Walkabout in Sixth Grade

Abstract

Mr. Isenberg describes a program, based on the trial of manhood of the Australian Aborigines, that empowers his sixth-graders educationally and gives them opportunities for growth. The term - originating in the Australian Aborigine trial of manhood - is probably more familiar to Americans today than at any time in the past. However, the idea that self-discovery and challenge are important parts of the passage into adulthood is ancient. The beauty of the ancient tradition of the walkabout is that it creates an opportunity for growth as young people move from childhood to adulthood. Those on walkabout are challenged to use all their skills, apply their knowledge to real problems, and see tangible results. The experience also includes time to be introspective and to assimilate what has been learned through the trial itself. When the walkabout is completed, the sojourners return to a new adult life with great pride in their accomplishments. These are worthy goals for any educational setting, but they are especially appropriate for early adolescents. My first exposure to the idea of walk-about as an educational program was in 1978 when I attended a presentation by the Center for Educational Services and Research in Yorktown Heights, New York. I was intrigued enough to gather the literature that was available at that time. And I was surprised to discover numerous programs evolving throughout the country. While there was considerable variety, they all shared core principles of walkabout in that they were student-centered, activity-oriented, and focused on authentic life skills. However, I was disappointed to discover that most of them were designed as alternative high school programs for high-risk students. I did not see any reason why the basic principles of walkabout needed to be limited to older students. So, while it took some years to find myself in the right situation to launch a program, in 1986 I began to offer the challenge of walkabout to my sixth-grade students. Sixth grade seemed like an ideal time to introduce the walkabout concept. Children of 11 or 12 years of age are undergoing rapid physical and emotional change. They are typically given more freedom and independence as well as additional responsibilities at home, in school, and in the community. In my school system in Vermont, students are preparing to make a significant instructional leap from small rural elementary schools into the larger consolidated high school. Most important, many students are eager to become more independent and to expand their opportunities to govern their own learning. Walk-about can channel these natural energies in productive ways. Program Design The walkabout program I developed for my sixth-graders was drawn from several models in the literature and adapted for younger students. The basic structure revolves around five areas of personal development: * adventure - a challenge to the student's dating, endurance, and skill in an unfamiliar environment (e.g., rock climbing, backpacking, wilderness fishing, hunting); * creativity - a challenge to explore, cultivate, and express one's own imagination in some aesthetically pleasing form (e.g., oil painting, playing musical instruments, quilting, cartooning); * logical inquiry - a challenge to pursue one's curiosity, to formulate a question of personal importance, and to explore an answer or solution systematically (e.g., police training, llama husbandry, animal anatomy, veterinary medicine); * practical skills - a challenge to explore a utilitarian activity and to acquire the knowledge and skill necessary to work in a given field and to produce something of use (e.g., cooking, sewing, woodworking, house design); and * service - a challenge to identify a need for help and to provide it without expectation of reward (e.g., assisting in a local parent-child center, doing chores for elderly neighbors, assisting at the local humane society). …