How Mr. Cardinal opened my eyes...rethinking schools assignment

Michele Russo

“I See Birds Everywhere I Go”- Engaging Urban Students in the Natural World; by Ellen Royse

“Look Mom...it’s Mr. Cardinal! Hi Mr. Cardinal!” Those sweet little words that my 2 year old yells aloud while he is amazed at the sights and sounds around him while so innocently standing on the pavement.  How adorable.  How pure.  How beautiful.  To be able to share in that excitement would be a wonderful skill.  I think to myself, “Why have I never noticed that beautiful cardinal?” How is it possible that my two year old son is so magically aware of the beauty that surrounds us while there I am fidgeting on my cell phone, as I quickly scroll through emails and reminders for the week.  Wow....I’m kind of jealous of his unique, capable little mind.  Why didn’t I notice that cardinal?  Why don’t I notice those birds that swarm around so sweetly in the sky?  What else am I so preoccupied with that I can’t look up for one minute and see the beautiful sights of nature?

In scrolling through the rethinkingschools.org website, I became particularly intrigued by the article titled "I See Birds Everywhere I Go"- Engaging Urban Students in the Natural World; by Ellen Royse Ellen begins her story by informing us that she grew up in rural Kentucky, where nature was always considered a beautiful sanctuary.  She speaks of always being aware of the presence of nature and all the wonderful things it has to offer us- just as the beautiful wildlife that flies right above our heads.  Ellen eventually moves to Washington, D.C. where she obtains a job teaching Urban Ecology to high school seniors.  She recalls the moment that she eagerly takes her students to Rock Creek Park for an educational experience.  She explains that her students, who are all primarily black and latino, have the face of fear written all over them.  Ellen stated that “they were afraid for their personal safety away from the protection of street lights and watchful neighbors; the woods became a maze where people were vulnerable to attack.”  How naive Ellen had been- she thought.  How was her perception of the woods, so beautiful, peaceful and relaxing so completely opposite of that of her students?  She goes on to note that while walking through the woods, items such as televisions in garbage bags, used condoms and needles paved the pathways into the woods.  How had she never noticed such things before?  How enlightening...How amazing it is that we are all surrounded by that same thing, but that we are not all seeing the same things.  Our lenses are all different and unique.  How can she teach them the beauty of nature when all they are seeing is fear and disgust?

Ellen informs the students that their assignment will be to “adopt a bird,” and to learn everything about that bird- from what they look and sound like to what they eat and where they may come from.  She encourages them to study them closely through the high quality binoculars that she purchased for the classroom students.  The students were more than reluctant and at times seemed resistant to this assignment.  She begins by giving them two quizzes- one in which they must name the brand names of items that are depicted in pictures that she shows, and the other for them to name each bird that she shows.  Ironically enough, the students aced the brand name quiz and very much flunked the bird quiz.  Why is that, she asked?  Students commented such things like, “we see brands everyday.  We don’t see the birds,” and how “people will never value birds the same way that they do Nikes.”  Wow...is this what our world has come to?  We are all so engrossed in today’s culture that we must have the best of the best and such high quality things that we forget the beauty that surrounds us.  

This assignment certainly became an enlightening experience for all of the students.  Ellen mentions that the students eventually found that in “naming the birds it gave them both value and individuality.”  Almost as if they now had meaning.  The students came up with their own mnemonics for the sounds that each individual bird exhibited.  Eventually the students were eager to go back into the woods to see what other species they could learn and study about.  This creative teaching approach (something that is only thought to be offered to the elite and professional class) was something that was offered to these ‘black and latino students.’  It did them great good, as several of them ended up going to college to study science, biology and even urban ecology due to this wonderful educational experience they were so very lucky to be a part of in Ellen’s class.  

I found this article extremely moving on a personal level.  Why are we surrounded by so many “things” that we don’t even notice the beauty around us?  Luckily for me, my adorable little two year old was smart enough to point such beauty out to me.  Such beauty that I neglected to notice.  Such beauty that I was “too busy” or too careless to see.  My son taught me something that Ellen taught one of her students…”Now I can’t go anywhere without seeing birds.”  Thanks Mr. Cardinal for opening my eyes.