Lesson 5: Out of this world and into the classroom.

Out of this world and into the classroom.

By Stacey Salt inspired by an out of this world experience with Matthew Salt and Tenby at Marsden Moor

The view from the top of the moor

I am a fan of the simpler things in life, literally, the simpler the better. No fuss, no millions of moving

parts and stress free. After a year of doing a lot of work on myself, this concept was even more important to me with my 40th birthday approaching. Last year, I was envisaging a huge party, saxophone, everyone I know, Gatsby style. You name it, my head was thinking it, an ‘out of this world’ birthday party. Then, reality hit and the practical chemicals in my brain came into action, I knew that I would just be stressing myself out, spending money I didn’t have for the sake of one night. Instead Matt organised me a family meal, and we did something I knew would be better for me, good for my mental health and what I would love doing. Matt took the day off work and we went on a big trek around Marsden Moor…now this was out of this world! Why? Well because all the natural beings around me, the nature, the rocks, the views, the mud, the water, the sky - everything that had been there for as long as time, was actually out of this world. The natural beauty and simplicity of what surrounded me was enough.

The view from the top of the moor

We drove to the top of the moor and made our way down, the views were unreal, it was cold but the sun was shining. Walking down into the valley, we clambered through tall grass, mud and jumped down rocks, rocks of all shapes and sizes and that had seen so much, full of wisdom and knowledge. We made our way through bundles of grass, down to the reservoir and along a bridge. Over the bridge we had to make our way up the other side of the valley. Standing still on the spot, in silence and slowly doing a 360 degree twirl (yes I was wearing a tiara), it was just land and sky, pure, clean,endless views of natural beauty, the simplicity again out of this world.

The bridge running through the moor

We made our way up the other side of the valley and came back onto the country road, the road with no noise. It was one of the most beautiful roads I had been on, it went on forever but looked like it ended in the sky, like you could walk out of this world. Huge rocks lined the sides of the road, everyone of them different and holding each other and the surrounding nature up. Alongside the road I spotted huge logs, some had signs on them but all of them had a world within them. Hollow at the top, peeping in, it looked like a world within a world. Moss, tiny mushrooms, buds and teeny insects living inside. It made me wonder if we live in a world within a world, is there something bigger looking in on us as they are walking in nature; maybe, it could be God, alien life form or other people just like us…the mystery but opportunity to critically think it was out of this world.

A world within a world

Oxford languages defines out of this world as extremely enjoyable and impressive, and states that similar words include wonderful, mind-blowing, glorious and amazeballs, to name a few. For me, I feel this definition is not enough for how I would define out of this world, although I do love amazeballs… It's amazeballs 😆 .  I feel my own definition would go something like this, being present in an experience physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally, which embodies you and ignites curiosity into something bigger than what you knew but you will feel innately.

The feelings I have felt, surrounded by nature, being present, breathing, noticing are calmness, fulfilment, happiness, joy, belonging, and I can only have these feelings if I respect the surroundings, if there is a sense of trust and kindness within the experience. When we dig deep into foundational factors of an out of this world experience, can we feel out of this world in other  places too? This leads me to consider the classroom as an out of this world experience. What would that look and feel like? If we take the definition I proposed above intertwined with the values and feelings I felt we can certainly begin to imagine somewhere students would flourish, equity is fostered and the simplicity of an experience can engage with students and teachers into the teaching and learning journey.

Out of this world: being present in an experience physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally, which embodies you and ignites curiosity into something bigger than what you knew but you will feel innately.

If we think of a classroom, an out of this world experience that involves both teacher and student, power relations are taken down. In Teaching to Transgress, bell hooks talks about holistic models of learning, classrooms which empower both teachers and students. So what can students learn from us, and what can we learn from students, in its simplest format that builds on the out of this world concept?

If I think back to my walk at Marsden Moor, what was around me? What was making me think deeply? What was making me feel like I belonged? The answer is, something that was already there, it wasn’t anything new, I was drawing upon what already existed to create a new feeling, new learning, the interactive processes which sparked my senses to be curious and naturally want to acquire new information which in turn developed my human functioning. In the classroom environment this could look like storytelling, a film with discussion. It could be a walk around the campus, a change of physical space but ultimately it needs to be something inclusive, even if not directly related to the subject, lessons can still be learnt. Out of this world lessons, in my opinion, require vulnerability and trust in the space, to truly empower one another (teacher and student)...it is about everyone embracing an  out of this world experience to be true to themselves and to each other. It is about connection to something you never knew but will feel. The logs that welcomed a world within a world, the rocks that held up others and the road which carried on into the unknown. We came out differently, we came out empowered, we discussed it, I wrote it, Matt read it and curiosity became something much bigger, it was out of this world!

Me on top of the rocks feeling out of this world

“Professors who embrace the challenge of self-actualisation will be better able to create pedagogical practices that engage students, providing them with ways of knowing that enhance their capacity to live fully and deeply” (hooks, 1994)

Thinking point

1. If the concept of an 'out of this world' classroom meant stepping outside of the status quo of education, what would this look and feel like?

References human and non-human

Matthew Salt, husband and fellow adventurer, inspired by our discussion at Mardsen Moor

bell hooks (1994), Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom , Abingdon: Routeledge.

Tenby, my non-human companion, running around Marsden Moor like it is out of this world.

The rocks, water, bridge, road to out of this world and world withing a world, appreciation to Marsden Moor and the non-humans for giving me life, inspiration and connection, 2023.