An honors seminar focused on developing a place-based education course around the Ouachita River was presented many years ago, sponsored by Dr. Tim Knight, Dr. Byron Eubanks and Dr. Mike Reynolds. From this seminar, the class “On the Ouachita” was developed, and from there, Reynolds, chairman of the department of kinesiology and leisure studies, evolved this college level course into an exciting learning tool for elementary level students in Arkadelphia.
“Place-based education promotes learning that is rooted in what is local — the unique history, environment, culture, economy, literature and art of a particular place,” Reynolds said.
He and students in the kinesiology and leisure studies department, along with students in a similar program at Henderson, have facilitated place-based educational opportunities for over 700 fourth grade students from Camden-Fairview at the Ouachita River Bluff for the past three years, and just last week, included 150 students from Arkadelphia’s Peake Elementary.
Reynolds said most students have not visited the Bluff, and exposing them to the area teaches them of its “great historical significance” and encourages them to “care for the area” through his student led activities. In terms of its natural beauty and offerings, the Bluff has views of the Ouachita River, a view of the Gulf Coastal Plain’s pine woods to the east and south and the Ouachita Mountains to the north and west.
The students are taught about the area in four stations: “Leave No Trace Environmental Ethics,” “The Ouachita River Watershed,” “The Hunter Dunbar Expedition of 1804 up the Ouachita River” and “Maps and Compasses.” They learn how to treat a natural environment in order to preserve its natural appeal and ecosystem, the elements of that environment, its original discovery and exploration and how to explore it.
Reynolds said this kind of program is vital, because “students should first have grounding in the history, culture and ecology of their surrounding environment before moving on to broader subjects.”
He said also takes comfort in knowing that his kinesiology and leisure studies students are gaining experience teaching young people about the environment, in the environment for their future careers.
“I enjoyed spending time with and getting to know the kids and I hope that I taught them something new,” said Kristen James, a junior kinesiology major. “The Bluff is the best place to teach the kids about nature.”
Picture courtesy of Dr. Wesley Kluck.
