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	<img alt="" src="{filedir_5}Dan.jpg" style="float: left; width: 200px; height: 150px; " /></p>
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	Well I&#39;ve been in Michigan for 3 &frac12; weeks so far and its been great! I love the fall colors and the cool breeze and the crisp mornings. It&#39;s quite the place to be &ndash; and quite the place to be teaching!</div>
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	As an environmental instructor my hope is that the kids will have a great outdoor experience, learn to appreciate nature and to just get outside more and go explore! We also hope that the children (and teachers and parents!) gain a sense of duty to care for the environment. The latter thought I&rsquo;ve had a difficult time getting across to the kids.</div>
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	So far most of our teaching days have been Michigan History. For Michigan History days, we tell the kids we are going back in time to see fur traders and loggers at a logging camp. This is often quite comical and results in mixed feelings and thoughts for the students. You can see the wheels turning in their minds: &nbsp;Is this real? Are they actors? Do they live here? Are we actually back in time? Of course some think so and others just disregard the whole idea.</div>
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	As these above thoughts reveal themselves in questions, odd comments, and actions, the kids are also involved in making candles, cutting logs, baking cookies, and trading furs. As you can see, a lot of their focus is spread out &ndash; and thus this makes it hard for me and my fellow environmental instructors to shove one last idea into their active brains!</div>
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	On a typical day, they are outside trying new things, enjoying nature, and playing (Awesome!). &nbsp;And then maybe something out of the blue happens! &nbsp;A perfect opportunity to talk about creation care?</div>
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	&ldquo;Hey look! &nbsp;A blue jay!&rdquo; one of the kids yells.</div>
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	Thoughts of cookies, furs, and candles instantly stop and only the blue jay matters. There&#39;s a chance to share that important idea of creation care!</div>
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	&ldquo;My dad shoots blue jays because they&rsquo;re noisy!&rdquo; yells another. Laughter erupts.</div>
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	Then again maybe not!</div>
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	But as I think of it, and as more Michigan history days happen, I see in each child a mixture of excitement, wonder, awe, confusion and (of course) laughter. Sure they are thinking about cookies, candles, furs and logs &ndash; but they&#39;re outside! Enjoying themselves and the little things of that day!</div>
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	Maybe at that age, being outside and enjoying the small things of Michigan History - like making candles or eating cookies made from a wood stove - is enough to instill an appreciation for the outdoors and plant a seed for a heart of stewardship! It also reminds me (and maybe us) of the importance of the small things in everyday life and the blessings (and maybe hidden blessings) we receive from them.</div>
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	<em>Dan graduated from King&#39;s University College in Edmonton, though he hails from Surrey, BC. &nbsp;Prior to Au Sable, he worked as a carpenter (fitting for Michigan History), coffee barista, and substitute teacher.</em></div>
