Fear Factor

Yesterday Steve and I biked the Hiawatha Trail, a 13 mile ride that follows the old Milwaukee Railroad line through the Bitterroot Mountains in northern Idaho. One section of the hike goes through the Taft Tunnel, 1.66 miles of total darkness, with water ditches running along both sides of the tunnel. Helmets and headlamps are required.

Before entering the tunnel, a trail guide gave us some helpful advice. He said the darkness can be disorienting, and that if we start to lose our balance, just get off of our bikes and walk.

I really didn't think I would need to do that, but once I got into the tunnel, my headlamp barely penetrated the darkness. I couldn't see anything except the reflectors on Steve's bike which I wasn't sure was going to stay out of the ditches. I had a difficult time staying steady on my bike. I pedaled as long as I could, but fear of crashing into the ditches and increasing wobbliness, caused me to stop and walk for a bit. Eventually my eyes adjusted, and I could make out reflectors along the sides of the tunnel. I got back on my bike and rode cautiously until I literally saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

Reflecting back on the experience, I appreciate the guide telling us what to do if we got disoriented. It was good to have an option that kept us going in the right direction, rather than giving up and turning back. Without putting undue fear into our students' minds, I wonder if we as teachers can do the same. Particularly when we are asking students to do something new and challenging that might cause them to panic a bit.

So, if you are reading this, I would love to hear your ideas. Do we anticipate how students might react to a given learning challenge, and do we provide them with helpful options that will keep them wanting to move forward in their learning?