Child Education Visit

[Lankyrob]

This is my latest educational visit to a school with my reptiles - i ALWAYS forget to get someone to take pictures so gave my point & shoot camera to one of the teachers - you can blame her for the quality of the pics!!!

http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/wb20611023.jpghttp://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/wb20611022.jpghttp://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/wb20611021.jpghttp://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/wb20611020.jpghttp://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo200/Lankyrob1975/wb20611014.jpg

[shaunyboy]

great stuff rob

its good work your doing there,showing kids that snakes are not the demons they are often portrayed as

in that 3rd picture compaired to the kiddies chairs and table (you use as a seat:yes: ) you look like a giant mate

cheers shaun

[Lankyrob]

You know me mate - i AM a giant!! :) :yes: :elvis:

[Coffee Black]

Great pics and its awesome that you do those sessions with kids. I too noticed the table seat haha.

[Lankyrob]

If i sit on something where my thighs go below parrelel with the floor i could never get up again! Table was pretty much tallest thing for me to sit on!

[stephanbakir]

Looks awesome man, wish I had an opportunity to do that again :)

[Gungirl]

I think that doing that is GREAT!
I just set my son up for kindergarten and once I found out who his teacher was going to be I spoke with her about doing a little bit with the snakes and she was scared but willing. I can't wait!!

[Coffee Black]

I don't think I could. I'm mildly terrified of children haha. They are so forthright and candid with their observations and questions, well beyond what one would normally expect, that I generally find myself at a loss with them.

[stephanbakir]

How does one set themselves up as an individual who shows children the ins and outs of reptiles in schools?

I used to do it, and the only things I remember are to NEVER have the biting end anywhere near the children, and to control it as best as possible so there is no risk of getting the children hurt. Educating the teachers first is also good so they don't freak along with the children, because their emotion often chains onto the children.

[marvelfreak]

Great job Rob and the pics aren't bad at all.

[Lankyrob]

How does one set themselves up as an individual who shows children the ins and outs of reptiles in schools?

I used to do it, and the only things I remember are to NEVER have the biting end anywhere near the children, and to control it as best as possible so there is no risk of getting the children hurt. Educating the teachers first is also good so they don't freak along with the children, because their emotion often chains onto the children.

We have a strict no touch policy which makes things a lot easier - if you want the children to touch or handle the reptiles then you have millions of hoops to jump through and paperwork to fill out.

I speak to the teachers first and for example, This class has three teachers over the week - two are scared stiff and the other has no fear so we went in on a day when just the non scared teacher was there.

I also check to see if there is anything particular that they want me to cover if it ties in with their curriculum - this time it was about evolution and how different animals evovle differently depending on their environments and needs etc.

We now have two more booking for other classes in the school! they did suggest doing an assembly with 300 odd children but i think the snakes would be too stressed/scared so will be better to do multiple vivsits instead.

Obviously snakes that are in shed or not eating for any reason arent taken along.

Doc (SD Retic) is the new star of the show - so docile and inquisitive (and big) and the kids LOVED him as much as i do!

[stephanbakir]

Thats a cool way of doing it, I strongly agree to the choice of not bringing it in front of 300 ppl lol.

[Lankyrob]

I also arrange visits on the non feeding week (all my guys get fed every 14 days) so there is no risk of feeding responses or overly grumpy animals!

[stephanbakir]

Back when I had my retics, the teacher came to my house to pick animals and he saw the big retics and hes like "I want you to bring that one too!!!"... to a kindergarten class lol... F that..
I never brought any animals over 8 feet if they were at all girthy to classrooms, too much risk.

[Lankyrob]

Definitely - need to educate not scare teh bejeebus out of them!! also you want a snake that should it attack will only injure you and still be manageable to get back into the travel case - not throwing you around the room and potentially attacking others!

[TeaNinja]

nice, took the SD and the BP :)

[Lankyrob]

YEah - yearling corn, BP, SD Retic and Monitor this time - will never take the GTP as they are too fragile imo, and JCP can still be a bit of a handful.

[KD35WIN.AS.ONE]

Definitely - not throwing you around the room and potentially attacking others!

hahahah a big Retic on the loose flinging peole around and attacking everyone in a kindergarten class... Sounds like a really bad horror film. Respect though on teaching these guys, alotta kids never get around any so they stay with that mind set Fear/Kill.

[stephanbakir]

YEah - yearling corn, BP, SD Retic and Monitor this time - will never take the GTP as they are too fragile imo, and JCP can still be a bit of a handful.
GTP's should almost never be handled, hate seeing people with a GTP in their hand talking to a customer flailing their hands around. Makes me want to punt a baby.

hahahah a big Retic on the loose flinging peole around and attacking everyone in a kindergarten class... Sounds like a really bad horror film. Respect though on teaching these guys, alotta kids never get around any so they stay with that mind set Fear/Kill.
Helps start kids off at a young age so their parents don't have time to teach their children false information about these animals.

[Lankyrob]

I did the talk on Friday - went to pick daughter up today and had a few parents asking questions too, seems a lot of the kids now want snakes as pets!! RESULT!!

It is great to give people enough general information that they can then ask further questions to develop their interest.

Have also been asked for some handling taster sessions for kids and adults so may have some visitors at home over the coming weeks - much safer all round for the snakes to be handled by strangers in their "home" environment i reckons.

[stephanbakir]

Def, would also be great to talk to said parents before they buy the snakes, so you can either give them the information required for said animal, or a location where it can be acquired.

[Lankyrob]

Yeah - would happily help them get setups right and sorted etc - will send them to my local friendly reptile shop if they want to buy (good excuse for me to go handle some more snakes!!)

[Aaran]

You should get a like a 20 foot retic and bring it:)

[stephanbakir]

I would never bring an animal that could maim a child to an educational event. Simply not worth the risk.

[Aaran]

I was JKing