Teaching the Class: Standing Bear!

Upon reflecting on our class today, I thought it was amazing. I am very grateful for Kristen and the work we both put into our guided class teaching today. Everything flowed perfectly, and I enjoyed hearing my peers' diverse perspectives on their view of nature and what it means to them.

Starting with the grounding icebreaker, it was great seeing how people were open to doing something that normally never happens. I would argue that this was the first time for anyone to ever go outside as a class and ground with no shoes on in the middle of January. Yes, everyone was initially confused, but people were excited to get out of the classroom and experience something new and innovative. To add on, when we all wrote our favorite experiences outside, I personally feel like we bonded closer as a class together. Stories were told, memories were shared, and people's relationships with nature were presented. Every single person in our class had at least one positively surprised reaction when students shared about their outdoor experiences. From hiking the peaks of Mt. Kilimanjaro and Machu Picchu to diving well below sea level to snorkel in the Caribbean, it was evident that people valued nature to no extent. Something I also noticed in this activity was that for most people, nature was a safe space and a place where one could decompress.

Coming back inside, Kristen and I specifically extracted these quotes because we knew it would create discussion. Yes, sometimes we had to add our own thoughts and reword to spark people, but it still created that spark. I noticed my classmates had agency for nature, and people were quick to defend nature and how it is our job to preserve it. It was extremely encouraging to see people's immense prioritization of nature. Everyone acknowledged that the Lakota's romanticization of nature was beautiful compared to the views of Euro-Americans, who only saw land as economy-based and what we could get out of it.

I feel that this excerpt from Luther Standing Bear was the perfect way to start off the semester because it reminded me of how important our external environment is and how I have a moral obligation as a citizen of this earth to preserve and protect it. Additionally, to not just treat nature as the wilderness, but to treat it as kin. We take for granted how much nature gives us. Now it's our turn to give back! #Treks&Texts2026

Comments

  1. williams.dan76February 3, 2026 at 8:11 AM

    Thanks, Christian. I thought you and Kristen did a great job, and I am grateful for your courage in being the first presenters. And I hope throughout the semester everyone else can also reflect on how much nature gives us and how little we give back.

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