Not in Kansas Anymore

So, this little ditty is about our fire drill this week. I have not really ever enjoyed fire drills. They disrupt the little time I get with students, the kids are always super crazy afterwords, and no matter how much you prepare them, there's always an amount of screaming, chatting, and general managed chaos that goes on leaving the building, standing outside, and then the coming back into the building is often even worse.

I had one of my 3rd grade classes only a few minutes before the bell was to go off. I barely had time to explain what I expected, and no time to practice any of the steps. Now, I am loving these 3rd graders but they are a more wily group and I was preparing to "put on my mean face" to get them in line.

And then the alarm rang. Without being prompted, my THIRD GRADERS got up, walked silently to the door, and lined up by row (we were scattered about the room to begin with). My teaching partner led them out through the atrium as I placed the "evacuated" sign on the door. They followed him in silence, in a perfect single file line, all the way around to the other side of the school, past the pool and playground, out to the tennis courts where the whole school gathers. I watched them in a little bit of awe and noticed that the ENTIRE student and faculty body was doing the same. Silence. Walking there, waiting in our designated spots around the court, each child in the front of the line holding their class's green flag high. The only soft talking to be heard came from the security and admin staff that were moving about checking on the status of the drill. And then, back we all went, in equal amount of seriousness. And then class went on as if nothing was different.

On the ride home that day I wondered to myself. Now, these are "good" kids, but, I've found that they have needed structure, modeling, and reminding/taking of breaks as any stereotypical suburban school in the Twin Cities. What is it about this place/this experience that makes them "get it" when it comes to emergencies? Do they realize on some level that living abroad and going to an American school can be thought of as a potential terrorist target? Have they been in an emergency situation before somewhere in the world? So many of our kids have grown up in 2, 3, even as many as 5 or 6 different countries. Maybe it's just they are more ready to be serious about anything, whether it's learning in the classroom or practicing a fire drill. I'm probably wondering about this way too much.

Regardless, it was clear that the kids weren't silent because they knew they had to be or they'd get in trouble. They were silent not because they were told to be, but because they not only knew, but understood, it was important.