In spite of all odds, the MIC Project begins

Debriana and Wendy after we collected caterpillars in the heat

As I have told my colleague many times, teaching should not be this hard. Getting a project going should not be this hard.
I am not referring to the effort at making plans to teach and delivering the many forms and vicissitudes of instruction. That kind of hard work is expected and often exhilarating and what keeps me at it each day.

I am referring to the unnecessary hard work of getting the resources needed and personnel engaged to teach and, in this case, to carry out the MIC project. I tried to get audience with the principals of the Madison County School District to present my project so that I could get the twenty four teams of three students and one adult sponsor from the Madison County School District schools. The superintendent suggested a mass email to the principals since they had a packed agenda. The is what I did. Then some genius in Nigeria or somewhere managed to hack my email and it got shut down for the two weeks prior to the project. In spite of my filling out work orders and sending emails to important people from my other email account and going to my principal, my school email and main means of communication for the project was still not working on the day the project began. To complicate things further two schools that I tried to contact did not work out. Further there were no more POs allowed after noon on Monday before my project so I had to improvise for some supplies which involved returning some items and doing other creative exchanges and purchases.

So Saturday arrived, three plots were marked in the woods for collection caterpillars, the food for lunch was purchased, a student was asked to run the equipment for the presentations and, most importantly, our indomitable janitor was hired to open everything up and to cook the hot dogs for lunch.

As I drove up an hour before starting time the mentor for the project, Dr. Richard Brown, turned in the school drive from the other direction at the same time. Off to a good start. Mr. Day, the janitor showed up and then a student from the middle school and before it was over four of my teacher colleagues all showed up on time and ready. Nine of the eighteen students from Velma arrived at various times, another student from the middle school and three from the elementary and the projectionist.

Dr. Brown brought some awesome samples of butterflies and caterpillars to put on the lobby table and hooked people's interest right away.





His presentation was excellent and when he gets permisssions I will post it on the wikipage. After we got the paperwork straight and instructions given, we went into the woods to collect caterpillars. Here are the teams:
Ms. Curette, Ms. Towner, Ariel, Fred, Wendy, Kenya
Michelle, Ms. Dickerson, Afrika, Kierra(second row), Jamaica, Jaylen, Brittany
Mr. Hamblin, Michael, Anthony, Ms. Taylor, Debrianna, Lonnie


Two Velma Jackson supporters let us use their land right across the street for the MIC Project. They were not home but let us come anyway. We walked past a pond, through a golf course that he is developing, through a cow pasture and through an open field to the three plots marked for the project. Here are some of the teams at work:





The best news is we were successful and several commented on how much fun science is and how this is what science should be - hands on, minds on.

Here are some of the caterpillars:





We got back to regroup and someone had locked up the hot dog buns for lunch so we were delayed but one of the teachers, MS. Dickerson, who just one a NIssan Grant for her local culture clas, printed out butterflies on her commuter and had the kids coloring as we waited and others got to discuss the project.

All in all it was a very successful day with a lot of learning taking place - great quality though far short of the 96 person quantity planned for.

Good things come to those who wait

Even in 100 plus degree heat, the oasis delivered these.



Easy rider on the hydragea



Day One



Second Row: Jessica, Brittany, Jaylan, Kenya holding RJ, Ms. Towner
Front Row: Justin and Wendy

After not a lot of sleep, I rushed out to Velma Jackson to meet some folks rounded up by our spirited PTA President to help clean up my room that I left pretty much in a disaster. At least that is what I thought. I got there just before the scheduled 10:00 am appointment for disaster relief and no one was there. When I asked one of the front office people if they had seen anyone, she said, “She will not come.”

Oh yea, of little faith, about 11:05 in walks the president and her crew, her daughter, Kenya, her daughter’s friend, Jessica, (both will be in my physics class and they scored some serious brownie points) and her two younger children and their friends. They all needed volunteer hours for 4H and I needed some serious help - great combination.

They all jumped right in and we cleaned hamster and gerbil cages, moved Eduardo, the guinea pigs pen and cleaned up some not so pleasant waste material that he left behind and threw away clutter, moved out all the desks and cleaned them and mopped the floor and sorted clutter and generally gave zoo 122 a make-over. All I had to do was work along side them and encourage and cook hot dogs on my George Foreman grill.
Thank you.

As if that three-hour stint was not enough. They agreed to come back on Monday to take on the greenhouse.

Day Two Crew
Jaylan, Ms. Towner, Jessica, Kenya, Chris
Wendy, Brittany
Justin

This time I got there early and there was knock at my door and it was the new principal and his assistant. They introduced themselves and were dressed very professionally with pastel shirts and striped ties and I was standing there in my shorts, T-shirt and clogs. I said I did not get the memo about dressing. The principal was very supportive and the assistant nodded smiled and nodded a lot, and they willingly took the tour of my room and the greenhouse. Then the principal asked who was in charge of the school fountain – it had become a tremendous eyesore over the summer without any maintenance and the once beautiful flowers were smothered by three foot high Bermuda grass. I said the last administrator and I never really came to a good understanding. The kids really need a lot of support to keep it going and some money for supplies occasionally. He asked if I wanted that in my program. I said yes and he said I had his support.

I told him it would probably be Monday or Tuesday before I could get people to do it. He thought that would be great. And then my help showed up again in force and besides Kenya and Jessica who worked tirelessly, creatively and without complaint on Wednesday another student who will also be a senior, Chris, showed up and joined forces.

I got the fourth grader, Justin, started on the fountain area and he immediately had a good understanding about getting the roots up and not having to do it again. I interrupted the principal from a meeting to tell him a young man was out there working in the heat and could really use a pop at some point and to test his support. He passed later with a pop and two bananas.



I also enlisted Chris on the fountain and put in some serious time myself to which Chris said to Justin, “I cannot keep up with Mr. Banks, this heat does not seem to bother him.”


He did alright.


I ride without AC and the windows down to condition and to simulate motorcycle riding.

At any rate we got it finished and when I told and showed the principal who graciously gave me his cold water, he said UPS couldn’t deliver like you. I said just call me UPS and we are off to a good start. Mr. John Sullivan will be fine as our new principal - he recognizes persistent passion that you do not have to wait overnight for.

I hope for a good year. After serving hot dogs to all I went from there to surprise our former assistant principal who is now the head principal of East Flora Elementary with a farewell gift. She told her secretary to be careful about whom she let in, but was really glad to see me even though I thought the picture on the wall was a tomato and it was an apple. She was very encouraging of my career and told some good lies about my ability and intellect to her secretary. Fare very well, Dr. Robinson.

I snapped this clandestinely.