What a movie about an 8th grade teacher taught me as a grad student

A covered wagon adds to the atmosphere at Sutter's Fort in California.

Well, if this sort of catchy title worked before, why not use it again? No kidding though, my
Fireproof article has almost 40 views on it so far. That's doing pretty good for my little blog!

And, of course, now that you're here... ;)

At the time of this writing (mid-July 2018), I've just had the opportunity to finish watching a truly phenomenal documentary/film series on the Oregon/California trail called Leaving Independence. But it's not your typical dry, dusty, lack-of-anything interesting movie. It's about David Vixie, an eighth grade teacher from Northern California who coordinates a week-and-a-half wagon train reenactment for his class, complete with period clothing. The oxen are real, the need for water is very real, and the opportunity to learn valuable life lessons is ever-present.

I have mad respect for the guy, not just for how meticulous and authentic he truly does seem to recreate the wagon train experience, but also for how skillfully he teaches. He takes just about any experience could imagine out there on the trail - mending a wrecked wagon, coming to a fork in the trail, or passing by a pioneer's grave - and organically turns it into lesson time. Not strict or boring or blank, but organic and fascinating and real. Relatable. So much so that you can easily see how these kids will be able to take these lessons home, off the trail, and apply them in their real lives. Side note, I also feel that these lessons are super applicable for me and probably a lot of other adults as well!

For example, mending a wrecked wagon is a chance to discuss how it is wise to pick up tools in life even when we don't see where we are going to use them on down the line...er, trail ;) On the California trail, as Mr. Vixie and his students are, this has a very real application. They could have very much used some string or wire to keep a wagon wheel from coming off. And earlier that morning they had bypassed some wire on the ground, and Mr. Vixie had pointed it out. But none of the kids picked it up. But that's the thing about Vixie's teaching method; he's way more into teaching kids lessons they will never forget, and ones that will aid them on down the line, than to be right or be first or make the most miles in a day. So while he points the wire out, he doesn't force anyone to pick it up. If someone did, later on it certainly helps with mending the wagon. If nobody did, it's a great opportunity to teach about acquiring skills before time, even when you don't have any idea where you might use that skill.

Coming to a fork in the trail provides the time to talk about why we make decisions in life. Do we make decisions based on what will be the better choice in the long run? Or do we make decisions based on peer pressure, who we'll be traveling the trail with? What are the best criteria to base our decisions off of? The easy road and the hard road both have pluses/minuses - both with regards to terrain, and also to chosen attitude. And I also like that Mr. Vixie very clearly points out that the hard road is not necessarily the bad road; struggles and challenges, he says, build strength and perseverance. Those can be good things to have later on down the trail. So he asks each student which trail they want to take, and then tells them to start walking down their chosen trail...and continue to do so. He then breaks up the wagon train (there's several wagons and adults to go around) and lets each student experience the consequences of their decision. In short, he knows each choice any student may make, and is fully able to deliver the consequences of those choices (good or bad-ish). He lets the students make their own decisions, but nothing they can do will be beyond the corners of his sandbox, if you will.

And passing a pioneer's grave gives Mr. Vixie a chance to impress on young minds the importance of human life, the importance of family, and of what one does - in how he phrases it - in "life's dash" (i.e., the time between birth and death on a gravestone). I've visited many graves in my lifetime, but certainly not with the attitude that Vixie has. His philosophy really makes me think. I really like how he uses the environment, circumstances, and just plain real life to teach lessons that reach far beyond the wagon train.

Little by little Vixie continues to hand over more leadership of the wagon train to his students, and the whole setup is ripe for opportunities to learn about leadership, communication, and teamwork. It's really quite an engaging movie as you watch, eager to learn if so-n-so finally learns to cooperate and pull their own fair share of the weight, what adventures or mishaps might happen on down the trail, and quite frankly, what amazing vistas just might be around that next turn!

***

It's funny how applicable I've found the messages of Mr. Vixie are to my own life. For example, I finished watching the series at a lunch time. Right after lunch I needed to go on into the biology department on campus and repair some of the traps I have been using to catch squirrels. Am I going to take the hard road of duty or the easy road of procrastination? As a grad student, nobody's keeping a hawk's eye on you and micromanaging your every move. I actually really enjoy being treated like an adult, but the flip side is that I need to take the "hard road" of sorts and actually self control myself, determine in my heart that I will indeed go on in to school and chop away at the list of duties that my professor has given me to do. And every good decision made, every decision to go down the "hard road" gives me motivation and propensity to choose this choice again.

Then I went to show my finished product to my professor, who in the course of some very helpful discussion shared with me that I had cut the trap flap in the wrong shape; it needed to be two layers of mesh thick, not just one. So, I would need to cut it all over again. But hey! What a golden opportunity to practice good interpersonal skills! Because as Mr. Vixie taught, interpersonal skills, and the overall comradery and spirit in  a group of people, is very important. And accepting wisdom from those who have already been down the trail you are currently traveling is a very good thing to do. So - inward sigh - outwardly, "Thank you, professor, I will gladly go cut another flap right away!" (and of course I say this with a genuine smile on my face).

See what I mean about the lessons from this movie being so applicable to real life? The wagon train environment certainly amplified the lessons and consequences, but the lessons themselves are SO applicable to real life (and of course, I know that's what Mr. Vixie was aiming for in the first place).

***

So yes, I loved the lessons in Leaving Independence. But as a history buff and travel nut, I absolutely loved seeing folks recreate an important part of American history and re-travel the actual trails in period clothing and transportation. It was really fun following Mr. Vixie and his students, seeing how they would transform over the experience, and repeatedly I found myself cheering them on. The country through which they traveled with simply breathtaking (especially those sunrises!!) If you're into American history, I highly recommend this film. If you're an educator, you're going to love this film. And if you're just simply a person who needs a booster shot of a positive attitude, or some ideas of how to look at life differently, you're going to love this film!

Watch the trailer here.

~Austin