Here it is, October, the wind is whistling, and rain is hitting the window and I am daydreaming of a summer spent by the lake. Because I am a teacher and I can spend a summer by the lake.
However, once a teacher always an observer of human behaviour. My day on the beach consisted of observing (in awe I might add) a group of boys. Within, the education system this group of boys is one of our biggest at-risk targets. According to experts, and speaking in generalizations now, boys tend to lack the focus and attention skills required to get through an uninterrupted language block (approximately 2 hours). They don’t put near the effort into their reading or writing skills that they should and as a result tend to accumulate gaps in their learning. Interesting perspective. Let me share with you what I witnessed that day.
I witnessed a group of at-risk learners spend 4 hours one hot sunny afternoon designing, orchestrating, and building a water system complete with damns and pulleys.
It started with one 8 year old boy digging in the sand and filling the newly created “hot tub” with water. As the boy travelled with a bucket to the lake to retrieve water for his new luxury item the curiosity of an entourage was peaked. Upon his arrival back at his creation he found 2 more boys. One easily 2 years his junior and one roughly the same age. This hole in the sand was one of the most miraculous inventions these boys had witnessed. The decision to build 2 more holes and attach them so they could have a group hot tub received great attention from the boys who were tossing a ball in the shallow end of the lake. 30 minutes passes and the construction crew has grown to 12 boys varying in ages from 4 – 13 years old. The community hot tub has turned into the Hoover Damn. Leaders have developed and roles have been assigned. Intricate engineering and collaboration has led to many pools with connecting veins all weaving together to gather in the main basin that is blocked by a large wall. Backup systems have been put in place in case the main wall should break under the pressure. A pulley system is created and an assembly line forms to retrieve water from the lake and fill the pool with the highest altitude. Excitement ensues as the water flows downward through the veins and accumulates in the large basin. Success, the wall has held strong. Celebrations occur. 12 boys, who 4 hours ago were strangers, have come together to successfully create one of the greatest engineering feats the campground has borne witness to. No adult intervention was required.
Hmmmm, doesn’t really sound like at-risk learners at all.
However, once a teacher always an observer of human behaviour. My day on the beach consisted of observing (in awe I might add) a group of boys. Within, the education system this group of boys is one of our biggest at-risk targets. According to experts, and speaking in generalizations now, boys tend to lack the focus and attention skills required to get through an uninterrupted language block (approximately 2 hours). They don’t put near the effort into their reading or writing skills that they should and as a result tend to accumulate gaps in their learning. Interesting perspective. Let me share with you what I witnessed that day.
I witnessed a group of at-risk learners spend 4 hours one hot sunny afternoon designing, orchestrating, and building a water system complete with damns and pulleys.
It started with one 8 year old boy digging in the sand and filling the newly created “hot tub” with water. As the boy travelled with a bucket to the lake to retrieve water for his new luxury item the curiosity of an entourage was peaked. Upon his arrival back at his creation he found 2 more boys. One easily 2 years his junior and one roughly the same age. This hole in the sand was one of the most miraculous inventions these boys had witnessed. The decision to build 2 more holes and attach them so they could have a group hot tub received great attention from the boys who were tossing a ball in the shallow end of the lake. 30 minutes passes and the construction crew has grown to 12 boys varying in ages from 4 – 13 years old. The community hot tub has turned into the Hoover Damn. Leaders have developed and roles have been assigned. Intricate engineering and collaboration has led to many pools with connecting veins all weaving together to gather in the main basin that is blocked by a large wall. Backup systems have been put in place in case the main wall should break under the pressure. A pulley system is created and an assembly line forms to retrieve water from the lake and fill the pool with the highest altitude. Excitement ensues as the water flows downward through the veins and accumulates in the large basin. Success, the wall has held strong. Celebrations occur. 12 boys, who 4 hours ago were strangers, have come together to successfully create one of the greatest engineering feats the campground has borne witness to. No adult intervention was required.
Hmmmm, doesn’t really sound like at-risk learners at all.