Shattering Expectations

My youngest daughter has a science teacher at Indiana School for the Deaf who has sparked her interest in science in a variety of ways, but mostly because this teacher has a room full of animals: fish, a hedgehog, lizards, and turtles.  Mercy’s favorite, however, is a crested red gecko.  She has been saving her allowance and birthday money for a while.  Recently, she bought a cage, complete with heating pad, rock-like watering dish, and fake tropical plants.  The only thing remaining is the purchase of the actual gecko.

Mercy's New Cage

Her teacher told her that we could buy a gecko from a pet store, but we should also check out the Reptile Show at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds.  So last Sunday afternoon, while the county was still digging out after the snow storm, we loaded up Mercy and Zeb and headed over.

Red Crested Gecko: Photo from SilverToraGe

To be perfectly honest, I was not prepared for this experience.  We paid the entry fee and walked into Hall C.  Tables had been arranged to create booths all around the room, and these tables were covered end-to-end with clear plastic containers of various shapes and sizes.  Inside the containers were critters: lizards, tarantulas, turtles, scorpions, snakes, skinks, monitors, and geckos.  Two booths were set up for food: the first was for human consumption and the second, not so much.   It held cages of mice, crickets, worms and other delicacies favored by the creeping, crawling, and jumping creatures watching us from inside their plastic containers.

The word heebie-jeebies has always been one of my favorites, and I now have an experience to associate with the term. 

Almost as interesting as examining the reptilian menagerie, was watching the other attendees at the show.  People intensely interested in reptiles, spiders, and snakes, as you might imagine, tend to be unique in other ways as well.  They rolled in and out of the hall in waves.  They stood and debated the merits of different creatures, wrapped enormous snakes around their necks, and nuzzled creepy crawlies of all types.  From what I could hear, the young and old aficionados have read extensively, they have real-life experience with their pets, and they care deeply for creatures about which I know very little.

Even with a serious case of the willies, I must admit that I began to understand some of their fascination when I actually held a gecko and looked closely.  I was mesmerized by the unblinking eyes staring back at me from its prehistoric face.  I was fascinated by the movement of its sticky-toes as it walked up my arm, and I had my expectations shattered when I discovered the baby-softness of its skin, when I expected it to be hard and scaly to the touch.  I’m not a full convert, but am beginning to understand the appeal.

Gecko Feet: Photo from nsf.gov

As I think back on that day—and I have done so regularly since then—I have reached a few conclusions.  They are, in no particular order of importance, as follows:

• Cross-Cultural Experiences: When I travel, I assume I am going to come across cultures different from my own.  I know that I will run into people with different values, interests, beliefs, and passions, so I am seldom shocked.  In fact, I find the experience enriching.  After attending the Reptile Show, I am more convinced than ever that we can and do have cross-cultural experiences right here in Fishers, Indiana.  In this case, I witnessed a whole group of people who are passionate about reptiles, snakes, and spiders, but this is only one example of many.  I was surprised by this experience and my reaction to it, but I shouldn’t be. 
• Danger—Not of Reptiles, but Rather of Attitudes: I recognize that I may be unintentionally dismissive of the passions of others, simply because I am uninformed, unaware, or fail to see the beauty and wonder that they do.  Intentional or not, my attitudes have potential to hurt, especially if others perceive my own biases as rejection of who they are and what they consider important.
• HSE Students: I want to change the pronoun to plural in this point.  We see students every day who have interests in tune with our own.  In fact, we likely have multiple points of connection to most students walking our halls.  If we take time to look more closely, I believe we may also discover students who have interests and passions very different from our own.  More importantly, we may be able to tap into the passions, interests, and gifts of these students in ways that will benefit them, help them feel appreciated, and can enrich all of us.

There is no question that last Sunday’s trip to the fairgrounds took me out of my comfort zone.  It gave me the heebie-jeebies at first, but I’m starting to see how Mercy’s interest could become one of my own.  Her gecko could become one more point of connection between us.

It makes me wonder.  I wonder how our students who are disconnected from school or feel outside the mainstream might react if they could spend time in at least one class deeply exploring and sharing their own areas of interest.  Providing this opportunity may take us out of our comfort zone.  Giving up some control on content may give us the heebie-jeebies at first, but it might also shatter a student’s negative expectations of school.  It might help these students reconnect to school, feel part of the school, and result in some amazing learning—for students and for us.

That possibility gives me the shivers of a different kind.  Have a great week, HSE.

Phil

• “The man who never alters his opinions is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind.”  --William Blake
• “Snakes are sometimes perceived as evil, but they are also perceived as medicine.  If you look at an ambulance, there are the two snakes on the side of the ambulance, the caduceus or the staff of Hermes.  There are the two snakes, which means that the venom can also be healing.”  --Nicolas Cage
• “The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”  --Mahatma Ghandi