Habit of the Week ~ Inventiveness

Inventiveness 

 Having or showing an ability to think of new ideas and methods:

creative or imaginative

While  training my buddy Chester to heal, I learned he LOVED to pull, which of course is pretty dog-gone natural. However, beyond normal pulling, Chester was a super-strong and gifted puller.  Do I sound like a Dog-Mom?

Yes, it was vital he learned the art of 'heal'.  But, why not invent a way to let him enjoy something he was gifted to do?  Since he love love loved to pull, then let's create a way for him to do this.

And so we did.  I say "we" because I needed help with my inventive idea.

A trainer friend of mine taught a class in wagon pulling. We signed up. We started small, first just putting a harness and straps on my buddy. He began learning new commands such as left and right and easy and whoa. (These commands work especially well when I remember my right from my left!). From getting used to a harness and dragging straps behind him, we progressed to Chester pulling an empty gallon milk jug. After he became comfortable with the noisy, wiggly-jiggly plastic clunking jug trailing behind him, we progressed to a small wagon.  And eventually a little red wagon. With kids!

Ta-Da!  Inventiveness!!!  Happy dog!  Happy kids in the wagon!

As I shared pictures and this inventive story with the students, they  noticed so many inventive-moments....   from me wanting to invent a way for Chester to PULL, to the trainer, and harness maker, and wagon converter.  It took a village of inventors. Which is often how inventions go...   And it took time. And patience.  Which is often how inventions go.  With dreams and creativity, time and patience, sprinkle in a lot of help along the way....inventive dreams can become reality.  And change a life, or the world!

One of my greatest desires as a teacher, was, is,  to discover the gift(s) tucked inside each student --- and to invent ways to help each one shine.  
                        Inventiveness inspires....or is it the other way around :)  



P.S.  A most memorable moment of the day ~~ When I called on a student & expecting a dazzling comment about inventions, he said, "I think you kinda look like Hillary Clinton in that picture!"