Surviving in the Woods

Each day I begin class with what is called a Mind Stretcher.  The purpose is to stretch the minds of my 12-13 year old kiddos who would prefer to to do pretty much anything else but be stretched.  However, I try to make them either go with my lesson or fun to do so the pain is pretty minimal.  Yesterday  I asked, "What three things do you think you'd need to survive in the woods alone?"

Yes, I set myself up for the antics ahead of me as I allowed them to answer the question.

"I'd take an inflatable house that fits in my pocket so it's easily moved."

"I'd take my cell phone, a charger and solar panels."

"I'd take energy drinks and a knife."

"I'd take a blow torch. And gum."

"Definitely wouldn't go without my iPad."

"I'd take my dad."

Considering these are a few of the responses from my 115 students, you can imagine the creativity involved with the rest of them.  There were actually a few that were realistic taking water, flint and a knife with them.  It was a reminder of a few things.  One being how out of touch with reality these kids are.  They ARE city kids I guess and don't ever have to survive in the woods alone, but seriously, don't they watch Survivor and know a little bit of reasonable items to take?  It did remind that they are also young in their maturity and in our country, survival isn't really a fear because we have our basic needs at our fingertips most of the time.

I guess I saw this as a challenge, too.  A challenge to take these minds stuck in the technology rut and make them think a little bit outside the video game.  I doubt I'll be taking them in the woods to practice survival techniques, but I have got to challenge them to go to places they really don't ever go anymore---their imaginations.  If it's not an app, they don't want to do it.  If it's not electric or involve loud music or shooting, the interest is minimal.  This breaks my heart really.  I know they're not dumb.  I know they're not incompetent and unable to think outside the box.  I just don't think we allow the box to be given to them anymore.

Coming soon to a SD school near you will be Common Core Standards.  I've seen some questions that the kids will be answering, totally on computer by the way, when 2015 arrives.  Whoa.  They are hard.  And guess what?  I LOVE IT. Please, please, please allow me to bring the rigor back to my classroom where the kids worked hard, learned lots and  worksheets/homework/practice wasn't the swear word it appears to be nowadays with administration (not my principals, but the powers that lie in a different level than mine).  Rigor doesn't mean drill and skill and lots of worksheets, but it does allow me to go back to things, like true English skills, instead of fluffy stuff that requires very little firing of dendrites to complete.

I suppose if I was alone in the woods, I can list the things I'd need to take to survive, but honestly, I probably wouldn't last a whole lot longer than that kid's cell phone charger hooked to solar panels in the woods.

I sooooo love my job.  Who else has this much fun at work?