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Adventurelore

A review

I roll over to check the alarm clock for the seventeenth time.

11:29.

Six hours from now, I'll be getting ready for the first day of school, but for now my mind is reeling: Will the kids like me? What if I forget something important? Or say something stupid? And here I am, the teacher -- imagine what my students are thinking.

Turning the clock away from me, I roll back over. First days are tough, but there's comfort in knowing that we're all going through the same thing. That each of us will be a bit bleary eyed in the morning. It's this realization -- that we are connected to our students by our basic needs for acceptance, trust and the hope of success -- that allows us to do the job we do.

And to do it even better, get a copy of Jason Holder's Adventurelore: Adventure Based Counseling for Individuals and Groups. (Learning Publications, Inc., Holmes Beach, Florida, c. 1999, www.learningpublications.com)

What the heck is Adventurelore?

Holder states it's "both a place and a program for counseling children and adolescents that incorporates the freedom of the out-of-doors with activities that open doors to the mind and to emotions." Established in 1982, the Adventurelore Center is located in New Hampshire surrounded by forest and bordered by Long Pond. Canoeing, ropes courses, hiking trails, basketball and climbing walls are just some of the activities offered to jump-start the counseling process.

The theory behind adventure-based therapy began with Outward Bound in the 1950s. The idea is to take the child beyond the counseling office into an environment providing opportunities for the child to develop an awareness of his or her strengths. The kid isn't just talking about achieving a goal, he's out there doing it. One Adventurelore client summed it up, "I like that we can do things and talk about stuff. It's awful to be in a room with nothing but four walls and someone waiting for me to talk."

What's good about this book

Um...everything. Read his acknowledgement section first to get a real sense for who this man is and why he's been in the business of counseling troubled kids for over 20 years. An impulsive and disruptive student himself, Holder thanks the teachers who knew enough to redirect his energies and recognize his positive qualities. And that's why I think this book is not just for counselors -- it's for teachers who work with kids who don't meet success in a "typical" classroom environment, those kids who need an alternative approach to learning for them to feel connected, to "get it".

The book is broken into many sections and is a comfortable read -- therapeutic jargon is replaced by a conversational tone addressing real needs and real kids. Holder makes his case for adventure-based therapy over traditional methods, sprinkling vivid case studies throughout to illustrate his points.

"Kids need to feel good, they need to vent, to communicate,
and they need to feel comfortable in order to do so."

Holder feels this is especially true of ADHD kids, but he prefers to call it "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Advantage." The idea is to use that incredible energy and direct it toward a creative end. And the foundation of any interaction is trust. In a marvelous case study, Holder shares a story of a 13-year old boy he worked with on a log climb. To develop trust, Holder helped Bobby learn to climb the log using belay ropes. After three successful climbs, Bobby wanted to belay him. Holder reviewed the technique and climbed up the log about ten feet to show his trust in Bobby. When Holder jumped, Bobby panicked and dropped the belay line. He states, "My rolling technique was in good form, as was my disposition." After assuring Bobby he wasn't hurt, they reviewed belaying and Holder made a second ascent. After Bobby successfully lowered him to the ground, Holder states, "I'm not sure who was more excited over Bobby's accomplishment, but we exchanged jubilant high five's and shared a new level of trust." This story is one of many showing how real-life experiences can build an incredible foundation for a therapeutic relationship.

"Somewhere along the line, the child's success and recognition of that success need to be acknowledged and encouraged in order to break the negative cycle."

This is where I think Holder has really hit it, why I think teachers need to read his book and try some of the activities within. Schoolwork is rarely on the Top Ten List of things our kids like to do. But many of them love to be physical, to be outdoors (I know I do), and it's there they can feel success. The skills they learn tracking in the woods or attempting a ropes course can transfer into the classroom. The confidence and pride a kid feels when he accomplishes something he didn't think he could can be a model for approaching that essay or that test back in school. It's all connected -- life is full of challenges. We need to help them understand that by rising to them, they can accomplish more than they thought they could.

"Without difficulty, failure or challenge, there would be little growth."

Holder includes several detailed activities that are clearly illustrated and outlined, down to equipment needed, objectives, outcomes, modifications and follow-up. Ideas for individual activities as well as small group and even family-based programs are offered. I guarantee there will be something in this book that you can use -- so get outside already!

What's the catch?

It's obvious I agree with the theory of adventure-based learning and I'm certain the variety of case studies and activities in this book will give you a ton of ideas, but there is a catch. Always is. And Holder puts it best: "The success of an adventure-based counseling program is due to the persons providing the service." It's the enthusiasm, energy, flexibility, sensitivity and intuition of the individual leading these activities that makes or breaks their success. If you don't like to get dirty or have no idea what to pack for a day hike, you may want to look to your community for some help. Contact your local Park Service, area hiking club or YMCA. These programs are out there. Who knows? You may even discover some hidden strengths of your own.

The last word

On a personal note I can tell you I've seen these activities make a difference, both with my own students and with kids I've met through volunteer work. Being outdoors and leaving your comfort zone changes the way you see each other and yourself.

Just this past August, I took my upperclassmen for our annual summer camping trip. They helped each other set up tents and encouraged one another during a hike of the gorge trail to the natural pool. After a swim, we faced the tough, uphill woods trail back to camp. My motives were questioned -- some were convinced I was out to kill them ‚ but they all made it back and I could tell they'd surprised themselves. Later that night around the campfire, our conversations ran deep -- anxiety over school and relationships to racism and the threat of terrorism.

When you have these sorts of experiences with your kids, it makes what you do in the classroom so much easier. Education isn't just about curriculum and standards. That's not why we do it. It's about kids and helping them develop their individual strengths. It's about reaching one's potential -- theirs as well as our own.

First appeared in the Alternative Network Journal

All speeches and articles are copyrighted by, and are the property of, Laurie Thurston, and may not be reprinted without permission of the author.