Guiding in the Classroom
Whether it’s as a commercially listened professional or as a leader for a group of family and friends; being an outdoor wilderness guide is always an adventure into the unknown. It doesn’t matter the trip. Doesn’t matter the terrain. Every single experience is going to be new and filled with obstacles both seen and unseen. Any teacher will tell you as much the same is true in the classroom. So. What skills have I learned as a licensed guide that transfer into the classroom?
1.) Be Prepared
Be Prepared
By failing to prepare; you are preparing to fail.
Being prepared is a crucial element in guiding as it is in teaching. A guide must plan the route – know the clients – know the trail – know the gear – plan for the unexpected – give clear instructions for accomplishing a given task. In much the same sense a good teacher has similar responsibilities to their students. A good teacher has to plan a lesson – know the target audience – know what materials are at their disposal – have a backup plan – provide clear instructions. Route planning and lesson planning are essential keys to success!
Plan to succeed.
Expect to fail.
Back up plans for failed excursions. This is a key! What if an injury takes place? Where would an injury most likely take place? What will I do in that case? What if the road/trial or whatever I need to start my planned journey is out/blocked/equipment failure? I can’t cancel at the last minute but I can plan an alternative route! Having readily available options not only helps to build confidence in your ability from my clients but also saves you from fielding hard-to-answer questions. The greatest way to manage expectations is to give no chance for those expectations to not be met. In the classroom expect some of your lessons to fall flat on there face. Maybe you've over estimated your students ability - maybe you've paced the lesson wrong and run out material far before the lesson is finished - whatever the case is you must have readily accessible alternatives at hand.
Know your group
Group dynamics are an important factor to quantify when considering execution. It pays huge dividends to know as much about the clients/students as possible. This can be from a dialogue you have previously had with them, from word of mouth (other guides/teachers perhaps), but more often than not this will be gleaned from your first meeting. You will have to “size them up” upon meeting them and having some basic back-and-forth conversation. Finding your groups strengths and weakness are crucial tools to utilize in an effective outing or lesson.
