Friday, December 4, 2009

Another badger moment


Every day.





And then one day we cornered a badger.






We see what we're trained to see.


"It's an eye."
She walks away puzzled. This was too easy.



This one is very much alive.




I learned two big lessons:

Parents can be wrong, and badgers don't read books.



But her line was slack.




And I was again reminded of my badger.








John Spencer said...

My sons are not dumb. They are inquisitive, boisterous, constantly thinking, often jumping. They skip as often as they dance. We have a small patch of "wild" in our suburban backyard - trees, rows of vegetables, a picnic table, various pots with herbs and dirt. Lots of dirt. We don't really have a lawn, per se. Just dirt.

According to Joel's teacher, he is behind, because he can't identify a picture of a cube or a cylinder or anything 3D. He doesn't watch a lot of tv. The books I read to him don't have a ton of cylinders. But on his report card, he gets an "N" right there.

So two days ago, I asked Joel not to throw dirt at Micah. His response was, "I'm sorry." He then waited a minute and said, "This isn't dirt, it's soil and I wasn't throwing it at him I was throwing it in the air. It landed on everyone."

He then walked me around the yard and told me about the soil. One part is rocky and is good for picking up chunks and hitting them with a baseball bat. It's called Dirt Clod Cove. One part is the "flat dirt" where it's "as hard as a floor" and then the other part is "fire city" where the dirt "looks like smoke, because it's magic."

It's a gamble, but I'm betting he learns more science in the backyard than he would watching "Sid the Science Kid"

Joel won't be tested on soil. He won't be tested for words like "Cove" and "Soil" which admittedly I did not know until I was older. Joel won't be tested on conquering his fear of the dark or taking on monsters in his jungle (bedroom). He won't be tested on sharing with his brother or holding his baby sister or trying new foods that look gross on first sight.

Kate said...

You reminded me that cockroaches can be magical in their own roachy way. My last experience with them was on the boat. Eww - but this reminded me of Don Marquis and Archy and Mehitabel

pity the poor spiders -
i have just been reading
an advertisement of a certain
roach exterminator
the human race little knows
all the sadness it
causes in the insect world
i will admit that some
of the insects do not lead
noble lives but is every
mans hand to be against them
yours for less justice
and more charity


Paul Cornies said...


This is a wonderful post which reminds me of Dylan Thomas' Fern Hill. 'I lordly had the trees and leaves...' You capture well the fascination that children have with nature.

Science teachers like you foster that dynamic relationship.

doyle said...

Dear John,

I've read your book, and have followed your blog for a while now--your sons are not just "not dumb," they are seriously bright. As I told one of my favorite students, do not confuse intelligence with studiousness. (I'm fine with studiousness--but it's not the only thing that matters.)

I'm not opposed to standardized testing per se (well, OK, maybe I am), but I am opposed to testing anything if you do not know what your goals are.

You're a father, and a good one. Sounds like you're a good teacher, too--I'd love to see a post from you comparing and contrasting what it means to be a good father as opposed to a good teacher--we may find some wisdom in the differences.

(By the way, I love your comments here--you write whole posts in your letters--it's like getting a personal version of your blog.)

Dear Kate,

I have grown ridiculously attached to my cockroach (though not so attached that I have brought him in from the cold). It's amazing how little I know about anything until I spend even a few minutes with it.

Another fine poem--keep them coming!

Dear Paul,

Thanks for the words!

And for anybody reading the comments, seeing the three names above just warmed me up on a snowy December evening. Each of them writes an extraordinary blog--just click on their names, and follow the links. You will not be disappointed.