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This photo of Grandma Erma’s house (not 100% sure it is) represents the theme of disappointment. The Wall’s children were looking forward to meet their grandmother and were just met with constant disappointment the whole time they were living there. Rex was constantly disappointing the children, often times leaving for days on end and not returning, not defending the kids and protecting them, he doesn’t try to clean up his act or get a job, he steals money, doesn’t buy food, doesn’t stand up to his mother. Just constant disappointment left and right. 

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This photo of the Walls family represents a theme of neglect and hypocrisy. Just by looking at this photo it makes sense why and how anyone would think that this family looks perfect and happy. A quote that represents this is from chapter 3. Quote #1: "We may not have insulation, but we have each other" pg. 176. Mom said.' Rose Mary said that to the Walls children as they moved into their new home implying that she has their back just like how they have her back. Fast forward a few pages and Jeanette was sexually assaulted by Uncle Stanley and instead of Rose Mary doing something about it. She says: "Sexual assault was a crime of perception." She is a complete hypocrite and is neglecting the well being and safety of her kids.

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This photo of Jeanette Walls represents the theme of self-reliance. Throughout the whole story it was very apparent that Jeannette was the most hardworking. She was always trying to improve and find something to benefit her. It definitely took off when she got a job working at the school paper when she was in high school. From then on she would work and work until she was able to support herself. One quote that represents this theme is: "I told Mom I would handle it. I’d get a job and earn the money myself." pg. 239.

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this phot represents the theme of survival. Since the beginning of the book it was very clear that the children had to survive on their own. They could not rely or count on their parents for much, if anything. A quote that represents this theme: "I was like some of those crazy Indian fakirs who ran sharp needles through their cheeks and didn’t bleed. I was tougher than the rest of them." pg. 164. This quote gives you an idea of Jeanette's will to survive and her toughness through and through.

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Weekend Survival / Self-Reliance 101 | SurvivalSchool.com- Midwest Native Skills Institute

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Price: $395 (all meals included plus free camping) Discounts #1: Child 1/2 Price: $197.50 (for those under 12 accompanied by parent or adult at regular price) #2: 2 Adults for $750 Class Length 2 ½ Days (5 PM Friday evening to 3 PM Sunday afternoon) Meals included? - YES Class Dates May 23-25, 2025 July 25-27, 2025 Sept. 26-28, 2025 Prerequisites: None Class Location: Richfield Heritage Preserve Facility 4374 Broadview Rd. Richfield, Ohio 44286 For SIGNED-UP STUDENTS: Information on Class Meet up location on the first day of the Class (Friday at 5 PM) - “CLICK HERE” Overview of the Class We limit classes to 15 or less to insure you will get the personal instruction you deserve. This class is a condensed version of the Survival 101 6 Day class and is designed for people who want to be prepared for a future emergency but have limited time. We will be covering the basics of Shelter, Fire, Water and Food. This will give you the necessary skills to meet any unexpected emergency in the future. During the class there will be an area available for you to camp-out for the weekend, or there are motels and hotels within a 15 minute drive of the class. Physical fitness is not required for this class since it will be knowledge based hands-on learning and not hiking long distances or carrying heavy packs! This weekend class differs from the Survival 101 - 6 Day Class in the depth we go into each topic and the number of survival topics covered. We cannot put 6 days of material and hands-on training in a 2 day class, but we do a very good job of teaching you the essentials of survival in this weekend class. Think of it as going to see Disney World in Florida you can see the entire park in one day (our Weekend Survival Class) but you would see and do more if you took 3 or 4 days to visit the park (our 6 Day Survival 101 Class) What you will Learn… How to make yourself “Lost-Proof”. The “One Match Fire”. A technique valuable for both survival situations and your next outdoor barbecue. Also various Fire Lays and how to make fire without matches, first using the traditional Flint and Steel method and then the Bow Drill. Primitive Traps to get you food in an emergency. How to choose a knife and knife sharpening techniques How to construct one of the most effective Outdoor Shelters available: a shelter with a temperature range of 5oF to 90oF. Water Collection and Purification techniques, both natural and man-made will be covered in detail. The differences between Water Filters and Water Purifiers will be discussed. Other topics such as Knife Sharpening (for both hunting and kitchen knives), Food Procurement and Cooking Techniques will be covered. How to design and construct a “Survival Kit” Open discussions during the nighttime camp fires. Meals Meals will be provided during the class. The following is a “typical menu” for this class; however we reserve the right to modify or change some of the meals. If you prefer not to eat one or more of these meals, then you are welcome to use the camp kitchen to prepare a substitute meal that you provide for yourself or dine on the Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches that we will have available in camp. The typical menu (subject to change) for this class would be: Friday Dinner - Spaghetti or Rigatoni, tomato sauce, rolls, butter, Parmesan cheese Saturday Breakfast - Scrambled eggs and Breakfast Bars Saturday Lunch - BLTs (bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, bread, mayo) & Chips Saturday Dinner - Kielbasa Kabobs (Kielbasa, pineapple, red and green peppers, onions) Sunday Breakfast - Mountain Man Breakfast (Ash cakes, Johnny Cakes, berries, sausage cinnamon apples baked in “silver leaf” ) Sunday Lunch - Hot Dogs, Peanut Butter, & Jelly, chips and fruit, Vegetarian Chili, Hummus or similar Frequently Asked Question: Do I have to “eat bugs” at class? No you will not have to “eat bugs” at class. We will discuss how you can do it in the future if you want to but with the edible plants we will teach you and the dead-fall and snare traps you will learn eating bugs just doesn’t come into play (unless your on a TV show and the shows producer wants you to eat some to bump up the shows ratings). Can I stay in a Motel if I do not want to camp out for this class? Yes you can. It’s nice to camp-out at class to enjoy the late night campfires but if you have back problems or would just like to have a hot shower every morning here is a list of local hotels, motels or even a B & B you can stay at. CLICK HERE for local Hotels/Motels CLICK HERE for local Bed & Breakfast Lodgings   I’m not in great physical shape, can I still take the class? Will there be a lot of walking? Yes you can take the class and no there will not be a lot of walking or hiking. In both of our Survival 101 Classes we focus your time on hands-on skills and knowledge. There is not need to hike you any distance to learn that. Likewise this is a hands-on skills and knowledge based class so physical strength or endurance is not necessary. I’ve never been camping before or know anything about survival, will I be embarrassed in the class? No you will ever be embarrassed in class! We DO NOT “call people out” nor do we make them perform tasks in front of the group. If you want to try out camping for the first time this is the perfect place to do it., our instructors will be around to offer a helping hand, or you can just stay in one of the local hotels or motels for the 2 nights. As far as the skills go, we start at the beginning to build up everyone knowledge base so everyone will have the basics as the class progresses. You will never be “put on the spot” at class. What if it rains? Bring a raincoat or poncho as well as water-proof boots or shoes. There will be a pavilion for us to “hide from the rain drops” for some sections but thats the type of situation to learn these skills in so that on a clear dry day you’ll look like an expert. Is there a bathroom there or will we have to “use the woods”? Yes there will be an old-fashion” outhouse” on site (but it has no running water) in the next building over. Is there a place I can take a shower? Yes and No... there is not a community shower on site however you are welcome to bring a solar shower and privacy tarp to use in the morning or evening. There is also a Pilot Travel Center Truck Stop about 10 minutes from camp that has showers available for $12. You can drive there either before or after the days activities to shower if you like. However since this only a 3 day class most people take a “sponge bath” in their tents using “baby wipes”. How far will I have to hike in with my gear? You will park your vehicle a the parking lot which will be about a 1/4 mile from where you will be camping so it will be a very short walk on flat ground. You can go back to your vehicle anytime you like during the class. What would you suggest I bring to class if I will be camping out? Click Here for a list of items you may want to bring to class. What do I need to bring to class if I am going to stay in a hotel ? The list above is still what I would suggest you bring to class, just eliminate the tent, sleeping bag, ground pad and pair of wool sleeping socks. Can I take your Survival 201 - Applications & Techniques Class after I complete this weekend class? Yes you can...IF you practice the skills you learned in this class. What if I need to cancel my reservation for class? Click Here for our full Refund Policy Answers to other Questions people ask... Note: The Weekend class will satisfy your prerequisite to continue in our course sequence to Survival 201. However due to the limited time in this class, if you plan to continue on and take the Survival 201 - Applications & Techniques class, you will need to practice the skills and techniques you acquire in this class on your own in order to become proficient with the skills to get the most out of the Survival 201 class. Click HERE to read our Class Refund Policy Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save

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This photo represents the theme of nature vs nurture. Throughout the store the Walls children were forced to develop skills on their own due to their parents negligence. Rex and Rose Mary believe that their children should fend for themselves and this lack of guidance left the kids to struggle often. A quote that represents this theme: "You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love the person for that." pg. 144. This quote shows how despite their parents failure, the Walls children are still able to find ways to grow and forgive.

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Sprouts - Learning Videos - Social Sciences - Videos that teachers can play free of charge

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Is our personality shaped by the environment, or are we largely programmed genetically? No one can answer whether nature or nurture leads to certain traits in individuals. We do know, however, a bit about the influences of genes and the environment when it comes to groups of specific populations - especially when we talk about us humans. Our understanding of little asexual crayfish seems rather limited.

The full story

A seven year old arrives home with her first report card from school, which is full of terrible grades. Her dad leans over her shoulder to take a peek at the academic horror show. The girl turns around and asks: So what do you think dad? Nature or nurture?

Centuries ago, John Locke and others, began arguing that our personality is mainly shaped by the environment we were raised in. Others, such as Charles Darwin, believed that we are largely programmed genetically. Modern behavioral geneticists think that it's more complex - because the two interact. And relatively recently, a little crayfish from Germany, showed just how little we actually know - but more about her later. First, let's go back to the girl, her dad and what we do know.

nature vs nurture

Neither the dad, nor the smartest scientists, can answer what leads to certain school outcomes of our 7-year old girl. We do know, however, a bit about the influences of genes and the environment when it comes to groups of specific populations.

Take, for example, a group of 100 white American men in their early twenties and you will probably find, on average, an IQ of 100, a height of 178 cm or around 5.8 feet, and that ten have spelling problems. We can now ask which of these 3 traits is determined by genes - anything that happened before conception, often referred to as nature; and which by the environment- anything that happened after their mothers got pregnant, often referred to as nurture.

a measurement of differences in traits

To understand the two forces, we need to acknowledge that environmental influences are often random - siblings experience home very differently. And we need to recognize that genes are complex - there is no single gene doing a single thing. We therefore know little about which trait in an individual is the result of their genetic makeup and which is due to the environment. We only know about the impact of nature and nurture on trait differences of a particular group. And to learn about that, we need to understand heritability.

heritability

Heritability is a factor that ranges between one and zero. One stands for genetic influences. Zero for environmental factors. Heritability defines the genetic impact on trait differences in a particular population. It can not measure the degree to which a trait of a particular individual is genetic.

Dyslexia, for example, has a heritability closer to 1. That means that genes explain more of the difference in spelling mistakes of our group than school, family or random factors. It does not mean that one particular person with spelling problems got them genetically. Some just didn't get much support when they were young.

How complex the interaction between genes and environment really is becomes clear when we look at something as seemingly straightforward as IQ and height. First, let's examine height.

heritability of height

A group of 100 white American male students are on average 178 centimeters tall - that's roughly five feet, 10 inches. Their heritability for height is around 0.8. If some men in this group are 183 cm - or six feet tall, then heritability allows us to assume that 80% of that difference is, on average, caused by genetic variants and 20% of the difference is due to lifestyle.

If the same group of people were raised in a region that experienced systemic droughts and they never had enough to eat, their potential for an average height of 178 centimeters is far from ever being reached. The heritability for height might now go from 0.8 down to 0.5. Nature and nurture are now equally responsible for group differences. This means, heritability changes.

If we have a well nourished population on the one side and a malnourished group on the other, then the impact of nutrition on the differences in height changes from 20% to 50%. In other words, nurture matters a lot, until we reach a point from which it's not as relevant.So what about intelligence?

Heritability of iq

The heritability of IQ is around 0.6 for people in their twenties and then increases as we age. The average IQ in our group will be around 100. But some have an IQ of 110. Genes are therefore responsible for 60% of the difference, and random factors and the environment for about 40%. In other words, for those with an IQ of 110, 6 of the additional 10 points, can, on average, be attributed to nature and 4 points to nurture. Now even if nurture plays a big role, it doesn't mean that teachers or parents had any impact.

Unlike height, which we know how to increase through nutrition, when it comes to IQ we don't know much about how to improve it. Random factors seem to play a big role.

How random the environment is, becomes clear when we look at two kids that are born into the same family. Both are raised in the same shared environment, but firstborns, on average, turn out to be more intelligent than their younger siblings. And if one of two siblings was adopted, the two would have some correlation in IQ during their upbringing, but as adults they would be hardly more similar in intelligence than complete strangers. Parents, it seems, have a very limited impact on a child's IQ.

the crayfish observation

So now what about that crayfish? In 1995 German scientists made an odd observation. The little female creature had mutated and become asexual - able to make clones of itself. As each clone shared exactly the same genetic blueprint, the scientists set up an experiment for the ultimate test. Hundreds of these little identical creatures were placed in the same environment. Same water, same temperature, same amount of food. Even though the scientists tried to control all these variables, the unthinkable happened. Some crayfish stayed tiny, others grew big. Some died, others lived on and on. And while some became social, others enjoyed solitude.

what do you think?

Why do you think that happened? Is that nature, nurture or a complex interplay of the two with some random variations in replicated genetic code? Share you thought on the comment below.

Sources

Dig deeper

Classroom exercise
Understanding your own traits:

1. List 3 traits that are very typical for yourself. They can be obvious ones, like your height, or less visible ones, like your sense of humor.

2. Take a guess where they come from: nature? Your genes, passed on by your parents and their parents? Or nurture? Education, and random or environmental factors?

3. Try to look if you find a research that looks at the heritability for these traits for your specific population. What does it tell you?

Understanding involuntary reflexes:
Try thinking of a reflex or a human behavior that brings no actual benefit in our lives. Where does it come from? Why do we do it? Any ideas? Maybe nature got an answer.

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Nature vs Nurture: What Science Really Knows - Sprouts - Learning Videos - Social Sciences

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Is our personality shaped by the environment, or are we largely programmed genetically? No one can answer whether nature or nurture leads to certain traits in individuals.

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This picture represent the theme of learning from hardships. Jeannette and her siblings helped use their difficult experiences to grow stronger and create better lives for themselves. They don't let their hardships define them. Jeanette embraces the lessons learned from her challenges. A quote that represents this theme : "things usually work out in the end. ‘What if they don’t?’ That just means you haven’t come to the end yet." pg 259. This quote explains Jeanette's belief in persistence and optimism. Sowing how the hardships she endured shaped her into a determined and self-reliant person.

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Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning

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In spring 2020 the world faced an unprecedented emergency situation in the COVID-19 pandemic. Many instructors who normally teach face-to-face had to pivot overnight to teach remotely. There was little time for preparation and often little support. Many of these instructors had no previous online teaching experience, and many are still confused by what is meant by "remote" teaching and how and why it differs from teaching online.

While we hope that our students and instructors may never have to experience another COVID-19 outbreak, we can be certain that other emergencies will occur in the future. Therefore, it is important to document what instructors learned from the emergency pivot, which will have a long-term impact on their teaching and their students' learning.

As an instructional designer working in a US public university, I am aware that instructors throughout the country and world are doing a lot of praiseworthy work, often under limited circumstances. And as a faculty professional developer, I am interested to know what pedagogical innovations did faculty use to enhance their students' learning during this time? And what lessons did instructors learn which will impact their future pedagogy and course design?

To demonstrate how some faculty used pedagogical innovations, I would like to spotlight an instructor at Boise State University, Serena Hicks. Hicks leveraged the hardships posed by dire circumstances into pedagogical strengths that advanced student learning.

Big challenges

Hicks is a teacher educator with more than 20 years of teaching experience in public education, mostly in face-to-face classrooms. In spring 2020, she taught an undergraduate learning and instruction course for secondary teacher preparation students. She also facilitated a graduate seminar for student teachers nearing graduation. One of the biggest teaching challenges she faced was how to maintain her agency as an instructor when the tools she had used to design instruction and facilitate learning suddenly changed to a format where she felt less effective. She could no longer use proximity to increase engagement and build relationships; use pacing to maintain engagement and motivation; model best-practice pedagogies like active learning and collaborative learning; or respond to "in-the-moment needs" of students. It was difficult to monitor students who were at risk, including low grades, unsafe living situations, financial stress, and mental health struggles. Because the shift was so fast, Hicks had limited ability to match instruction to target learning outcomes. Lack of time reduced her ability to determine what mobile application, software, or process could be a replacement for the strategy or process used in the face-to-face classroom.

Students underwent challenges to learning, too. Most felt disconnected from the community and culture of the classroom learning environment, and others missed the pacing of the lesson, the fun, and the collegial relationships. This led some students to feel that they were learning alone. In course evaluations, students specifically noted that they couldn't see how teaching was being modeled anymore, and it made them wonder if they would be ready for the classroom or ready to take a job based on what they missed. Some students lost their jobs and had to move home, and often struggled to put themselves on a schedule.

Transmuting hardships to strengths

Networking with like-minded colleagues and mentors helped Hicks transform her teaching techniques, as did taking in feedback from students on how to best help them learn. Meanwhile, self-care in the form of regular exercise helped her fuel this journey.

Specific things she did to adapt her teaching under the changing circumstances included:

Reducing the activities and assignments on the syllabus to only what was necessary

Changing remaining assessments to pass/fail

Including "one pagers" for assignments or assessments that were annotated documents hyperlinked to additional resources, readings, videos, and examples

Differentiating the format of assignments and assessments so that students could make more choices about how they shared evidence of their learning

Immediately moving to asynchronous instruction to allow for flexibility

Pushing out a survey to ask about access, ensuring students had what they needed to be online

Scheduling optional Zoom meetings for connections and clarifications

Personalizing instruction and creating instructor presence through short videos explaining class content, as well as to reach out to students

Using mobile apps that students were already accustomed with, so that students weren't learning new processes and content at the same time

Encouraging students to pick a "Thinking Partner" and complete assignments together

Some gains, some losses: Lessons learned

Hicks learned that there were useful tools beneficial to any teaching mode: face-to-face, online, and hybrid. Being forced to look at options, she found ways to expand her teaching toolbox and model even more strategies to respond to students' jagged learning profile and to the students these student teachers would eventually encounter.

Key takeaways from expanding the teaching toolbox:

There is no alternative to extensive and intentional lesson planning and course design.

Technology needs to be organically embedded in teaching and learning, not merely be an add-on support to the face-to-face classroom experience.

Maintaining connections with students is key. Use appropriate technology to enhance instructor presence and increase student-student and instructor-student interaction.

The most important resources are the people and groups who understand pedagogy first, and then technology.

All face-to-face teaching and learning experiences cannot be transferred into the remote mode. It is alright, as long as learning outcomes are met.

Be kind and listen to student feedback.

Have flexible deadlines and assessment methods.

Necessity is the mother of invention - teaching is about tenacity more than tools.

Closing thoughts

Emergencies may come and go. Some emergencies, like COVID-19, may take away our collegial support, and the informal "hallway meetings" or collaborations that we had previously taken for granted. But we can certainly come out better and stronger as a result of this hardship. We can transform our teaching and our students' learning, through our purposeful preparedness, patience, kindness, and our willingness to be flexible. Together we will seize the opportunities to improve our pedagogy. Let our students' needs guide us.
Devshikha Bose, PhD, is an instructional design consultant at the Center for Teaching and Learning, Boise State University. Serena Hicks, PhD, is a clinical assistant professor at Boise State University. She teaches in the College of Education and serves as Faculty Associate in the Center for Teaching and Learning.

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Devshikha Bose, PhD, and Serena Hicks, PhD

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Turning Hardships into Strengths: Advancing Learning During COVID-19 | Faculty Focus

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In spring 2020 the world faced an unprecedented emergency situation in the COVID-19 pandemic. Many instructors who normally teach face-to-face had to pivot overnight to teach remotely. There was little time for preparation and often little support.