Some advice on education?

[elarges]

All right, guys....I have an issue/question:
I teach high school learning disabled students. With most of my students, if you met them on the street, you wouldn't realize anything was wrong...unless you asked them to read or do an impromptu math problem for you.
I teach a world history class, in which we are just starting the F&I War. I have covered the Ft Necessity debacle, and will be starting Braddock's campaign soon.
Here's the issue: I've been reenacting for about 40 years, and take a lot of things for granted, including how much I think my students should know. I want to do a short unit on weapon technology of the 18th century. I can bring in a lock (probably from my Bess and from my rifle to contrast the two), and show videos and such, but probably shouldn't bring in a tomahawk or anything like that.
Any thoughts as to what you think is important that they learn? I plan on spending a looong time teaching the F&I and Rev War, so I can teach a lot of things...just not very in-depth with these kids.
Thoughts?
Thanks!!
Eric

 

[Billnpatti]

I'll give you my take on it. You are tesaching kids who are having difficulty with their schoolwork. They are not going to be able to go into detail on history. They need the overall picture and how it affected their personal deastinies. I would say that it is okay to teach them such details as the differences in lock design but that is a minute detail. In a small dose, it can enrich their learning experience but if too much time is given to it, it takes time away from learning the story of our nation.

When you take a "show and tell" item, ask youself what you are going to teach them with it. How is it going to enrich the story of our nation. What is it going to teach them about history? They are not there to learn about the intricacies of a gun beyond what it tells them about the history of the nation. It can be a tool of enrichment or it can become a diversion into something of little importance to them in the overall scheme of learning the story of our nation.

Keep the story of our nation in the forefront and use any item such as a gun lock only as something that brings an historical point into clarity for them. Do not let it become the central story for you.

That is two cents from an old coot. :2

 

[BrownBear]

I'd concentrate on their senses- taste, smell, etc. That's my 40-year take on teaching kids of all stripes. They'll always remember that stuff better than your words.

Taste- put together units on foods and help them prep and eat them. Smell- can't dredge up anything specific other than to say if whatever you're working on has a smell, play with it. Hearing- collect some sample words and even modern recordings of music from powwows. Sight- get them into the art side of things. Touch- Might check with Tandy and local kid sponsors about funding/donating some of the "Indian" craft kits.

Mostly get them busy and keep them that way.

 

[elarges]

I don't want to go into long and drawn out detail, I just want them to understand how a lock works. They need to know that even though we see those weapons as old and unreliable, they were state-of-the-art at the time, and a man's life would depend on it.
I always stress the patriotic side of our history, and why it's important to understand how important our freedoms are today. We say the pledge every morning, which I strongly support.

 

[Stumpkiller]

If you're interested more in the history than the technology you can take several key things away from the F&I War (here - Seven Years War in Europe).

Robert Rogers Rules of Ranging. http://www.rogersrangers.com/rules.html

This from the Current U.S. Army 75th Ranger Regiment website http://www.goarmy.com/ranger/heritage/rodgers-orders.html

The F&I War was the first one in many centuries where "modern" tactics of not just laying siege to a fort, or two large armies meeting over open ground to slug it out were employed. Rear actions, guerrilla warfare (literally "little war" of small militia units), and ambush were employed on a large scale. Although there was still plenty of siege warfare.

As a country we learned a lot that was later employed during the Revolutionary War - forgotten here and there - and then refreshed in WWII and later.

The French Marines of the F&I War - light units that could be deployed rapidly - became the basis for our own Marines and later the airborne units when aircraft came into their own. Something that could be deployed fast and even behind far behind the enemy's front lines.

The British had marines as well, but they sprang from longbowmen aboard ships centuries before and were not much seperated from the navy in deployments.

 

[elarges]

I like that idea! Our home ec program was dropped years ago, but the stoves are still there. We could do a unit on cooking, and then music and so on. Hmmm...I'll have to file that away!

 

[coloradoclyde]

My advice/opinion is to engage the children and not focus on the teaching. Learning is a voluntary act, if you pay real close attention to them as you are “teaching” you will notice when they “perk up” and that is your opportunity to expand on something specific.

Myself, I always enjoy reading journals and diaries. I would also do a question and answer session every day requiring each student to have at least one question.

All of this is of course aside from any required competencies that may be set forth.

 

[crockett]

Well, I'm not sure the firearms aspect ought to be the focus. I'd start with how much territory the French controled at the start and their move into the Ohio River valley and western PA. Then maybe how the 13 colonies all started banding together for a common defense and this unification was a factor that later brought about various united Congresses first thought of as a means to fix problems with the "Mother Country" but then leading to the USA.
Maybe another interesting thing would be a similarity to the War with Mexico/Civil War. Most folks are aware of how Americans in the War with Mexico were all united but then ended up fighting one another in the Civil War but fewer people are aware that "Englishmen" who fought with one another in the French and Indian War would 20 years later be fighting each other in the AWI, some of them, like Robert Rogers or Simon Girty ended up on the Loyalist side, making the AWI very much a civil war in certain areas.

 

[Stumpkiller]

You're welcome to use a video I made for my Wife's elementary school class. Shows the priming and operation of a flintlock (and has me yabbering on).

http://youtu.be/0uGm8oBL3AE?list=UUftlgnkMnCVRCnKtqd1q9OA

 

[will5a1]

An add on to what BB and others have said regarding the senses - in the '90's when I was doing a union CW impression some of the local schools asked for, and got a presentation - I think the kids were in the 6th or 7th grades. In any case the big hit was serving the kids hardtack and salt pork, and letting them cook the salt pork up and crumble in the hardtack. They also seemed to get a kick out of some basic drills. Good luck to you.

 

[Col. Batguano]

If you can bring locks in, can you spark them? Put a little powder in the pan. That'll let them experience that wonderful smell.

As for teaching, I'd concentrate on commerce and trade. Make it a participatory thing, and let them trade a bunch of items within their group as a barter thing over the course of a week's time. MAke up as many bags of different items (you keep a key as to monetary value amount of each item and make them make a minimum number of trades each day. See who starts out with the most valus, and a "satisfaction index" and who winds up with the least on both scores.

Then, for fun, and as extra credit after school, you can show them how a still works when you get to the part about the whiskey rebellion. Just keep the damn Revenuers away! :rotf:

 

[wulf]

I would not confuse them with facts that are of interest to you. Sparking a flint action might set off the fire alarm...I would not teach much about history or weapons at all. But it's your class but I would advise caution.....Don't let your teaching become a "trigger".

 

[Coot]

I am into both history and firearms technology and believe that the difference between a rifle lock and a musket lock and how they function is as the pilots say, getting way down into the grass. Why the war was fought, what countries/groups were involved & why they aligned as they did, what the lasting results were is plenty to cover. If you feel compelled to cover anything about firearms of the time, a simple explanation of why rain could stop guns from firing and the basic difference between musket - rapid loading, not so accurate vs rifle - accurate but slow to load is plenty. More important is that your students understand why the Seven Years War is considered the first world war and how it altered the alignment & development of so much of the globe. IF the students ask for details, fine - but if they don't get the big picture, the details are not important.
On a plus note, my wife was a teacher, my cousin an elementary principal - its not an easy job & your efforts are to be applauded. :thumbsup:

 

[coloradoclyde]

I would not confuse them with facts that are of interest to you. Sparking a flint action might set off the fire alarm... But it's your class but I would advise caution.....Don't let your teaching become a "trigger".

WHAT! :shocked2:

Specifically!

I would not teach much about history or weapons at all.

And

Don't let your teaching become a "trigger".

 

[curator]

Find out if there is a F&I reenactor group in your area and ask some of them to come to your class in period costume. Clear it with your Principal first. There is a specific exemption for firearms brought into schools for educational purposes. I have done this for many years with no problem. Let the students ask questions then plan subsequent lessons around their interests and enthusiasm. Living history has the ability to create interest even among the most jaded youngsters. To make this happen you need to get them to realize this is about real people just like them, not some Hollywood movie. While they nearly always are intrigued about the guns, the #1 question was always: "how did you go to the bathroom?"

 

[Alden]

Whereas I disagree with Stumpy's assessment of the F&I war I think the video was fine.

And what was with that little black lamb?

 

[54ball]

You know more about the your administration better than I but I would check with them and the school resource officer about bringing the musket to school as a demo or display. Technically a musket is a non firearm under BATF. Your school or local JD may look upon that differently especially if there is a No Tolerance policy. Kids have been suspended for drawing guns under these policies.

As said there may be an exemption for educational purposes. If you do get the OK, be prepared to do more classes than yours as they may want to work in a great deal more students.

If not there is always the locks (if allowed) and videos. I've taught kids so here IMHO is what they like to not so much....

Hit... Shooting and loading demo, simply put they come out to see me shoot the old gun.

Hit...Showing the difference between loading from the horn and loading in the military fashion from the cartridge box All ages like the statement that at least two opposing teeth were required to bite the cartridge

Hit...Close order drill with wooden muskets, kids of all ages love this and sometimes I have been on the end and we have actually fired a volley.

Hit... edged weapon display, like a tomahawk or bayonet demo, not throwing but how it was used as a tool and weapon.

Hit... Camp set up with brief discussion of gear

Hit... Flint and steel fire

Hit... 18th Century clothing with brief description of period fashion.

Hit... Stories told of real human experiences with emotion and excitement.

:td: Technical histories and very detailed jargon, may interest some but you can tell when you are losing them.


Biting the cartridge

Flint and steel

 

[Sean Gadhar]

Find out if there is a F&I reenactor group in your area and ask some of them to come to your class in period costume. Clear it with your Principal first. There is a specific exemption for firearms brought into schools for educational purposes. I have done this for many years with no problem. Let the students ask questions then plan subsequent lessons around their interests and enthusiasm. Living history has the ability to create interest even among the most jaded youngsters. To make this happen you need to get them to realize this is about real people just like them, not some Hollywood movie. While they nearly always are intrigued about the guns, the #1 question was always: "how did you go to the bathroom?"

:thumbsup:

"plan subsequent lessons around their interests and enthusiasm"

So 2nd through 4th-5th grade I would have been in your class. In pre testing for 4th I could read at a 1st grade level,
My mom found something that went to my interests and enthusiasm. At that time it was the books by James Herriot, starting with (If Only They Could Talk) now it is the 1st half of All Creatures Great and Small

She would read me 2 pages I would read her one, then 2&2, then 2&the chapter

In pre testing for 6th (two years later) I could read at a high twelfth grade level. They tested me twice because the could not believe an 11+ year jump in reading comprehension in two years.

I would think a bit of a preview of the things you could teach them with the kids. Kind of a "here is what's in store" kind of thing. If you get Zero questions when you talk about forts & half there hands are up when you talk about the food eaten, center the lessons about the forts more on the commerce (food) that forts provided.

I only had a few Great teachers, but I remember each & how they enriched my life.

I hope your kids remember you :thumbsup:

 

[Billnpatti]

ericlarges said: We say the pledge every morning, which I strongly support.

God bless you!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[ZUG]

Here is a suggestion -- I know it is not F&I War time frame but it has good interesting stuff to keep the kids interest -- purchase the DVD "Gunsmith of Willimsburg" and show it over a few days/week stopping every so often and have a "question & answer" period on what they saw. Here is a youtube video of the DVD -- :hmm: .