Snowshoe School

[BrianS]

I work in the Maintenance Department for a Church and Grammar School. It is a nice place to go to work everyday and being around all the energy of the little kids is fun. In the past, I have done some presentations to various classes on early Colonial life in America. Today I got the opportunity to do a presentation on Snowshoes to one of the younger classes. Started with a story about Snowshoe Thompson in the Sierra Mountains back in the 1800s.  (If you never heard of him, do a search. Thompson was a amazing outdoorsman!) After the story, each kid was asked to draw their own design for shoes that made walking in deep snow easier. The Kids had some very imaginative ideas! I then followed it with a "Show and Tell" of several different snowshoe designs from my collection. Previous to working at the school, I spent 34 years working in a high stress, high tech Company (Pay was good but I hated going to work every day). I am now very blessed to go to work every day at a job I like. I think I had as much fun as the kids did today. I wish I could have been there when they got home today and heard their replies to their parents when their Moms and Dads asked what did you do at School today.

[Chippintuff]

Things like that are real education, and it lasts a life time. Thanks.

WA

[Hawkdancer]

Brian,
Not only is that real learning, it is real teaching!  And a knowledge the kids will keep and hopefully use, especially if you are in a snowy area.  "Mr Brian, when can we make snowshoes?"  Btw, you definitely had the attention of the young lady with the pony tale!  Bows is next? Or maybe primitive cooking?  Kudos to the presenter!   I enjoy teaching Hunter Education to the young students, they seem to appreciate us grey beards!  Get pictures of first hunts every now and then.
Hawkdancer

[chamookman]

Good on You Brian  Bob

[bjrogg]

That is really great Brian. When my sun was in about the sixth grade he asked me to come to school and do a presentation on trapping. I was a bit nervous about it but I loaded up a couple five gallon buckets with different types of traps and tools and went to his class. It was really neat. The kids gave their total attention and a few even became some pretty good competitors on the trapline. Most had never seen a 220 conibear. I told them that if they ever saw one not to play with it. I set it and put it in notches cut in 5 gallon bucket. I took a broom handle I got from the janitor and touched the trigger wire with it. I pretty sure they all remember that.
Bjrogg

[Zuma]

Wonderful.Totally good medicine.
I guess that never happened in my kids school
though. Every time I had the chance to ask them
what they did in school that day--- The answer
was always --- "Nothing"
Zuma

[Parnell]

That's a great post.  Good for you all.