Middle school model RR: the space

I enjoy imagining what kind of a layout I can build whenever I take control of a space. Even when I’ve worked in office cubicles I didn’t hesitate to sketch up ideas for shelf layouts that I could fit in, even though it might have been bad for office morale to slack off of work so brazenly. But I seem to be ensconced in my current classroom for the foreseeable future and the Inglenook convinced me that a model railroad would be a legitimate and appropriate educational tool. For some kids, maybe better than just appropriate.

I’ve never been to an actual model railroad operating session other than watching club layouts during visiting hours and my own home layout activities with my kids. I am so grateful for the effort that folks have put into sharing their sessions on DVD and YouTube, especially Joe Fugate and Charlie Comstock, and for the published guidance from writers like Tony Koester. I’m hoping my naivete works to my advantage somehow as I adapt what I’ve gleaned to the special case of a classroom full of eager, chatty kids.

There were still a few more fundamentals to become acquainted with before we could get rolling. Because there was no scenic treatment of any kind on this Inglenook the kids’ attention was focused on the trackwork and it quickly became apparent to me that even this was entirely new to them. I showed them how flipping the lever on the ground throws moved the switch points. Even that tiny bit of animation drew exclamations of surprise, “Oh, I get it!”

At the next session the kids were excited but leery – aren’t we ever going to make that train go?

There was a list of operating roles on the blackboard. My classroom has three beautiful gray slate blackboards along one wall. They are unusual today, and the kids are fascinated with the whole idea of writing and drawing with chalk, though they also find the experience a little bit “edgy” and uncomfortable because of the squeaks when they push the chalk instead of pull it.

Switchperson (two required)

Flagperson

If you give a kid some sectional track, a power pack, an engine and some cars of course the first thing most of them will do is make a circle of track and see how fast the train will go. That’s the natural order of things.

My intention with the Inglenook was to disrupt the natural order enough so that the kids would sense that there’s something else going on.

I've toyed with the idea of building a working pike in my classroom since I started teaching about six years ago (I'm 58, I've had several other careers). A lot of it has been a selfish desire to increase my own opportunities to enjoy model railroading, so I've been cautious about making sure the academic value was appropriate. 

I'm a middle school math teacher. This last year I began to use model railroading as a vehicle for engaging my students with fun, interesting and educational activities that have vivid connections to meaningful real-world themes.