Teaching Experience

Many students came to our alternative school for students with "atypical learning styles" in an effort to rescue their "high school experience." Some did it with anger, some with humor, and some with both.

I recall one 15-degree day in January when I was talking to a student about his car. Greg was explaining something about the carburetor, only half of which I understood. After me saying "uh huh" a few times, Greg looked at the metal gate pole and said, "Hey, Mr. May, what would happen if you put your tongue on that?"

I looked at him. "Haven’t you seen that movie?"

"What movie?"

"A Christmas Story."

"No."

"Probably, like in the movie, your tongue would freeze to the metal and we'd have to call the paramedics to thaw it off."

"How would they do that?" he asked.

"I don't know," I said, "maybe a blow torch?"

He laughed. "What and burn my face off?"

"I were you I wouldn't try it. At the very least, you'll rip off a part of your tongue."

That seemed to clear the matter up, and I turned to chat with another student. Seconds later, I heard. "Ur ur `ay! Ur ur `ay! `elp! `elp!" The tip of Greg’s tongue, a long one I suddenly noticed, was frozen nicely to the metal pole. "`et it off. `ease, ur ur `ay, `elp."

"What exactly would you like me to do?"

"I 'ont `ow, `elp."

I examined his tongue tip, suspected he could easily pull the it away. "The longer you leave it, I think, the harder it will be to pull off." I looked again and assessed the situation... and the legal ramifications of having someone freeze a tongue on school property. A few of Greg's classmates were, by now, gathered around to marvel at his speech, and of course make fun of him.

"Don’t go anywhere," I said, chuckling, "I’ll get some warm water. See if that helps."

As I turned away I heard "Ouch!" and a cascade of cuss words. Greg had been freed. His tongue was once again loose, although a bit short-tipped. I examined it and it was clear that the small damaged portion would heal over easily enough.

"Okay, now what did you learn?" I asked.

"Not to put my tongue on freezing metal?"

"Sure, what else?"

"Whatdaya mean, what else?"

"What about listening to me in the first place," I said, "Didn’t you believe me when I said it would freeze to the pole?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"I even referred to a movie," I said.

"Yeah, but I never saw it."

"How about just deferring to experience?"

He looked at me. "Okay, but when you said not to try it... well, you know."

I knew what he was getting at. The folly of suggesting that he listen to me, and follow instruction, that he did not need to repeat other’s mistakes. Saying that Greg learns by doing seems an obvious understatement. Does it sound better if I say that Experiential education is best for him. He gets under the hood of a car, gets his hands dirty, and learns more about how cars work than he ever would reading the manual. Let’s hope he doesn’t blow himself up.