Yay! More questions! Here goes:
Can you share more about the lesson plans you use to teach at the schools? What is one of your most favorite teachable moments so far on the trip? (Ariadne Delon Scott, Stanford Transportation)
We all taught hour-long workshops based on our individual academic interests and backgrounds. Leo, with a background of having worked SpaceX and building rockets with Stanford Space Initiative, taught “Building Bottle Rockets,” which included a short lecture on basic rocket science and aerodynamics and then time for students to build and launch bottle rockets. Victoria, excited to ask all sorts of people we meet along the way, from hosts to restaurant owners, about their sense of social belonging and connection, taught “Community and Social Networks,” a discussion-based workshop where students mapped out their social network with sticky notes on poster board. Jordan, coming from years of art classes she’s taken before and in Stanford, as well as a passion for mental health practices, taught an introductory charcoal-based drawing and meditation course called “Art as Meditation: Practicing Mindfulness Through Creative Expression.” Anna, a history major focusing on the history of the law in society, in her workshop “Exploring Historical Perspective and Bias Through a Camera Lens” introduced students to tools for thinking about history through introductory photography. Alex, majoring in CS and TAing various CS courses at Stanford, as well as our team’s go-to person for any tech questions, cleverly introduced students to “How the Internet Works” through showing them computer code alongside a fun game of telephone during his workshop. Finally, as a psychology major with specific interests in social psychology, I taught a discussion-based and puzzle-making workshop on “Social Identities and Intersectionality.”
A favorite teachable moment in this trip has been realizing how important providing examples in lessons are. From helping with teammates’ workshops to closely watching students’ reactions in my own, I’ve seen over and over how if students can see and, even better, work with an example representing a more complex concept, there is a far higher chance of them understanding that concept. It has been extremely gratifying to witness the “aha!” learning moments.
What have you learned along the way (about bikes, about teaching, about traveling across the US, about yourselves, about snacks)? (Anonymous)
1) About bikes: Gears make a really big difference for going up and down hills. Trying to “tough it out” at the same gear to save the brain power of trying to change gears earns me extra exhaustion and a side eye from Jordan.
2) About teaching: K-12 teachers deserve the utmost respect and gratitude. Seriously, the amount of energy it takes to fully engage with a classroom full of students is far more than it takes to, say, stubbornly bike up a hill on a single gear.
3) About traveling across the US: Each state has a distinct driving culture. More on this at the end of the post.
4) About ourselves: Our team dynamic is very much like a family of 6 on a road trip. In my mind, each person plays a clear familial role. One of my favorite titles I’ve heard someone called is “concerned family friend.”
5) About snacks: Cheez-it mayo sandwiches and Dot’s pretzels, paired with a can or two of black coffee, are the best creations of humankind.
Is there anything that you were exposed to during your trip that you think you will want to commit more of your time to in the future. If so, how can the Stanford community contribute and support you in those efforts? (The TomKat Center)
Although I’m the only vegetarian on the team, I’ve been very lucky that all my teammates have been very conscientious of making sure hosts and restaurants and grocery hauls have options available for me (special shout out to Leo for making the point to communicate this to every single host). In some places in the country, vegetarian options were far more accessible compared to other areas. I’d be curious to identify and explore what list of factors influence this difference. On campus, I’m excited to explore any classes on related topics.
What was the biggest surprise or the most unexpected thing you learned or experienced? (The TomKat Center)
One big surprise has been seeing how different states have very different driving cultures around bikes. Here are a few particularly worth mentioning:
1) In Nevada and Kentucky, we’ve encountered hands-down some of the least bike-friendly driving. From honking aggressively, to leaning the head out to yell insults, to a handful of coal rolls, we’ve seen it all. Of course, driving incredibly quickly and closely to bikers is a given alongside these displays.
2) In Kansas, we’ve met some of the most social drivers. We often passed by trucks giving us friendly toots and waves, an occasional cheer, as well as many friendly conversations with strangers in gas stations.
3) Colorado by far had my favorite driving. Especially in areas with a vibrant bike culture and bikers all over the Rockies, vehicles of all sizes slowed down and made sure to give bikers a wide shoulder, no matter how narrow or steep the roads. Cities, such as Denver, were also built with good bike infrastructure — plenty of bike trails and large, clearly painted bike lanes.
Thanks for reading and for the questions — one more day till we reach D.C.!
Cheers,
Helen