The Ripple Effect

• Home
• Ripple Effect archives
• Contact us

• Peace and the Environment: Ron Eberle
• Roots & Shoots: Pat Cleveland
• Football, Fires and Talking Circles: Mike Donatucci
• Bringing the Camp Spirit to your Classroom: Kim Wenzl
• Squads vs. Circles: Patty Grieman

• AEE Update with Keith Jacobs
• Student Reflections: L. Kosmicki
• Bag of Tricks: Chris Cavert

Teachers of Experiential and Adventure Methodology (T.E.A.M.) is an organization dedicated to promoting and supporting the process of experiential and adventure based learning. Through the sharing of ideas, skills, and curricula, T.E.A.M. provides individuals and organizations in all fields of human and community service with personal and professonal growth opportunities. 

The annual conference and bi-annual Ripple Effect newsletter serve as a networking center for everyone seeking to learn about, start or enhance experiential and adventure programs.

Having been involved in experiential education since 1993, and active with 
the Association of Experiential Education (AEE) since 1995, I was not new to 
the concept of using experiential education to evoke change in peoples’ 
lives. As a matter of fact, I was passionately using the tools of 
experiential learning to engage my students on wilderness trips, climbing 
trips, and challenge courses daily in my work with groups. I knew the power 
of the experience, and I loved the impact adventure education had on groups, 
individuals and myself.

What I found new to me at T.E.A.M., was this culture built around the 
school-based uses of experiential and adventure based education. While I had 
often worked in school settings and frequently worked with school groups, I 
often found myself amazed at the comments by group members and group leaders about how powerful their day was. I also found myself questioning, from time to time, where the experience would take the participants after the day was 
over, or the trip complete. I spent time with group leaders, encouraging 
them to utilize the experiences provided during their programs back into the 
classroom, coaching them to continue the learning and development of both 
the group and individual within their curricula.  Almost always I was left 
to wonder if the group leader really understood the true value of the 
experience the students just had; I almost never knew how the information 
was applied back in the classroom.

After my first workshop at TEAM much of that wonder disappeared. Almost all 
of the people I met were classroom teachers, teachers who were just as 
passionate about experiential and adventure education as I was, teachers who 
were using the same activities and tools that I used. These teachers were 
incorporating the experience into the classroom. They were promoting 
diversity, acceptance, trust, cooperation and personal and group 
development. To my surprise, many schools were supporting this programming 
up through the grades. I was additionally excited to see that many schools 
had their own initiatives courses, rope courses and/or climbing walls.
Other schools were incorporating their environmental education programs into 
climbing and canoeing or kayaking trips. Yet others still were using these 
powerful experiences for writing assignments and even physics.

While I had met many teachers who used and valued experiential education 
(many who were personal friends) - never before had I met so many working 
together to create a new culture of change within the educational system. 
It was the passion and the drive of these individuals that brought me back 
again and again, to learn from and with, to share new and novel approaches 
of reaching individuals in exciting and captivating ways.

Having moved back to Chicago a few years ago, and having received so much 
from TEAM, I am honored to be a part of the newsletter and conference 
planning committee. I enjoy seeing the friendly faces at planning meetings 
and experiencing the combined passions of the committee members as they 
unfold to develop and expand what TEAM is. 

An example of this passion comes from committee member Jim Ryan who just 
recently finished a TEAM web page available at http://www.neiu.edu/~team . 
This web page currently hosts on-line copies of The Ripple Effect, 
conference information, contact information and other relevant links and 
information for our community. If you get a chance, sign on-line and check 
it out.

Keith Jacobs
Experiential Systems, Inc.
1358 W. Winnemac
Chicago, IL 60640
(877) 206-8967
Email: ktj101@aol.com

First, get your own life in order. Ground yourself in the single principle so that your behavior is wholesome and effective. If you do that, you will earn respect and be a powerful influence.

Your behavior influences others through a ripple effect.  A ripple effect works because everyone influences everyone else. Powerful people are powerful influences.

If your life works, you influence your family. If your family works, your family influences the community.

If your community works, your community influences the nation. If your nation works, your nation influences the world. If the world works, the ripple effect spreads throughout the cosmos.

Remember that your influence begins with you and ripples outward. So be sure that your influence is both potent and wholesome.

How do I know that this works? All growth spreads outward from a fertile and potent nucleus.

You are a nucleus.