Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Caterpillar On A Fence


Caterpillar On A Fence, originally uploaded by Corbie.

I've got an interesting group of kids this week. Five of the campers in my group are deaf, as are two of my cabin leaders. There are, of course, a couple of sign language interpreters hiking with us. Without them I'd be reduced to pantomime. I think this is the first time I've worked with deaf kids, and it makes me feel energized, perhaps because I find I'm having to rethink my lessons so as to include everybody. I'm already picking up some words in sign language, as are some of the other students.

The only picture I took during class today is the one accompanying this post. I'm not sure what kind of butterfly or moth this will turn into. In a way, caterpillars are sort of like kids. They eat a lot, and they have the potential to turn into butterflies that can spread beauty wherever they flutter. Some of them, however, may turn into moths that eat holes in all of your best sweaters. It's sometimes hard to tell what kind of adult a kid will turn into. Of course, with kids it's not predestined. Through hard work and vigilance we can usher them away from the good sweaters and towards something more productive and aesthetically pleasing.

That said, I find moths aesthetically pleasing too.

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