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By John Rudnicki So the time has passed and we have finally reached the culmination of the semester. There have been so many great experiences that we have had in this class titled Adventure Education. It seems as though I just blinked my eyes and now we are done. I have learned so many important things in this class, not only what can be applied in the classroom but also I have learned many life lessons as well. It will be my attempt through this essay to convey just a few of the many great lessons that I have learned throughout this semester. I believe that the learning process started from day one when we walked though the gym doors. I have to admit, I only had a vague idea as to what I was getting myself into with Adventure Ed. I did not know that it involved teambuilding, gaining the trust of others, high-level initiatives, etc. I came into the class with the impression that I would be rock climbing, learning survival techniques, how to canoe, fish, learn about the outdoors, etc. While I was looking forward to experiences such as those that I have just mentioned, I certainly would not trade one ounce of the information that I absorbed this semester with regard to what we actually learned. The rock climbing wall was an experience that I could have never imagined. I have a fear of heights and overcoming that fear and putting trust in people, which at the time I was very unfamiliar with, were big steps in my development as an adult and future teacher. I learned to overcome my fears and to confide in others, something that is very important to me, which is my life and well-being. The comradery that we, as fellow students developed, was amazing. We all pulled for each other no matter what obstacle we were trying to overcome. It was truly a great experience! The teambuilding concepts were another great learning tool for me. I was a little skeptical as to whether or not they would work. However, after leading the many programs that I participated in throughout the semester, I can definitely say that without a doubt I am a firm believer in the teambuilding concepts. I certainly learned that not every student is going to buy into what we were going to teach them, which was indicated by some of the children that came to visit us, but I do know that the concepts work when taught and demonstrated properly.
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