What does it mean to be an outdoor educator? For me, it's easily defined by getting people outside of their comfort zones and showing them what it means to face a challenge. When offering people these challenges it is not only them who grow, but me as well. My name is Paul Ronan and I am one of the lucky few who get to work for Insight Adventures.Why are Insight Adventure programmes so important? Students come to Insight and learn in a very informal setting with hands-on activities, enhancing their skills for critical thinking, problem solving and environmentally-sound decision making. The social and personal growth that students gain about their classmates, their instructor and themselves in an overnight situation is what really makes the experiences so unique. It can sometimes be the highlight of a child's education.Many of the children who participate in Insight programmes have never been out of their city's limits. We offer these urban students an opportunity to escape and learn in a new way, giving them a glimpse of the sky they may never have noticed in the cityI've seen this fact first-hand. Clare, who came to one of our programmes in Yangshuo from the inner-city, was kayaking and I asked if she was having fun. I meant paddling on the river, but she replied, "Before this trip, I'd never been kayaking before, never hiked, been climbing, nor slept outside. I'd never eaten smores. I'd never even had the experience of sitting around a campfire looking up at the stars." I believe that there is a need in this fast-paced life for people to slow down and re-connect. One thing I love about Insight programmes is how they remind people of their connection to the Earth, the natural community, where they come from, and even to the stars above them....Read More
