That title, unfortunately, is not a metaphor for a lack of direction in my lesson planning, or not knowing what to say next. It is in fact what happened to me my first time doing the Rock-Cycle Beach and Bog hike. Luckily Matt has a more reliable internal compass than I. Instead of letting my audience on to the fact that I didn't know where the beach was I just stopped walking and looked around me. Some fern... some mushrooms... some sweet Sicily. If I knew anything about it I would divulge my insight. If I didn't I would ask rhetorical questions questions and secretly feel like an idiot. By the time we finished I could see Matt's group leaving the Bog. We followed him around and back out over the top of the esker.
Since then I have given 3 more of the same hike and now I know where I am going. I have also learned where some points of interest are. The puff-ball, the Silver-maple forest. Inspired by Amy's ecosystem tour, I have added a 1 min stop at the Sliver Maple forest to my walk. "Why are there lots of different types of trees all growing together right there, and right here there are only Silver Maples growing?" ... I guess I got cocky, because I decided to go for a walk in the silver maple forest on Sunday morning of the Hope Conference. Man o man let me tell you I have never been so lost in my life. Luckily I did not have 15 4th and 5th graders + their teachers and parents in tow. They probably would not have been too impressed to be following deer trails out to the road about 1/2 mile from the dome entrance.
So the big lesson I learned from these mishaps is to know your weaknesses. You and your students will benefit from your self awareness and humility.
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Yeah, that was odd...
ReplyDeleteAt first, I thought you finished the beach really fast, or I was taking way too long at the bog. If the group had not been 30 minutes early, we could have gotten the chance to scope out the hike route again before leading the kids down there by ourselves... I am glad it all got figured out. And I am sure you are better prepared now. Especially after your hike Sunday morning, no?
I must say you do a fantastic job of on-the-fly teaching. You never let anyone know when you do not know. That is a good skill. Represent.
ReplyDeleteHaving had the experience once of leading students on an unfamiliar trail at a nature center in Louisville and getting turned around, I have to say that faking it until you make it is the best response. At least it was in this instance. I think there are times (not when you are lost though) when kids appreciate that a teacher admits to not knowing something and creates an atmosphere of learning together. If we want them to be "lifelong learners" then we must let them know that some things are still new to us as well.
ReplyDeleteI know Ken and I were talking about this, but does anyone know how to make the beach station longer. I feel I am getting through the stuff and then I don't know what to do next.
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