too close and pinned our smaller craft beneath their stern before being squeezed out and up against the steep canyon wall. The boat teetered, nearly flipped, before we righted ourselves.
Shaken, we gave the guide’s boat too much space at the next drop, missed the preferred line, and dropped into a hole—a recirculating trough below partially submerged boulders. Knowing the only way out was through, Aaron aimed straight in, and I paddled hard, taking a full sheet of water in the face as we popped out—upright again. At the next stop, I traded the ducky for the raft. That was enough Live the Learning for me.
Later, dry enough to be reflective, I appreciated the leadership insights learned that day. School leaders often find themselves in the midst of a problem that seems untenable. Then, after it thrashes them around, they manage to navigate back into calm waters again. I understood that the lesson, echoed by the river, was to keep moving forward with intent, paddling hard through the tumult while giving my purpose, serving children, my full attention and energy.
The Method to the Metaphor
Over our three miles of geocaching together, I began to understand the metaphor: finding the caches represented finding the desired skills, concepts, and knowledge. It all began with a question, “Where is the cache?”, which propelled students on a journey of discovery, a journey they had spent the last week preparing for back at school. Though the actual experience is the most memorable, the fourth-grade teachers stressed to me the importance of pre-work in any act of inquiry. Students needed to be grounded in the context of the study before embarking on their intellectual endeavor. Geocaching was no different.
If inquiry drives a Live the Learning experience, collaboration is equally essential. Though our group may have had differing expectations of how many caches to find, they came together to decide on our route. They also easily shared leadership and access to the GPS, showing other Attributes of a Graduate along the way: adaptability, responsibility, and empathy. I knew that this experience of collaboration will apply directly to any classroom cooperative learning. Their success on the trail that day will transfer to their ability to collaborate throughout the year.
As Dewey explained in the leading quote of this article, not all experiential learning is equally educative. The geocaching program for fourth graders is not simply impactful because it is a fun hike outdoors; it is impactful because it is intentionally student-centered, collaborative, and inquiry-driven. Throughout this magazine, we will explore those and the other elements of Live the Learning that make it engaging, effective, and memorable. I myself feel fortunate that I experienced those traits as a learner, both on the Salmon River and in Castlewood Canyon, so I could witness its impact and rededicate myself to providing those inspiring experiences to the students at Graland.
“The belief that all genuine education comes about through experience does not mean that all experiences are genuinely or equally educative.”
- John Dewey
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
