Jane Goodall was always an inspiration to me. In the 1970’s, I knew of her observational work with chimpanzees and time in an African forest. At the same time, I was a science teacher, backpacker and loved science, nature and the outdoors. To record factual info, spend time in a natural environment and observe nature was one of the reasons I enjoyed the subject of science. I was also aiming to encourage my science students to be aware and involved in environmental activities. While listening to Jane Goodall speak a few times at Cornell University, I knew my goal in encouraging my students to care about their local environment would be beneficial. She spoke to me in a way that further opened my heart to the love of the natural world. I wanted to do the same with my students. To touch another’s heart with a compassionate and loving message, there is a better chance the individual will join your project.
Jane Influenced My Approach to Teaching
My junior high school science students learned the usual info in science books, but also had outdoor activities. In the beginning, each class simply went on an outdoor walk around the school yard with me, observing and discussing what they noticed. Eventually each student with a partner did “adopt” an area of land in our school’s deciduous backyard. Students had a piece of land one foot by one foot at its surface and also took measurements approximately a foot above and below the land’s surface. They recorded the organic and inorganic matter in their plot, once a month for 8 months in the school year. (Yes, there was snow, much to the chagrin of my school administrator who wondered how the students would do their outdoor observations on those days.) Students enthusiastically accomplished their observations and made some surprising, at least to them, notes. I think to be outdoors doing science was so unique to the students there was no question it intrigued them to participate.
A group of my science students also started a paper recycling club. They made sure every classroom had a bin just for paper. Students collected the bins throughout the school on a regular basis and stored the paper waste. Old textbooks had their pages ripped from the binders. At locker clean-out time per quarter, students collected the notebooks thrown out and ripped out those pages of paper. (Fortunately these were years when the group received money for the paper they recycled at recycling centers.) They also collected pencils, sharpened what was left to many of them and made them available to the student body.
While I was not in Africa with chimpanzees, I continued to motivate young people in projects so they could appreciate our natural world. Decades later, 1991, Jane Goodall began her “Roots and Shoots” program for school groups. It was similar to what I was doing within my teaching. As I suspected, Jane had touched my heart and that was motivation for me to do the work I did as a science teacher.
As a Cadette Girl Scout leader, I took my troop camping once a month year-round. I wanted the young campers to realize every camping trip is not easy. We wish weather to be beautiful, bugs to be non-existent, campfires to light with a first match, and rain to stop … there is much to be learned when things do not go as planned. My hope was they would be problem-solvers and remain optimistic even when challenges grew larger. I saw this too with Jane Goodall as the decades went by. She had talks with opposing groups to understand how their side could help to make all a bit better. If we could all work together a common goal, no matter how small the goal. There was an importance in compromising to meet a goal: small positive action moved forward rather than a full stop and no goal met for decades or ever.
The Future is in our Youth Leaders
I followed Jane Goodall’s work throughout the years with info from the Jane Goodall Institute. She worked tirelessly. To this day I can recall her chimp welcome when she began her talk at Cornell University. I was moved seeing the photographs and videos of her work in Gombe. Her shift to working with young people with “Roots and Shoots” program was what I believed to be most important since they are the inheritors of this planet. Hearing young people speak so intelligently about the natural world is heart-warming. I believe we are in good hands as the younger generations move forward with knowledge and understanding of the natural world and how to have a healthy planet. Soon they will be in position of power to make the decisions needed. Our generation may think we know it all, but we are spending time trying to fix the mess we made and at times I’m not even sure we are doing that! The younger generation wants a healthier planet for them and their future generations.
To quote another influencer in my lifetime, Nelson Mandela: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” Jane Goodall accomplished so much during her life till the day she died … touched many a heart … and one is mine! Thank you Jane!
