Social Ecological Resilience

The reason for constant construction in Manitoba is obvious. Our changing seasonal weather causes expansion and contraction in the road material and the underlying natural supports of the road. The constant shifting puts strain and tension on the strongest of structures and bonds. We see this as cracking and potholes. Temporary fixes and patches are used as cost saving measures, but eventually the road will need replacing – it is inevitable. The environment is resilient, the road is not. The road needs revitalizing.

This course, Social Ecological Resilience, allowed me to take my interest in creativity education, and look at it from a different angle. And I was pleasantly surprised. The initial learning of what it entailed morphed into a realization that the skills needed to become a resilient person were closely related to the learning opportunities needed for creativity.

My position as Registrar has me acting as a career counsellor – helping to transition our students out of high school into careers or post-secondary schooling. Resiliency often comes up as an “in-demand” trait of a 20th century learner. Opportunities to address and develop the building blocks of resiliency can be incorporated into curriculum to the benefit of our future leaders.

My major project for this course focused on creating a professional development seminar for teachers of the arts. This includes Industrial Arts, Music, Drama and Fine Arts. My intent was to celebrate the skills that were already being taught in these classes by the nature of the course and the environment that these courses demand. The second purpose was to enhance their understanding of what resilient learners are and how to best provide opportunities for intentional experperiences.