Blessed as I am, I am lucky to teach a subject that does not have to live within four walls. This past weekend was an exciting time, not only for my students, but for myself as well. Of the six students who braved this adventure, two were in FFA last year, and the other four were new to this program all together. I won't use this time to go through the entire trip, but wanted to share some thoughts and observations on the trip and the students.
- High schoolers are a fun and diverse group of individuals. Each and every one of these kids have a different background. They were all polite and respectful for the most part. They wanted to learn! As a techer, that was fantastic for me to witness!!
- Almost every teacher will tell you they do their job for the "light bulb moments". In the classroom it is fun, but the magnitude of that moment is ten-fold when you see it click in the moment of learning, but again when you see it click that it has real world application, that it connects to them in a very personal way. That milk you drank with breakfast, it came from a cow. A healthy, happy cow, who lives in an awesome environment designed for cow comfort. That the peanuts that made the peanut butter or that are in Peanut M&M's came from the ground and the machines that make the process of harvesting them are massive and intricate. That the stuff that all seems so awesome may actually be a good career choice in the future, and the colleges we went to see may help them achieve their goals.
- When removed from technology, the conversations are enriching. My general policy at meals is that all the phones (mine included) go in the middle of the table, and the first person to touch the phone has to pay for the whole table's meals. That risk of having to buy everybody's meal is great incentive for not touching it. The first night they thought I was joking (the new kids that is, my former two knew the rule). They were at a loss for what to talk about. So we started off at the basics, their families. Some were shocked to hear about the similarities and differences of each other. By the last night, a couple actually left their phones in the car so that they could keep focused on the conversation. That was a proud moment for me personally. It brought tears to my eyes when one even said he wished that his family would do something like this so that they would have the same connection and feeling of togetherness as this group has.
- History really isn't that boring. Just ask those who have been to a good museum! One planned stop did not go as planned, so we were looking for something to fill the time with. They actually suggested and were excited to go to a museum. They truly had fun there too.
- Our future is not a bleak as some would like to portray it. Every aspect of life has highs and lows. Every generation has its' super achievers and its' under achievers. It is unfair to say that we all fit in the same category. We must look for the best in people, believe in those special characteristics and help to better those gifts and skills. By providing opportunities that force us to grow and better ourselves, we are able to test our own limits and see that we really are worth it. From the last three years of teaching (one in Tanzania and two at Spoto) I have witnessed some fully bloom when given positive encouragement and a chance to change for the better; they have stepped up to the occasion and exceeded expectations in many cases.
To conclude, I am super excited for the next two trips as we venture to south and central Florida. Be sure to check back in December and again in March to see the adventures through their eyes.
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