On Their Own

The day was sunny and warm, the chatter on the bus friendly and excited. We were on our way with 225 sixth graders to George Washington's Mount Vernon. Fortunately the place is big enough with so many different options and activities that it almost seemed like each small group had it to themselves. My 13 kids chose a scavenger hunt based on Washington's Spies to guide their exploration of the grounds and out buildings, and down at the museum, they loved the 4D movie so much that they wanted to see it twice. "Why not?" I shrugged. Who was I to deprive them of a double dose of Revolutionary War history?

It was their day, and I was just along to make sure no one got injured or hurt as they explored and learned about our first president on their own terms. Being allowed to make their own responsible choices is still a novelty in sixth grade, and these kids embraced the freedom.

Back on the bus, the group seemed pretty satisfied. "I thought it was going to be boring," I overheard one student say, "but it was actually awesome!"

Independence is always engaging, as I'm sure Washington himself would have agreed!