Last week, our school had its annual 6th grade camp program in Medford, NJ. I was in charge of the 45 minute Pine Barrens activity session for the 6th year in a row. We’re supposed to focus on the plants and history for that time. I always include fire ecology, streams/aquifers, and overall biodiversity as well.
While most of the day was pretty uneventful in the way of bird movement, each group did have some sightings that caught the interest of a few students. The chickadees, vultures, woodpeckers, and nuthatches were the easiest for them to find. In the early afternoon however, one session included a perfect teachable moment that I could not resist.
A group of foraging birds was quickly passing through our area. Each of the two dozen students were able to catch glimpses of various migrants like Red-eyed Vireos, Black-and-white Warbler, Northern Parula, and Magnolia Warbler.
Knowing our time with these birds was limited, I started describing the plumage highlights of each species. Amidst the flurry of birds and commentary, a chorus of whispers was heard - “looks like a zebra”, “that yellow is bright”, and the funniest of all “red eyes! is it the Jersey Devil?!”
Once the birds were gone, the faces of my captive audience begged for more. Being without Dr. Doolittle’s gift, I turned the discussion to the their migration. The kids were amazed to hear that these tiny birds were flapping all the way to tropical locales in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean Islands. Though far from my “best” birding lesson, this was an authentic experience for those fortunate students who actively witnessed migration for the first time that day.
Teachable moments like this are among the most powerful weapons in an educator’s repertoire. The immediate relevance to the students’ lives opens a window of intrinsic motivation and natural curiosity that can allow a gust of new knowledge to reach the core of the students’ understanding.
Teachable moments can not be planned. You must be ready to run with one of these priceless treasures when you get the chance!
(originally posted Oct. 2006)
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