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As the end of May drew near, and our excursion to Haines, AK also drew near it's close, Melba was scheduled for an afternoon session on the development and use of field journals with an elementary school class - some twenty or so miles out of Haines - near the Canadian border.
I accompanied her on the event. And, as it turned out, it was an afternoon that was exhilarating, deeply satisfying, and emotionally uplifting. I'm referring to mine and Melba's feelings of the afternoon. I can only hope that it also possessed something of those qualities for the children and their teacher.
Prior to visiting Mosquito Lake Elementary School, I had never been to what, essentially, is a one-room school. However, in the sparsely settled vastness of Alaska, small schools and home schooling are educational methodologies, that are utilized with a much greater frequency - than is the case in "the lower forty-eight."
And, so what did we find, upon our arrival at the school?
We found an attractive and functional facility - decorated, no less, than with attractive art across it's front.
We found, upon entering, a short, succinct, no-nonsense mission statement of the school's raison de' etre.
We found a well-behaved group of fourteen children ranging, from three children in kindergarten - up to one child, who proudly noted that he would be "a sixth-grader" in a week - with the remainder of the children, ranging from the first through the fourth grades.
We found a warm, engaging teacher - whose effervescence and acceptance of our presence - I believe, assured the warm, accepting, and cooperative response, that we received from the children.
We found a teacher who believes that "play" is an essential quality for learning - necessary to children's being able to continue skill development in hand and eye coordination, and to increase the development of all the senses - for facilitating learning. Thus, frequent short periods for the children - to go out and play on a well-protected and outfitted playground are built into the day's schedule. It felt to me that the children were the beneficiaries of a knowledgeable and caring teacher who believes and acts upon the principle - "that the mind can't absorb any more than the seat can endure."
We found a group of children - who despite their age differences - were engaging, on-task, and helpful with one another. It was collaboration and positive social skills development in a natural setting.
We found a school - where 80% of the children, while receiving assistance - were all scoring above the standards for their grade.
In other words, we found and experienced an educational setting where no child is in danger of being left behind - because they are the beneficiaries of a warm, accepting, engaged, and caring teacher, who has adequate staff assistance. In addition, child development needs, learning tasks, and learning objectives are correlated with a sense of age-appropriate needs, developmental skills, and abilities. The children are the recipients of significant individual and hands-on instruction. And, the emotional atmosphere of respect - teacher to student, student to teacher, and student to student - appears to be the "air" they all breathe, and the "water" that they all drink.
Melba and I have commented on several occasions - that it felt like a very, emotionally, healthy learning environment.
Our visit and cultural exchange sojourn to Haines, AK was a memorable experience for many reasons. However, from a perspective of serendipitous viewing, the afternoon sharing with the students and teacher of Mosquito Lake Elementary School, was serendipity for us - at a level, long to be positively remembered!!
