place on Thanksgiving-HOME

Home.
We live in Concord, NH
Committed to stay in this town until Ellie graduates, which is 9 years away.
We don't live on a street I would have dreamed of, but we live on a street with friends.  My college best friend lives across the street.  We have community.
Wednesday night we went to our neighbors' yearly Thanksgiving party- laughed with neighbors and friends.

The morning was filled with cooking and baking as Ellie played with her friend who slept over, they played imaginary office where they wrote letters, and then did a morning long art project.

She has tons of friends and their parents are our friends and it is awesome.
Before that, even, I hiked one of the trails in town.
This is where I want to land when I talk about

one of my favorite places in our hometown.
The place is the town's woods. And more specifically, the town's woods' trails.
There are all these trail systems!
Saint Paul's trails, West farm trails, Winant trail- water tower, The Curtisville road trails, the oak hill trails.
Seriously, you can always go for at least an hour, and upwards of a three hour hike right here in town!

Our dog benefits greatly...she has all these pals who are dogs...and they go for hikes with us.  She shines with other dogs.
I shine walking with the dog owners who are my friends.  We can talk schoolyard politics, and real politics.  We can laugh, complain about the current state of affairs...we can share our kids' accomplishments, and also our fears.
the woods...I read this thing about nature bathing...and hiking with the dog on a daily basis, I am able to nature bath...among trees, the light coming through, the leaves covering the trail, rivers, ponds, just beauty.  Nature.  Deer, rabbits, chipmunks, squirrels, turkeys, pheasant...and tons of birds and ducks...

the park on the bike path

We walked on the path today from campus to the bike path that heads over to Marblehead. 

The thing I noticed was how low the tide was because of the supermoon that day.  I watched the moorise from Dimond Hill farm, a place near where I live.

Because the tide was so low, it smelled like the sea, a smell I LOVE.

Some of the movies the students made:

the students had ipads in small groups and put together what sense of place means to them.

Sense of PLace in Madison, WI

I went to the NAAEE conference to present about sense of place!  This is the environmental education conference of North America.  The annual conference was in MAdison this year. Each year it changes. Last year was San Diego, and the year before was Ottawa.

Day 1 we went to the nearby prairie reserve at the University of Madison. We did a walk about in groups.  It was wonderful.

This is State Street downtown

State Street, with the capital behind!

View from where the conference was- Madison is the capital

This is the Aldo Leopold reserve. He is the founder of conservation education and wrote "Sand County Almanac."

Me teaching.

Wherever I go, I like to try and dig my roots in a little.  I want to get a feel for each place.  First, with conferences, there is a gypsy type thing, where I see the same people every year only ONE TIME a year at these events.  We meet up in whatever random city or place.

I always also meet new people. I typically love to find a buddy to pal around with, which makes the conferences feel more homey and manageable.  

I always go on field trips with colleagues.  These are times where we learn about the place and also each other. It is a wonderful time to network.

PLace and Space: Our library

Environmental Psychology is an entire field of study examining how space and place impact our psyche.
Place based education considers the topic of sense of place.
Sense of place is based on the concept of PLACE.

Place is such a subjective term, but one thing we know is that people, over the course of their lifetime create a genetic place code, meaning, they identify some places as comfortable and others as not comfortable.
For example, when I look to a town to move to, I need specific things. I need a food coop.  I need a yoga studio.  I need some coffee shops.  I need a place to hike nearby.

These are places I find comfortable.
I also have places in buildings that are comfortable. I like wood, light, and airy room.
The library matches me aesthetically.

Hobbs Popcorn

I had never been out to the tippy point of Salem.

I felt like being out there connected me more with Salem, understanding how it is bound by water.  There are all these necks and islands into the water, but the water shapes this place, it is what made it what it is.
Even the Willows, clearly ended up there because of the amazing site!

The Willows!  I had no idea what that would be like. I did feel like I was walking back in time. Just like Jim said it was. THE USED REAL BUTTER!!! Not gross syrupy crap, but REAL BUTTER.

I was so grateful that Jenny linked me up with her uncle, Charlie, who was willing to speak to us about their family, their role in town...and their history a bit.

I thought it was interesting how he spoke of the generations ahead of him and behind him, and how they all are so proud of being part of something so awesome.
I also thought that while it is important to preserve the old, his idea of spiffing up the place with that amazing view and the history could be such a great business endeavor!
I also liked how he told us about the people, their customers...some of whom we got to see when we were waiting to get our popcorn.
What an amazing place and it has been in business since 1897!
Also they came from Coney Island, where I first went to amusement parks!

a picture from their Facebook page.

I saw that Jenny's Uncle Charlie is part of  the culinary team...

The food of the Willows can be found on this website: http://www.salemwillowspark.com/good-food/

National Park Service

Custom's house.  Salem Maritime  National Historic Site, first historic site in the country to become a National Park.  That was interesting to me.

Most interesting from the whole trip was this idea she alluded to several times, telling the history that  was not intentionally preserved.  She pointed out that the wealthy and the fancy people's stories tend to be preserved in history, but often times we do not hear everyone's story.
She alluded to African Americans and their contribution to the Salem story, as well as the Polish. I would have loved to hear a ton more about these various perspectives of Salem and the history. SO MY QUESTION IS:  What are all the different ethnic and racial groups that contribute to the Salem story?  How can we preserve everyone's part of the story?
It makes me think of all of us, and how are we contributing.  Salem students and faculty?  What is our role in Salem?

I found the whole customs thing interesting. I learned about how big of a crime smuggling was, but also how often it happened.  I also found it interesting that privateering was a legal version of pirate-ing...and then eventually it was illegal.  When it was legal, it was how our government made money.  We took stuff away from others, and then paid taxes to the government and then sold it for profit.  The rules: no one dies and no ship is sunk!  Fascinating!

QUESTION:  How did the smuggling work and how involved in smuggling was Derby?  Were the Derby's legal upstanding people or did they engage in illegal activities to make money??

I thought that this is a cast iron case looking like wood is really cool.

This map!  I mapped as a nature journal because looking out at the water, and I wondered how it all connected and how boats came in.  

The NPS ranger actually shared a painting from back in the day of the hustle and bustle of the trade port.  So different from today.  A student was commenting on how calm it was and how he noticed the light and just the calmness, and then to see that bustling seaport from back in the day, it is amazing how much ONE SPOT can change over centuries.

I love how this had the arrows for powerful and ready to fight, but also the olive branch...for peace..and we want friends as a young nation.

I also was struck by the art...ART is always present, and always symbolizing time...and place and space.  This statue also has the flag of the colonies...That this sculpture was made by a local artisan.

i love old cobble streets, this ran behind the narbonne house.  Makes me wonder about this exact space 200 years ago...300 years ago...and even 400 years ago.  amazing.  looking out at the same wharf.  the map above shows the same wharf there.  

here we were standing on the old garbage dump of the house, which is where they excavated to find the remains and put together who lived here in the past.  this house has contiguous owners and residents which is why it did not get torn down, and NPS acquired it in 1964...so 400 years it had people living in it. amazing.   THE MIDDLE CLASS lived in this house in years gone by. 

The NPS ranger made a point that often the people who were not wealthy did not have their story told...only the wealthy. So Derby, who the street is named after etc, we have a lot of history if him and his wealth and houses etc.  BUT the NPS is also trying to tell the story of the middle class, and then the Polish.

She pointed to a whole area where they tore down Polish tenement housing. She said the only one left was the red brick building here on the left...(and Jim's bar the Pig's eye is right behind it on the corner!). I find this fascinating to think about all those whose stories are not told in our typical history.

The article Tracy sent about the Polish Immigrants and how they pooled their resources was fascinating https://www.nps.gov/sama/learn/historyculture/upload/Vol6no2Polish.pdf

I thought what Tracy said about how not all Polish people got along, there were factions within their culture. She referred to Salem as "Little Poland."  

Everyone's history matters, and I like that they are trying to get at that and tell it.  I think it would be worthwhile to have more African American history too, and their contribution to the story of Salem. She alluded to it

farmer's market!

I went to the Salem's farmer's market today.
After hearing Kylie talk about farmer's market and how Salem is working to create places that help facilitate a sense of place, I could see it. I also thought about how Kylie talked about how the farmer's market is for the community members.
It is right in the middle of town. And town is so cute, it is the kind of place I really like. I t has funky stores, and organic food and local food restaurants, etc.  The farmer's market was smal as people still set up, but I could see how it fills up.  The farmers I wanted to see had not arrived yet.  It was awesome seeing people set up.

Some of the markets setting up in the square, which has a lot of history...it has been a place of market for centuries!
Awesome space!

The stands extend up the walking mall, and here were some cool art things and I stood behind a temporary stage!
There is live music at the farmer's market!

Today was just an EPIC day. So pretty out.  I really was feeling a connection to Salem!  I almost always just go to campus, but there is something about going into town and experiencing what an amazing place this university is located in!  

Sense of Place and talking story

Today we had Jim come to our class and talk about his experiences in Salem.
I love listening to people who tell their stories. I find so much value in listening.

I learned from listening that Salem had a large Polish population.
I learned that a great bar was the Pig or something like that and it recently closed and was a real travesty and loss to the town.

I was reminded that being open and remembering people and being a good person opens doors throughout life.

Then Kylie came...and as a teacher, I learned that having two speakers back to back is intense and should have been split up into two days. We have so many trips and visitors planned, that I could not figure out when else to have her come, so I went back to back, but i do not think this was the best planning.  I think Kylie was a WEALTH of information about downtown...and downtown planning and about how downtown plays a HUGE ROLE IN SENSE OF PLACE BUILDING.

I also learned about how every town decides what the role of farmer's market is.  In this town she said they have the role of having a market in Salem Market, creating a pipeline for new businesses, and for community members to come together.

I learned a lot about Salem in these little tidbits and makes me even more into what it means to be part of Salem!

I also learned that storytelling is the best.

I also wondered what will help all the students engage and ask questions...and I wondered if they got as much out of this as I did.

I am a fan of travel education and really feel that "TRAVELING" in our current home, is an awesome thing to do, to meet folks and learn about people and the town.

http://www.salemnews.com/archives/jim-mcallister-salem-s-first-heritage-hero/article_50f04df7-e73c-56cf-806e-658443dcfdb9.html

http://salemmainstreets.org/introducing-kylie-sullivan-main-streets-manager/

Sense of Place in Salem

During this semester, we will all embark on a journey to explore Salem.  We will all create a blog to record our observations, upload photos we take, upload drawings we draw, and collect our initial exploration inquiries in one place, an on line journal.
The goal of this course is to encourage you to ask questions, inquire, and incorporate what you learn into your experience here in the town of Salem as well as on Salem State campus.  First year seminar is designed to help you adjust to college life, as well prepare you to be successful throughout your college career.
An important part of college is knowing where you live, not only in the campus setting, but the surrounding town setting. Place based education is predicated on learning the skills and content that the course is set out to teach, within the context of the place.
So for example, For first year seminar, there are three key goals set by the university that we, as a community, will strive to attain.  We will attain these through our exploration of place, Salem State University, and Salem the town.

Goal 1: The FYS will actively encourage students to develop their own academic interests and learn how to pursue them through critical thinking on one or more compelling questions or issues.

a. Students will practice developing compelling questions based on their individual interests related to the course's subject.

b. Students will gather evidence from relevant sources.

c. Students will make clear their methods and assumptions.

d. Students will support a position using their sources.

Goa1 2: The FYS will aid students in developing their ability to express themselves and their ideas effectively and appropriately in a college setting.

a. Students will participate in discussions of the course's subject.

b. Students will produce at least one product that showcases some aspect of their inquiry in the class through written, oral, or creative means.

c. Students will develop an understanding of value of drafting and revising ideas by presenting at least one draft and then a revised version of a product showcasing some aspect of their inquiry in the class.

Goa1 3: The FYS will help students begin to develop relationships and practices that will support their success in college.

a. Students will become knowledgeable about various persons, opportunities, activities, offices and services that are available through the university and aid in student success (some examples may include the following: student services, MAPWorks, tutor services, campus-wide clubs and associations, Health Services, career services, and campus activities).

b. Students will learn about the overall academic structure and opportunities in the SSU Core and the resources available to them (some examples include: advising, learning commons, academic resources such as the Writing Center or Math Lab).