Advocate for Possibility
  • Blog page
  • Favorite Readings
  • Favorite video links
  • Contact me
  • Important Links
    • Whitehall Counseling Department website
    • ASCA
    • Career Cruising
    • The Boomerang Project
    • WEB Welcome Home

Education and living with Purpose

Purposeful thoughts on advocating for middle school students. Some write blogs on how to be a good educator, I would like to focus on why.  




Whitehall MS Counseling site

High Ropes and High Hopes

9/25/2013

0 Comments

 
I love heights, but I was nervous on the ground. I have done ropes courses and rappelled in Marquette, Michigan, but everyone has their fears and limits. I have never belayed before. The belay is responsible for the safety of the person on the course. I was petrified. Somehow it seemed so much more concrete and physical that we have the safety of our students in our hands every day. On the ropes course you are physically connected to the safety of the student. The rope is the lifeline. I choked.

Luckily the camp counselors saw my fear and let me become the photographer. The photos above show some of our 6th graders on the high ropes course at Camp Miniwanca. I can't really put into words the emotions I felt as I watched students overcoming fears, setting and reaching goals, and cheering on others. In quick succession and without any textbook information our students learned teamwork, overcoming adversity, persistence, resilience, goal setting, empathy, support, relying on your resources, depending on your safety net, and taking positive risks. There are probably some lessons I have left out. These were the lessons  that came to mind in that hour long ropes challenge. Whitehall students are truly fortunate to have this opportunity and Whitehall schools are fortunate to have such incredible students. Watching the intensity and determination of these young adolescents gives me hope. I feel safe in knowing that these students are our future and will take care of our world when we are gone. I would let any of these students belay for me. You should know that the leader who preached total support got that in abundance when I was afraid to belay.


Our entire 6th grade class goes to camp together for the week and learns courage and skill and strategy. Eleven year old students cheering for each other and encouraging success in new adventures.  What a great collective experience. These pictures show what can be learned in the woods near a Lake Michigan shore. Our students amaze me. Thank you for letting me join you today!

0 Comments

    Author

    Lori Hartman is a lifetime educator and a possibility advocate.  She earned a Master of Arts  in Counseling Education Counseling Psychology from Western Michigan University and is an L.P.C.


    Advocate Possibility is recognized by Teach 100 blogs!

    Teach.com
    Picture

    Named one of the best 100 counseling blogs!

    Archives

    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013

    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Amle
    Apha
    Asca
    #beworthwatching
    Boomerang Project
    First Blog
    Middle School
    Middle Web
    School Counseling
    Schools To Watch
    #worthwatching

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
Photos used under Creative Commons from Kris Krug, jeffweese, technotheory
  • Blog page
  • Favorite Readings
  • Favorite video links
  • Contact me
  • Important Links
    • Whitehall Counseling Department website
    • ASCA
    • Career Cruising
    • The Boomerang Project
    • WEB Welcome Home
✕