Secondary CFE Final Day - Saturday Workshop #4!

 Today was the last day of our CFE experience, as well as the day of the 4th Saturday Workshop!

Fig 1: The workshop poster that Natalie did a great job making!

As we arrived at 8:45, we got set up for the time ahead of us. Natasha brought 3 huge bags full of bread from the Bread Affair, and Malihe helped with cutting it up. Us being future teachers, Danielle even made a shape of the day!

Fig 2: Workshop set up and the colourful shape of the day

Once everybody started arriving, we did some basic introductions (name + what colour they feel like today) before getting started with the dyeing. Danielle gave a quick explanation on how natural dyeing works, and then Natalie gave a quick tutorial on how to tie-dye. Everybody then got right into it, making very diverse and creative tie-dye designs as the pot of buttercups kept on boiling.

 

 

Fig 3: The natural dyeing process!

Since the dyeing itself needs to happen for an hour at least, we shifted to the next activity while everybody's piece of cloth was simmering away. Natasha led us through the rope-making process, while Bill introduced how to strip the blackberry bark. I even got to repeat my feat of jumping rope with the grass rope that my EDUC 450 colleagues Elsa and Meg had made back in September (see this link for that original blog post)!

  

 

 

 

 

 

Fig 4: Blackberry bark peeling, rope-making galore, and Jason jumping with natural rope!

While people were winding down with their rope-making, we were on the last leg of waiting for the tie-dye to fully simmer. Saul gave a tour of the garden for the first-timer participants while other people had to opportunity to socialize and truly enjoy the tranquil, relaxing environment of the garden.

Fig 5: Our amazing "Guardian of the Garden" Saul introducing the greenhouse.

Eventually, it became time to take out the fabric! The fun little point was that unless somebody used a creative tie-dye design, nobody would know who's was who's. Everybody went in and started unravelling the rubber bands to unveil some beautiful designs! They got to take some home, along with the huge amounts of bread, thus marking the end of the workshop.

 

  

 

 

Fig 6: The finished tie-dying products!

With everybody gone, Saul and the CFE students were able to have one last talking circle to reflect on the past 3 weeks we had spent together, as well as the workshop itself. A lot of us reflected on how amazing it was that all of the participants had thanked us while leaving for "preparing such an amazing workshop". We felt that the pace was great in that there was always something to do, but it was very laid back with opportunities for socializing and relaxing. I reflected that this might be the approach to outdoor education; making sure to provide just enough framework to facilitate, but to also let the natural environment guide the process, even if that means "being academically disengaged". There was definitely so much to take away from this workshop and the 3 weeks of our CFE, and I think I can confidently say that we are walking away with many new ideas and viewpoints on how to incorporate outdoor education into our future classrooms!

 

 

Fig 7: Our final goodbyes to the garden, with so much being taken with us and provided by us.

Fig 8: What was once an empty patch of grass became the site of our workshop, and now it is back to the way it originally was. Perhaps a symbol of land-based usage?