ADVENTURE

“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go”
(Abraham Lincoln 1809-1865)

Too many students are sitting in classroom day after day watching at the clock and feeling bored. As teachers we must find a way to get these students motivated and excited about something in their lives.
By creating adventure we are not only teaching them a great deal, but we are also building their confidence fostering trust and encouraging them to become better students.
1) Teachers and parents should call upon their youthful sense of adventure:
• As teachers we should create an environment where students feel that they can be themselves to laugh and be free. The best way we can do this is to lead by example.
• Teachers can apply that attitude in many different ways. Something as simple as dressing up during homecoming week, School Spirit Day, or other special occasions such as Twin Day or Halloween.
• Sometimes we need to remember what it feels like to be young and re-create that sense of daring. We need to take a few risks and show our students we are still able to laugh and experience a little adventure in our lives.

2) Finding trust and forming bonds:
• I always recommend teachers to join with the students in the school´s adventures. Whether it is rock climbing, rappelling, paint ball, a rope course…Those type of activities tend to bond those who participate together and provides memories that will last a lifetime.

3) Adventure is taking the risk:
• As a teacher we need to put a fire, courage and determination in the hearts of Children. Help them face their fears, teach them when taking a chance is worth the risk, and give them the desire to follow their dreams.

4) Realistic adventures:
• There are limits to what adults can or can´t do when adding adventure to a child´s life. Each teacher has a different reality, personality and expectations. However, there are always simple things that can be done to add some excitement and break up the monotony of the day-to day routine.
• On beautiful whether days I would tell my kids to line up and we would go outside under a tree where I would teach my lesson. That takes little effort, but in the eyes of students it´s heaven.
• Adventure in the classroom can be anything that brings the lesson to life. Some teachers bring food from other countries, dress as famous people in history or recreate a historic battle, assign scavenger hunts. Activities where students feel they are actually living the stories.
• Adding an exciting activity, something different and something stimulating, to the classroom experience will help students to have a better grasp of the material. They will become more interested in the learning process and for the years to come they will remember what has been taught. In order to truly reach all students we must find a way to create that spark and motivate them to love learning.

5) Being smart with adventure. The benefits of organization:
• One of the best ways to bring your lesson to life is through field trips. However, they require a lot of organizational skills as well as a good amount of time and preparation.
• If new teachers think about the whole picture of the necessary steps that takes to get a field trip going it will seem overwhelming. But the rewards of a well organized, rich and purposeful field trip will pay off by far the initial time invested on its organization.

6) Through adventure we discover a lot about ourselves:
• When we are placed in a situation where we are challenged or pushed to our limits we discover untested parts of ourselves and learn a great deal about what we are truly made of.
• Experiencing adventure reveals strength within ourselves that we might never have realized was there.

7) Adventure builds anticipation and foster improvements:
• Travelling excites us all. Experiencing something different, seeing a new place and being in new surroundings is challenging and exhilarating. When you use that motivation to get kids to learn, not only do they retain information at a faster pace, but they also want to learn because it is something they see relevant and something they will be using and experiencing in the near future.