On a recent road trip my husband and I spent the night in a little town just off the highway in Virginia. We ate dinner next to the hotel at one of the best Mexican restaurants we’ve ever been to…thank goodness we live six hours away or I would gain a ton of weight.
After dinner we decided to drive ten miles up the road to a memorial commemorating the birthplace of Stephen F. Austin, who is considered the father of the State of Texas. It was just a simple stone marker with three flags; Virginia, Texas, and the United States.
When we returned to the hotel, both my husband and I read about Stephen F. Austin. We also read about the history of iron mining in this area of the country, as the memorial explained that the Austins moved to Virginia to mine iron. We both learned a great deal about Stephen F. Austin, Texas, and iron mining.
So what is the point of this blog, besides the fact that I have zero control when it comes to Mexican food…
It’s the authentic experience that spurs real learning. Stopping at a simple memorial marker opened up several lines of conversation for us. Yes, we are adults (not according to our adult children, who think we have regressed back to being teenagers). But, the same kind of simple stops engage children as well (and adults who have regressed). Make it real, make it count.
The Educational Journey 