When we proposed the idea of a two week beach get-a-way to E, he was ecstatic. Like many people over the last two years, he too has felt isolated and trapped in our home by the covid crisis. At 8 years old, he remains in wait of the covid vaccine that will provide him with a return to what he recalls as normal life. When asked, the things he misses most are: seeing Nana and Papa, visiting the Apple store, and going to his favorite children’s museum called Marbles. In reality, I think some of the things he recalls don’t align with his current interests and I have many destinations in mind that will hopefully foster and deepen the interests that have emerged since this pandemic began. As an educator, it pains me to know he has had no opportunities for true experiential learning due to our choice to limit potential exposure during the pandemic.

When I began to plan for our experience at the beach, I initially thought we would do beach focused activities but continue on our learning path just as if we were at home. But as the days approached and we completed work towards building a deeper understanding of beach climates, marine life, and historical figures related to the North Carolina coast such as the Wright Brothers, I heard the wise words of my mentor whispering to me. Dr. Susan Baum has many times said “How wonderful would it be if the world were the classroom?” Ultimately, I embraced this idea and despite traveling with a few learning supplies tucked in my backpack, I let the two weeks of beach time unfold naturally.

I could not possibly have planned learning activities that would be as productive as those that E conjured up on his own. He found opportunities to learn, to create, and to grow that would have been unavailable had I packed his days with learning requirements. He managed his personal time and body’s needs to accommodate both his love of early sunrise walks, sunsets, and stargazing in the late night by devising a scheme that alternated days such that his body would not become overtired. He explored the beaches at different times of the day to experience tide patterns, by the end using charts to ensure he had an opportunity to jump in the tide pools left behind in low tide. He discovered live clams and witnessed how they close as a defense mechanism. He discovered a live starfish and observed first hand the methods it employs to support mobility on land. He then helped it safely return to the sea, wishing his new friend well on its next journey. He even found a jelly fish, luckily not alive, but enjoyed witnessing just how transparent they truly are. Oh, and the hundreds of ghost crabs that dove into their sand holes as we walked past. He explored the varying textures of sand from the soft sand that squeaks under ones soles to the harder sand heated down by the crashing tide. He felt the force of the ocean waves as his heels sunk down as if into quicksand. We even witnessed daily flyovers of Air Force jets which led into discussion about the armed forces and protecting our nation. We observed varying approaches to architecture and inspected homes under construction as they were built in sand yet strong enough to withstand direct hits by hurricanes. The beach was literally a treasure trove of adventure and discovery.

But, the destination was more than just learning about marine life and observing the world around us. It was about experiencing a new destination for the first time in his memory. It was about sleeping in a new bed on a separate floor of the home dedicated to only him. It was about taking showers in a new place. It was about overcoming the setbacks and physical discomfort of being swarmed by mosquitos on your first day! It was about eating slightly different foods to accommodate being in a new location. It was about embracing boredom by leveraging creativity to engage his mind. And, it was about the moments that he was aware enough to admit.

”It feels funny to know that I am living in one of my future best memories…”