December marked the end of English class for the semester at SMKN 3 Pekanbaru and the start of a 3-week Pancasila Lima Project. The Pancasila Lima Project, or P5 Project, is a cross-disciplinary learning opportunity for students to observe and think about solutions to problems in the surrounding environment. ETA Molly Gleason took the P5 Project as an opportunity to share her background and passions with her students, forming an Ecology Club. This initiative transcended traditional environmental education, cultivating not just ecological knowledge but also critical thinking and creative expression in accordance with the P5 aims.

The club’s pedagogy embraced hands-on learning. Pekanbaru’s natural areas became immersive classrooms, where students swapped textbooks for experiential learning. They delved into the intricate ecosystems, learning about birds, trees, flowers, insects, moss, lichen, and more. This firsthand immersion fostered a deep respect and appreciation for the natural world.

Molly further enriched the learning experience by using nature journals and learning about the natural world through drawing and writing. Students received different prompts and material each club session and recorded their findings in their journals.

Students evolved from observers to active stewards, passionate about protecting their natural heritage. Molly and the club members are in the process of creating an exciting field guide for Pekanbaru based on their observations. Though the P5 project has culminated, Molly is hopeful to continue Ecology Club in the coming months.

Molly Gleason is currently teaching at SMKN 3 Pekanbaru, Riau.