Daxi Elementary opens surfing lessons, utilizing local resources

Located behind a defensive sea wall which doubles as a pathway, and only a stone’s throw from the celebrated surfing mecca ‘Honeymoon Bay’ on the Pacific Ocean, Yilan County’s Daxi Elementary School, which is the closest school to the ocean in Taiwan, has the unusual characteristic of not requiring a perimeter wall. In developing surfing classes Daxi Elementary School has not only managed to utilize the unique local environment and resources, but also facilitated student’s understanding of how to live in harmony with nature. In addition, through developing a deeper understanding of the ocean students have learnt how to safeguard their own personal safety.  

From April to June, when the weather gets warmer, the school enters surfing lessons into the physical education curriculum for each grade. In addition, on Tuesday afternoons when the local surfing club gets together, students who love to surf can participate for free. The school also has a fully equipped toilet room, surfboard exhibition and information on the history of surfing at the ‘Little Surfing Museum’, so that outsiders can borrow equipment and experience the joy of surfing for themselves.   

In addition to the physical education curriculum, in order to make students more aware of the environmental resources of Honeymoon Bay, the school has arranged Arts and Humanities courses where students get to carve surfboards and decorate stone owls. Principal Cheung Man-kwong said that through these courses students gain a greater understanding of the sea, learning to cherish and protect the environment.  In the early stages of the surf promotion, the school faced the problem of insufficient surfing teachers. On a surf visit to the area, the now Daxi Elementary School Coordinator Li Li-zhong, who is himself a bit of a surf expert, was so captivated by this charming little school that he decided to apply for a transfer. This move provided an effective solution to the problem of insufficient surf teachers! The local surf club is also happy to assist the school with surfing lessons, and in May 2006, with the help of local surf-lovers the school successfully launched the surfing curriculum.

PeoPo 公民新聞

Daxi Elementary opens surfing lessons, utilizing local resources
URL: http://www.peopo.org/news/98190

(以下是中文對照)

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大溪國小衝浪課 學校利用在地資源 ( 輔大生命力新聞 )

位於宜蘭縣的大溪國小是台灣最靠近海的學校，只隔一條防波堤步道就是北台灣著名的衝浪勝地-蜜月灣，外海為太平洋，如同沒有邊界的特色學校。大溪國小發展衝浪課程，利用獨特資源 利用在地資源，更重要的是讓學生懂得和大自然和平相處、並藉由認識海洋學會保護自己的安全。

每逢四至六月天氣轉為溫暖，學校開始將衝浪教學排進各年級的體育課，並在星期二下午有固定的衝浪社課，喜愛衝浪的學生都可以自由參加；校內還有設備齊全的盥洗室、衝浪板展示和衝浪教學歷史的「小博物館」，讓外地人可以借去衝浪。除了體育課外，為了讓學生更認識蜜月灣的環境資源，藝術人文課中安排了雕刻衝浪板、彩繪石頭貓頭鷹，校長張文光表示，學生能藉由這些課程更認識海洋，學習愛惜和保護環境。

在衝浪推廣初期，面臨了師資不足的問題。大溪國小幹事李立中本身也是衝浪好手，他到這裡衝浪時覺得學校很美，所以就申請調過來，剛好有效解決了衝浪老師不足的問題。在地衝浪俱樂部也都很樂意協助學校，二〇〇六年五月衝浪課程就在這群熱愛衝浪的夥伴幫助下順利規劃、展開。
 

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