Skip to content Back to Top

DEED Spotlight on Erin Pollock Fireweed Academy Charter School, Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

Tags: spotlight

Erin Pollock teaches kindergarten at Fireweed Academy Charter School in Kenai Peninsula Borough School District. Ms. Pollock was born in Southcentral Alaska and grew up outdoors. Ms. Pollock spent the first ten years as an adult serving as a mountain guide from Denali to Aconcagua. This outdoor-loving educator taught adults how to be safe in the snowy, wintery landscape. Eventually, Ms. Pollock wanted to shift to teaching children to be safe and happy outdoors, so this adventurer completed a Master of Science in Outdoor Environmental Education with a K-8 Teaching Certification from Alaska Pacific University.

Throughout college, Ms. Pollock wanted a school that fit the Alaskan teaching style, which led to teaching kindergarten at Kellogg Field School, a great introduction to Alaska’s education system. Along the way, Ms. Pollock discovered a love of stained glass, ukulele, salmon seining, and the community of Homer. When Covid-19 struck, Ms. Pollock was student teaching. Ms. Pollock viewed it as an opportunity and became even more confident that outdoor classrooms, place-based education, and environmental education were vital to learning in Alaska.

two children sitting in forest

Place-based education uses a student's natural and cultural environment as a context for teaching all areas of study. Ms. Pollock said, "I believe this educational approach ensures learning is meaningful, relevant, current, and student-centered." Utilizing this method of education, students learn who they are and how to care for themselves while exploring the land and interacting with the community. This exploration allows students to develop their identity and an attachment to place, resulting in a strong sense of belonging in the world. "I believe this support of the whole child- guiding them to put down roots, discover who they are and where they come from, and the impact they can have on the world around them, even from very young ages- is invaluable in preparation for a changing world." stated Ms. Pollock. Ms. Pollock feels it is the responsibility of Alaskans, teachers, and parents to cultivate stewards for our lands who love and protect the natural resources and preserve our cultures.

spotlight graphic

This has been a challenging year for all educators, but especially for first-year teachers. Ms. Pollock advised other teachers to "Look for opportunities in darkness." Using the Covid precautions and teaching outdoors were opportunities for this young educator to rally volunteers, seize the many Covid funding opportunities, and construct multiple outdoor learning spaces.

Ms. Pollock shared the inexpensive yet useful tools used throughout this teaching and learning experience. The outdoor learning spaces used spruce rounds for seats/desks with foam sleeping pads cut into sitting squares. The supplies needed were organized in Rubbermaid totes. The support of the community and the resources available, allowed for Ms. Pollock to meet the needs of students in a different way. Ms. Pollock shared that teachers need to "get creative, be inspired, and use this as an opportunity to partner with parents and the community to make something beautiful." Ms. Pollock recommends that others use resources like the ones below to discover how place-based learning can be used in their learning communities. 

Thank you for thinking outside the building and creating learning opportunities for students to explore and respect the lands and cultures of Alaska.