Meanwhile... tree school launched

moss

moss

Been here much more than a while
Location
Carlisle, Massachusetts, U.S.
I've been wanting to do this for a while, finally put the pedal to the medal. Teaching in the tradition of my first tree climbing teacher and mentor Peter "Treeman" Jenkins out of Tree Climbers International, Atlanta, GA.

I know none of you will pay a cent for a rec climbing course ;-) The purpose of the courses are to start people up in their tree climbing in a considered and intentional way. I'm oriented towards the woods/nature experience and that's where my teaching and facilitating sessions happen. This is not teaching for work climbing although the techniques and safety protocols are closely related and informed by professional work climbing.

Plan is to expand the site over time to include workshops, climbing events, blah blah blogging, gear talks, who's who in rec and pro climbing and teaching, and on and on. The online world really helped me get started climbing going on 15 years ago and I want to continue that tradition.

https://tallpinestreeschool.com

Hanging out with the always awesome Mr. Jenkins 8 years back, big white pines western Massachusetts:


-AJ
 
Tom Dunlap said:
Best of luck Andrew.

I know that you'll be successful bringing people into the world we all know.
Click to expand...

Taking it slow, no pressure, let things happen for the good as they happen. I could write a lot about all the key people like that pesky Tom Dunlap who've been tree climbing community leaders keeping people informed, pushing onto new techniques, making climbing more efficient and ergonomic, and keeping that safety mindset at the fore. All the good stuff, thx for your contributions Tom.

Bejeezus, it's going to get all weepy here at any moment!
-AJ
 
Congradualtions! Now let's get the goods, AJ. I'm eager to learn the process as a bystander harboring an instructor fantasy.
What was the set up like for this "launch?"
Do you have a curriculum in mind?
Do you plan on sharing details, sweet camera angles and pro tips?
Love rpdp
 
Bango Skank said:
Cool, good luck!
What type of climbing system are you encouraging or requiring noobs to begin with? Rope walker with rope wrench?
Click to expand...

Thank you!

Check out the course descriptions on the site:
https://www.tallpinestreeschool.com/courses

For "Intro to the Trees" Blake's Hitch, MRS, for "Tree Climbing Basics" the same with a look at split-tail MRS systems. I build from the bottom up. As I add more courses I'll do an "Intro to SRS"

It's almost hard to imagine if you're a arb pro or experienced rec climber, students will know nothing about tree climbing knots and hitches, nothing about tree assessment and anatomy, nothing about the rope and harness experience in a tree. It almost doesn't matter what system they climb on except they have a lot to learn, best to create a solid foundation for them with a cliean and simple setup for them to build from.
-AJ
 
rope-a-dope said:
Congradualtions! Now let's get the goods, AJ. I'm eager to learn the process as a bystander harboring an instructor fantasy.
What was the set up like for this "launch?"
Do you have a curriculum in mind?
Do you plan on sharing details, sweet camera angles and pro tips?
Love rpdp
Click to expand...

Thanks!

I'll fill in some of that as I go along. Yes I have very specific curriculum in mind, and developing new curriculum going forward. I've been teaching for awhile on a less formal basis. I'm essentially building off of working on and off with Peter Jenkins/TCI in Atlanta and bringing my own perspective in technique, teaching approach, and my long-standing interest in natural history and the woods experience. The "Tree School" is an umbrella for many learning experiences beyond tree climbing. There wil be workshops, special events etc, some of which will have nothing to do with climbing, some will. I'll be bringing my background in music, art, teaching natural history, and nature/art based experiential education working with kids/teens and adults. It's a large umbrella which is what I like, I need room to move and respond as I go forward.

I'll be inviting in guest instructors from the tree climbing community, I'm super stoked to collaborate with New England area tree folks. I'll be creating specific custom courses based on feedback and/or interest from my tree focused peers. I've had people express interest in sending new tree workers to a basic work climber course. I've co-taught that same type of course with TCI in Atlanta. Still in the idea phase of developing that course.

A blog will happen, I'll talk about the teaching experience, gear, cool things you folks are doing out there etc., and continuing with photos and video.

I have a career background in graphic design and web development which I've been happily ignoring for 6 plus years, it all came back as much as I needed to get the site up and running pretty quickly, I was surprised I could still ride a bike ;-). Web tools are so easy to work with these days, I used to code everything by hand, life is much better now in that realm. I was ready to launch with everything in place a year and a half ago when my eye injury happened on the very day I was in go mode. I'm back full steam now and picking up where I left off.
-AJ
 
Will visit your website later - shouldn't be on the Buzz now. Congratulations on impassioned intention.

Who says I wouldn't pay for it? Unless you don't like money stop thinking that kind of thing. I would pay for another person to have a great intro and peek into what I get to experience every day. Marketed correctly lots of people would like to have a safe, intelligent experience going up into the canopy. You will have more people wanting it than you can even deal with.
 
Merle Nelson said:
Will visit your website later - shouldn't be on the Buzz now. Congratulations on impassioned intention.

Who says I wouldn't pay for it? Unless you don't like money stop thinking that kind of thing. I would pay for another person to have a great intro and peek into what I get to experience every day. Marketed correctly lots of people would like to have a safe, intelligent experience going up into the canopy. You will have more people wanting it than you can even deal with.
Click to expand...

Right on! I agree. I said that because I know many of the Buzzers are well into their career path and don't need my instruction, thx Merle, much appreciated.
-AJ
 
That's amazing. It is great that the school has opened because I want to spend time actively now.
 
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