A College english major graduated with honors and was hired to become a teacher in a small rual town in the Carolinas. His passion was high for the challenge and he was well equiped with fresh training for the task.. but in a short six weeks after arriveing he had almost decided to give up! He was reading and lectureing on the "classics" in fine University style.. but every time he turned away a "spit-ball" would fly at his back... in the six weeks he had been there his Lecturn had been burned by a student and he had confiscated six water pistols and sling-shots only to have his desk raided and the items stolen! *His "training" told him that he needed dicipline amonst the students and a rigid system of accountibility for student behavior. He had in place an three strike system that would lead to a trip to the Principal and a 2 week suspension.. The teacher thought about the situation and the kids he faced.. 2 weeks at home would be a VACATION in heaven to them! He had to admit that in simple terms.. his "best" lecture was simply boreing the students, and they would never grasp his ideas, without building some bridges from where they were to where they needed to go.. The next day he returned to the classroom.. He picked up his textbook of the classics.. and through it in the trash! "How many of you would like to get rid of the textbook and become involved as reporters for a magizine that we can publish?" The room came alive with ideas.. hands sprang up with suggestions for topics and the Teacher guided the conversation through a maze of possibilities! Reccess came and the students stayed to continue the discussion! The magizine would focus on Rual customs and skills of the mountian folk. The students left to interview parents and grandparents, photograph the skills and record the stories told by person to person over generations.. The magizine was named by the students... for a small plant that glows in the dark- Foxfire! The Teacher presented it to the school that the object of English was to impliment a practical use of language to Communicate.. and the Foxfire magizine would do just that! Foxfire captured and segemnt of vanishing rual America, and recieved many awards and grants over it's nine volume series... All due to a "creative and resourcefull re-thinking of a situation" Commanders! *Are you perplexed by the lack of "intrest" in your "Excellent" presentation? Are you following the LTC in such a way that the boys are falling asleep?<G> Are they advanceing and questioning what they can do to "raise the Morale" of the Outpost? -=spitball=- -- ��ࡱ� _______ To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rangernet" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Eat the hay & spit out the sticks! - A#1's mule" RTKB&G4JC! http://rangernet.org Autoresponder: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
