Smoky Mountain Hangout

Being a teacher has never been something that I would call easy. At times, I considered it to be the hardest thing that I had ever done, or would ever do, in my life. When I was a first year teacher I found out that students will do whatever you allow them to do. As a young, inexperienced teacher my students ended up doing whatever they wanted because I hadn’t figured out what I did want from them yet. As I grew as a teacher, I figured out how to respect the incredible intellect of all students and how to hold everyone accountable to what I asked of them. Eventually, things got easier. This was constantly a difficult lesson for new teachers to learn in our school and many gave up before figuring it out, and how incredible the students in front of them were.

Anyways, after my third consecutive year of teaching my favorite class, I got to take them on a trip to Smoky Mountains National Park. Now I didn’t have the same issues they gave me three years earlier, but still no one would ever call them the easiest group of kids. On this trip we would camp, eat meals over the fire, and explore what nature had to offer. I love being outdoors and hiking, but I had never camped that much growing up. This made the planning a bit stressful. Not only was I unsure of what to do, but I was responsible for 30 other people, and this camping trip would be a first for all 27 students attending. Once we arrived at the campsite, that stress persisted as I ran around trying to problem solve and teach whatever camping skills any student needed in that moment. They were good sports and didn’t complain, but continued to bring me any camping issue they had.

Now on trips in the past I had learned a valuable fact: kids from rural areas aren’t used to walking much, and in general they don’t like to do it. I learned this from feedback after walking to a Cardinals game in St. Louis two years earlier, around the National Mall in Washington, DC, the year before, and pretty much every other trip I brought them on. But nonetheless, on our second day there, we had a hike planned. We drove to the trailhead, found the trail I wanted, and broke up into smaller groups. As we entered the trail, a quiet creek caught my eye. The Smoky Mountains were truly incredible. I couldn’t stop thinking about it at every turn, and I wanted my students to appreciate the beauty around us in a similar way. As I headed down this trail, I recalled all the moments of walking complaints and quickly called an audible on the plans in my head. We got about a half mile down this trail, up and down hills with the woods thick around us, and I declared this was the halfway point and it was time to head back. Sure, this wasn’t the way I would have explored this park if I were there alone, but my own enjoyment wasn’t the main purpose here. As we headed back to the trailhead, each group huffed and puffed up to where we started and shared how proud they were for completing the hike.

We all high fived, and then I told them it was time to hang out at the creek I had noticed on our way into the woods. They first looked confused, but as each teacher found a comfy rock to sit on, a part of the water to step in, or cool birds overhead to watch, the kids followed suit. Then when I started exploring what was floating down the creek, they became curious as well. And then it happened: it was like it just clicked. Every kid, on their own, found something that peaked their interest. Some were skipping rocks, others just sitting and enjoying the view, some looking at the small bugs and fish they could find, and others trying to balance on logs. We don’t have places like this at home, so playing in the woods wasn’t an experience many of them had ever hard. However, it seemed to be instinctual what to do when given the chance. There was not a screen in sight, yet everyone was completely content. We stayed there for two hours. Two of the teachers spent the time chatting with each other and paid very little attention to the students, one literally lied down and took a nap on a rock, and I just soaked it all in. In that time, there was not a single complaint, argument, or “I’m bored.” It was perfect, and my students appreciated the beauty and wonder of this preserved place in the way it was meant to be.

As I see new teachers struggle in the classroom to engage our kids, I always think back to the few hours we got in that creek and how it captured their attention in a way I had never seen. And it is just one more reason why I appreciate the power of nature.