White Water Rafting...

As I walked down the narrow trail I could hear the dry pine needles crackling under my feet and in the background a light bubbling sound coming from the soft flow of the river.  The reflection of the mountain landscape shined off the calm river giving the illusion of a parallel dimension.  Off in the distance I could see a grey in color figure approaching from up stream.  As the figure got closer, I realized that it was my time to enter one of the dimensions that I had observed.  My raft had arrived and I was well on my way to adventure the waters no matter how rough or calm they may be.  Like the “choose your own adventure book” I read as a child, my path had been decided and I was well on my way down the calm flowing river.  There were four of us young souls straddling the sides of the raft along with an ice chest, four nylon black bags and gallons of water that had already been strapped in place in the center of the raft.  As we swiftly made our way down the river, we could hear our roaring destiny in the distance.  At first there was a low vibration below the raft that resonated through our feet causing a slight feeling of dizziness or confusion.  Next came the deafening sound of roaring water gushing and crashing around our little vinyl security blanket that originally was in the form of a raft.  There is no time to think, only time for our natural reflexes to take us in the direction that we naturally choose.  One mistake and our security blanket can turn into an imploded underwater casket.  In front of us is a boulder protruding from the once calm mirror but now white capped form of chaos.  To our left an easy turn that would take us to safety and to our right a rigid cliff with low lying branches waiting to swat us into the depth of the river.  As the most inexperienced person in the raft I started frantically turning the boat to the left so I could have some type of security in my chaotic presence.  Quickly the captain of the small raft gave short swift orders to stop rowing and let the flow of the river take us straight into the protruding boulder.  What was he thinking!  My heart started to beat harder and harder, I could feel butterflies in my stomach and the vein in my neck throbbing.  I tightened my legs around the side of the cold vinyl raft and braced for the impact of the boulder.  Like watching a rocket take off I counted in my head the seconds it was going to be before we hit the boulder.  Three, two, one the boulder was going to impact, then in a split second, swoosh, there was  swirling of water and the raft rapidly turned left, violently throwing one of the black nylon bags onto my leg.  As I looked behind us trying to gain my bearings I noticed a whirlpool swallowing small branches as it was some kind of river monster hiding behind the deviously safe left turn.  If I had not listened to the experience of the raft captain I might have entered that alternate under water dimension.

This might be a story of my first rafting trip but it is just like a classroom environment.  When we walk into a classroom it is up to us to decide which dimension we are going to take.  Do we take the easy calm reality or the heavy rushing waters that create a challenge?  I was blinded by the choices I had in front of me; safety, a boulder, and a cliff.  Thinking the safe route was the best route would have possibly got us killed, but listening to experience put me on the right track.  The students or a mentor could be the ones that put us on the right track.  In the classroom I have learned that experience is what keeps us afloat.  Observe what is going on in our classrooms and learn from the ones that have been there. 

 I also believe that when you lose that feeling of butterflies inside, you become complacent.  Like any adventure, in the beginning I get butterflies and sweaty palms.  Whether it be teaching or facing a terrorist face to face.  This is our mind telling us to be aware of what we are doing and to be the best at it.  So be best at what you do and don’t just take the easy route in your class, because that starts to get boring.  I have figured out that when I start to lose that nervous feeling to start looking at what I am doing.  Have a fellow instructor perform an evaluation on you.  Do you still have that edge that keeps you sharp? 

Looking back on your adventures is a way to learn.  The images that we see could be deceiving if we are not looking close enough.  The soft bubbling river turned into a white capped turbulent hell.  How do we look at ourselves?  Is it the calm reflection in the water or is it reality?  These are some of the challenges that all of face in the teaching environment.  Before we first walk into a classroom be sure to reflect back on the images and see if you need to make change.   This is probably the most difficult thing that we have to do in our professional and personal lives.  Develop the minds of our students but don’t forget that there is learning that takes place on both sides of the podium. 

Bottom line- Don't let you or your students Drown!   

Danny Brightman