Learning as we go…

Stephanie at Throwing Marshmallows has a quote: Learning can only happen when a child is interested. If he’s not interested it’s like throwing marshmallows at his head and calling it eating.” - Anonymous

I saw marshmallows flying the other day and it was cool! We went to a farm and were given a hayride through the cow maintenance and care. It was a dairy farm. We didn't get to see the cows be milked, but we did get to see where the cows are kept, how they are kept, fed and so on. While the tour guide (the famers' daughter, also a farmer herself) explained the operations over her microphone (she did a great job), my kids felt free to eat those marshmallows or let them fly. I ate more than they did because I was interested. Did you know the cows wear  computer chip anklets that let the people folk know when movement patterns have changed?

Later the kids and I talked about it all. They corrected me on the age at which the calves are separated from their mothers (12 HOURS!), but I think the rest was a rain of marshmallows. Since it was not a big deal whether they obtained/retained (whatever) any information or not, they were free to have fun and experience the whole trip, and did they! They will remember this adventure as they day they fed the sheep, goats, pigs, cows, and chickens for hours. They did. They made this their experience and that made the experience good learning. They can tell you what it feels like to have a cows tongue wrap around a cob or corn. They can tell you how a pig's nose feels and how a pig will attack a cob of corn and fight over it with another pig. They can tell you how a sheep feels and how a goat will nibble food out of your hand and attempt to walk a cat walk high over head. Can they really do that?

They learned how a farm smells and what it feels like to be with farm animals. This wasn't so much a field trip as an adventure. I may be taking Stephanie's quote totally in the wrong direction, but as I was thinking about our adventure today, I saw marshmallows; and I was grateful that marshmallows are not bricks. Take them or leave them.I am so glad my children do not feel they have to eat them, but can enjoy them if they find them relevant. I have come to see forced information as as harmful as no information when it is needed or more harmful. It takes away the hunger for information and exploration and experience when you are being force fed.

I think I have probably totally made mush out of marshmallows and the quote.....