Keeping Interpretation REAL: Fundamental Bedrocks for Outdoor Educators and General Public Speaking

By Jody M. Miles

Head low, steam curling from his nostrils, a massive bull bison stands broadside in the middle of a snow-covered road. Perpendicular to the bull sits a 4X4 Jeep, snow chains on the knobby tires, engine rumbling at an idle. Impatience builds; the driver wants the road. He lets off the brake, still holding the clutch, but revs the engine with his right foot. The bull turns his head, annoyed but unintimidated by the oscillating rumble of the engine. His hooves, one by one, nonchalantly follow his gaze. Head still low, the bison places his thick, woolly forehead to the bumper and eases his weight into the metal. The driver accepts the challenge. Ego filling him, he slowly engages the clutch. All four tires spin. The bison leans in, hooves fixed to the ground. For his own reasons, the driver lets off the gas pedal, and the engine quiets down. Lifting his head, the bison-without any urgency-turns his gaze to the snow-drifted ditch, and his hooves follow. I was nearly 15 years old when my family and I heard this story from a wide-brimmed hat-wearing park ranger. The bison story stays in my heart to this very day. The ranger did not need to say, "man versus beast," "modesty versus ego," "patience versus impatience," "calm versus havoc," but all the deep implications were felt. My soul was stirred, and as I breathed in the pine air and lake breezes, he became my favorite teacher. Keeping Interpretation REAL is not your philosophical guide in interpretive principles. Instead, it is a set of in-depth observations, shared as the bedrock for interpretation. It is designed to inspire any outdoor teacher/interpreter to use the REAL resource as their blackboard! "Humans find their immortality and a sound path to the future through communication, and communicating well is fundamental to us all. Thank you, Jody, for this clever and helpful guide to imparting knowledge effectively. Your rich experience, which shines through on every pa

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1962133524
• ISBN13: 9781962133524
• Release Date: January 2024
• Publisher: Platypus Publishing
• Length: 65 Pages
• Weight: 0.33 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.2" x 6.0"