Teacher Moments: Beware of False Assumptions!

Experiential Learning Week started today! I have the privilege of hanging out with the seventh graders. We will be experiencing different learning environments at the zoo, high school, outdoors, ropes course, and a fantastic science museum. We traveled to the zoo in Basel today and split up into four groups of five students with one teacher for each group. Each group worked together to find answers to the scavenger hunt created by one of our teachers, Frau Hinton. My group of students exhibited determination and coordination to complete their scavenger hunt before lunch! After lunch, we strolled around and spent about 20 minutes in front of the penguins. I greatly enjoyed the entertainment of watching my students present creative commentary supposedly given by the penguins:)

We eventually found our way into the reptile habitat, then circled through the Australian house. I began lagging behind partly because of the heat and humidity and partly from watching the fascinating snakes. As my group walked out of the building ahead of me, I heard their conversation. "Oh, look, a tent! We should climb inside!" Thirty seconds later, I came out of the Australian building to see a tent in the middle of the path. My students were no-where to be seen and "someone" was moving around in the tent. Assuming it was my group of students, I prepared to scare them. As the zipper began to move up from the bottom of the tent, I quickly ran over to frighten my students before they could climb out. I grabbed onto the tent and the person coming out while yelling, "Boo!" As the grown man stepped out of the tent, I realized my mistake and quickly muttered "I am so sorry" before rapidly walking away! I caught up to my group just around the corner and hissed at them, "I thought you were in the tent!" They looked back as their eyes grew wide as I shared my embarrassing moment, then erupted into laughter!

I have learned a valuable lesson that will probably be forgotten in no time. When the heat and humidity cause the mind to become sluggish beware of false assumptions! They can get you into trouble but can also create a rather interesting story that will live on.....:)

Here are a few more photos from our day at the zoo.