This isn't what it seems - not a new approach to discipline! As some of you may have read in an earlier posting, I teach high school science. Two of my classes are lower achieving students; some special ed, some English as second language, etc. In these classes, we are finishing a unit over sustainable agriculture and animal husbandry. I just got through castrating 5 pigs for these classes, and we then cooked the testicles. Talk about an experience for some of the kids! They loved it! If you ever have the chance to work with a local school doing training in sustainable ag, jump on it. Most kids know amazingly little about farming, especially sustainable farming, and they need to interact with folks that do. Plus, in spite of the moans and comments about how "gross" and even "cruel" some of the procedures we do are, the absolutely love handling and looking at the animals, even helping with the procedures.

-- nmays (mays@raptor.afsc.k12.ar.us), April 20, 2000

Answers

Response to classroom castration

I taught an environmental studies class at the University of WI for several years. This is a major agriculture state. You would be amazed how little these college kids knew about how food was produced. I did a section on sustainable agriculture - they learned a lot and I learned a lot!

I've said before on this board, this is the reason I don't homeschool. I want to be involved in education. We've left the sidewalks. Now I live in the Ozarks and substitute teach a few days a week. I suspect the teaching bug will get me again but for now, I enjoy the contact I have with the local community!

Kim

-- Kim (fleece@eritter.net), April 20, 2000.

Response to classroom castration

Whoops I just said something that could be easily be misunderstood again (seems I do that a lot). I didn't mean to say I didn't consider homeschooling education (of course it is) only that I want to be able to reach out to the community through education, and I can't do that just by teaching my kids at home. You dedicated folks who homeschool have my respect! Kim

-- kim (fleece@eritter.net), April 20, 2000.

Response to classroom castration

We do farm tours for the local pre-school, lots of homeschooled kids, the special needs adults, and have taken animals to school. It is such a treat to see these kids! The thought that an egg comes from a chickens butt! That old turkey is what you eat at Thanksgiving! The chocolate pudding we ate, was made from Goats milk, that came from where? And my favorite for anyone who owns a buck! If my husband could reach he would never leave home! The last one was from a gal in a dress and heals, and the principle of the Middle School! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 21, 2000.

Response to classroom castration

Umm...Nmays....maybe this is a bit silly on my part, but do you live in an agricultural area? I just don't see an urban school allowing this procedure in the classroom...how on earth did you get past the fits that some parents would throw???

-- Tracy (trimmer@westzone.com), April 24, 2000.

Response to classroom castration

Tracy- I am in an agricultural area. Lots of hog farms around here although only one of my students is familiar with how they work. To date, the only slack I've caught was from another teacher (not to my face either), and that was enough to stop this demonstration in the future. As it happens, she is the principal's sister. So I've been informed this exercise is not to be repeated. I did get the principal's permission prior to cutting the pigs. No regrets - so far only the pigs and this teacher have verbally expressed their disapproval of the demonstration!

-- nmays (mays@raptor.afsc.k12.ar.us), April 25, 2000.

Response to classroom castration

nmays,

Are you by chance in AR? We are in NW Arkansas in the Ozarks. Sorry to hear you can't repeat the lesson but there are lots of other great ones to be done!!! Next fall you can do a taste test with store bought tomatoes and real tomatoes. It's a great opportunity to teach about agribusiness, marketing and good nutrition. If you are within several hours of us maybe I could help out??

Kim

-- kim (fleece@eritter.net), April 25, 2000.

Response to classroom castration

Tracy,

For years schools have been disecting worms, frogs and fetal pigs! Why is that any different. I agree, most places would have parents throw fits but it really is stupid. Castration is (whether we like it or not) the backbone of meat production in this country. The more people know about what they are eating the better!!!! Let them at least make educated choices.

Kim

-- kim (fleece@eritter.net), April 25, 2000.

Response to classroom castration

Please don't get me wrong. I'm not saying it shouldn't be done. I have a problem myself with the way things are being shoved out of schools because some people find them "indelicate". If we're going to raise our children to live in the real world, occasionally they have to be exposed to it, and I see nothing wrong myself with this exercise.

My point was just that I KNOW this wouldn't fly in our area. I don't think the administration would allow it, for fear of what some parents or "activist" groups might do. I admire Nmays for suggesting this as a lesson. For a group of kids who live and work in an area where this industry is prevalent, I think it's important. I was just surprised that it wasn't an issue.

-- Tracy (trimmer@westzone.com), April 26, 2000.

Response to classroom castration

Kim- I'm in Dardanelle. Grew up in Searcy County, graduated from high school in Marshall. I would be happy to have your help some time next year. Most assuredly an Arkie, but I'm becoming more satisfied with the Ark. River Valley area all the time. The "native" folks in my hometown and surrounding area are turning more and more into a bunch of whinebags - mostly stemming back to the fight for the Buffalo River in the early 70's. Grab a copy of the local paper (Marshall Mountain Wave) and you'll see what I mean. Anyway, I waited to do the farming unit until spring this year, but I plan to incorporate it throughout the quarters next year as I teach more actual biology to these kids. Again, you're welcome to come down for a day. Would do these kids a lot of good to talk with someone else interested in living sustainably and in an environmentally friendly manner. Neal M.

-- nmays (mays@raptor.afsc.k12.ar.us), April 26, 2000.

Response to classroom castration

Maybe this will sound like a really dumb question...but...I haven't lived in the country long...is it possible to "fix" a dog or a cat yourself...a male I mean???

-- Ann (avdb11@canada.com), December 13, 2000.

I guess it can be done , I once got 3 goats castrated.

-- Cindy (cindy_katalnikov@yahoo.com), March 04, 2002.

OH NO! Here we go again! LOL!

-- cowgirlone in OK (cowgirlone47@hotmail.com), March 04, 2002.

It has just got to be the weird weather........ ;>)

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), March 04, 2002.

Ann,

Yes, it CAN be done but seeing as how you seem to be posting from Canada I would not recommend it at this time for reasons of putrid politics.

......Alan.

-- Alan (athagan@atlantic.net), March 04, 2002.

cowgirlone........are you starting to see a pattern here?? Clearly we have an unappreciated sense of humor.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), March 04, 2002.

Ann you need to read through the older post, there are lots about it.

LOL, maybe all of THOSE post could be put under one heading? There will always be new people that want to know about this and it would be alot easier to point them to the single heading.

For schools it seems like such a thing could still be taught as a field trip. I have often thought about how I would like to help small 'country' or small town school, with farm and home skills after we get moved. I hope so anyway.

-- Thumper/inOKC (slrldr@yahoo.com), March 04, 2002.

Diane... cowgirlone...should I head for the kitchen and start baking cookies?????

-- Ardie/WI (ardie54965@hotmail.com), March 04, 2002.

Sorry Cindy, you probably think we've lost our minds! The home castration question has been going on here for awhile. There are the "Take it to the Vet" people, and the "Take care of your animals at home" people. Seems like it always stirs up a debate. Now I'm going over to Ardie's house to bake cookies! LOL!! (Ardie, is it ok if I bring my friends, diane, alan and thumper?) Best wishes everyone!

-- cowgirlone in OK (cowgirlone47@hotmail.com), March 04, 2002.

FYI........I love chocolate chip cookies :>) Yeah Cindy, sorry, ment no disrespect for your question. As cowgirlone has said, this is a very heavily debated question. Wishing you the best in what ever you decide to do.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), March 04, 2002.

Back when I was high school we had some fun times but I don't think we ever had a ball! Arh, arh, arh,....arh, arh.

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), March 04, 2002.

NealM, More power to you! Children should be taught the realities of food production,along with respect for the sources. We did our own butchering and our kids grew up loving the animals as well as knowing their destiny. They also learned that kindness wasn't wasted - without the stress hormones it resulted in a better tasting product.

cg1, di and Ard, It's great to see a little humour seeping back into the forum. Does this mean that we non-Fundies may be allowed to stay?

-- Griff in OR (griff@hangnail.com), March 04, 2002.

Hi,

I recently relocated our goat dairy to near Yellville. AR from Virginia. I teach special education, my area of expertise is in teaching students with severe disabilities. So, right before w emoved here I wa sscoping out potential teaching opportunities. Now.... I just figured that AR was like many other states with a shortage in special education teaching positions, especially in special education. So i started calling the different schools. Received a response, no, no special education openings. But what I didn't know was that the schools here do special education differently. They don't seem to do inclusion as I wa strained. Then the atudents with severe disabilities are not even in school, some are.

So I received the shock of my life when i called the AR st dept of ed and asked about Alternative Assessment portfolios, they asked me what that was. Oh Lord!

Anyways, I think your ;esson was definately a great hands on experience. All that I can think of is the Chevy Chase movie, Funny Farm, one of my all time favorites. Chevy goes to this resturant in town, its their anniversary, so he fell in love with the Mountain Oysters, turns out they were testicles.

But I personally wouldn't have ventured into the zone you did. But then I am from the East where such practices would get you a free permanent vacation. I do agree that kids need to learn more experiences, many are not exposed to where milk, eggs, meat, etc come from. I remember when i taught in MD, near DC, we had a lot of city kids and they had no idea. What I found interesting is that the kids would look at my pics of my farm animals we had on our farm and want to learn more. These were kids who had never been exposed to a farm and were between the ages of 11-21. I worked in a private psychiatric hospital.

I'll say this, my hats off to you and am glad you were able to bring some knowledge to their world.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), March 04, 2002.

Griff, I don't care if you are a fundie or an anti-fundie, if you have a sense of humor and don't take yourself so all fire seriously, I sure hope you stick around!!!

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), March 04, 2002.

diane, Please believe that I am neither; all my labels rubbed off years ago. If I absolutely must have one, put me down as Non-Joiner. As to a sense of humour, the only thing that separates us is the letter 'u' and that's not our fault - it's Noah Webster's. And, I haven't taken myself seriously since Christmas Day about 12 years ago when the kids came back to the farm from college for the holiday and explained to me that they were big girls now and I didn't have to pontificate any more. Phew! What a relief.

P.S. At my age memory fades, but the moment I remember the rest of "the blonde cannibal joke" I'll pass it on.

-- Griff (griff@hangnail.com), March 05, 2002.