Day 18 - Gig is up

Thursday, April 15, 2010

After much thought and careful consideration, I decided to end the project after it all "went public". As my former Biology teacher and mentor Tim Block told me when I started working at CCCHS, "Sometimes kids can take something you are ON FIRE about and pour COLD water all over it." I wanted to avoid having that happen by pushing my luck too hard with this project.

Now seemed as good of time as any to just switch it up and move on, rather than trying to make that call at some point between now and the end of school. Trying to carry on until the end of school in the dress as I had originally planned felt like beating a dead horse. 4 weeks was enough to make my point. I did not want to risk having it be a distraction to whatever else we do from here out.

And I was tired of it too. I did not expect it to effect me as much as it did. Lots of days I could not wait to get home and change, and I was starting to feel pretty insecure about my appearance. Even hippy-dippy tree huggers like me can be pretty vain.

During each of my Biology classes today I discussed what I had been doing with the students. I would say it was split about 50/50 between one of two reactions from the kids:
Reaction #1: Wow. That's pretty cool. I had noticed and had talked to my friends about it, but had no idea what the point of all this was. Cool.

Reaction #2: Lame. I had no idea, would never have noticed, and really don't care what you wear or why. Yawn.

My hope is that the students took away a message about how we "do" science. It is not just something we learn out of a textbook. It is a process. The same process is applicable to everything around us. Look around you. Ask questions. Feed your need to wonder and question and explore things. Share what you know. Consider opposing evidence just as carefully as you consider those that agree with your point of view.

Also, I hope they took away a message about consumption of resources. Think to yourself, "Do I really need ANOTHER pair of shoes almost just like the ones I already own, or could that money be put to better use somewhere else?" "Do we REALLY need new styrofoam prom decorations every year or could we possibly recycle a few things?" How about " If I am just a few blocks away from my destination, should I walk or should I drive?"