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If the Creek Don't Rise


A debut novel bursting with heart, honesty, and homegrown grit.
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When Kate Shaw arrived in Baines Creek, she expected to be doing the teaching. What were the things she learned instead?

Created: 10/09/17

Replies: 10

Posted Oct. 09, 2017 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3444

When Kate Shaw arrived in Baines Creek, she expected to be doing the teaching. What were the things she learned instead?

When Kate Shaw arrived in Baines Creek, she expected to be doing the teaching. What were the things she learned instead?


Posted Oct. 29, 2017 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Tired Bookreader

Join Date: 08/19/11

Posts: 209

RE: When Kate Shaw arrived in Baines Creek, she expected to be doing the teaching. What were the things she learned instead?

Just as Betsy DeVos could learn, there is more to education than just book learning. If a child is hungry, intimidated, or without basic necessities, learning becomes secondary. Good for Kate to realize the students could learn and incentives were a perfect way to reach them.


Posted Oct. 30, 2017 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
ScribblingScribe

Join Date: 02/29/16

Posts: 189

RE: When Kate Shaw arrived in Baines Creek, she expected to be doing the teaching. What were the things she learned instead?

When Kate arrived she brought experiences teaching at a private school with many resources and educated children. She quickly learned that life in Baines Creek was not what she was used to or even what she expected. It was far more remote and backward. The children were hungry and lacking basic education. But she learned that they did know a lot about the region and how to survive where they lived. They taught her about local flora and fauna. She tapped into their knowledge to forge a bond with them. Then she provided food and incentives to learn what she had to teach. She figured out early that she could learn as much from the locals and they could from her. The big difference is that what they could teach her could save her life and what she taught could enhance their minds and understanding of the world.


Posted Oct. 30, 2017 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
renem

Join Date: 12/01/16

Posts: 292

RE: When Kate Shaw arrived in Baines Creek, she expected to be doing the teaching. What were the things she learned instead?

Ditto Scribbling Scribe.


Posted Oct. 30, 2017 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
deeh

Join Date: 03/03/12

Posts: 239

RE: When Kate Shaw arrived in Baines Creek, she expected to be doing the teaching. What were the things she learned instead?

Kate had to learn about a whole new subculture when she arrived in the mountains. Until she learned about the native intelligence of her pupils, she had wait to teach them what she knew about book-learning. I loved the way she made friends with Sadie Blue and Birdie and accepted their friendship in an open manner. She would have been very lonely in Baines Creek if she had not done so.


Posted Oct. 31, 2017 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
susiej

Join Date: 10/15/14

Posts: 363

RE: When Kate Shaw arrived in Baines Creek, she expected to be doing the teaching. What were the things she learned instead?

Kate Shaw is an amazing woman - not many would be brave enough to take on the task she embraced and do it so honestly, as well. While some of us might be curious enough to go to the mountains, how many of us would do so outwardly admitting our reasons for coming - the real reason we could not find work elsewhere. Additionally, she brought with her a key ingredient of excellent teachers - she is a life-long learner who genuinely loves sharing knowledge and wisdom with others. She may have been afraid of the mountain people or the living conditions when she arrived, but she maintained an open mind and attitude and excellent manners in dealing with all the people she met. She was honest with Eli about her faith and her reasons for being there, she was sensitive to the children's needs and used those to entice them to learn, and she treated others in the community who hoped to trick her with an open mind and dignity. In doing so she learned the secrets of these people and respected their beliefs and behaviors. In turn, she gained their trust and respect and was perhaps able to find the truest success and happiness she may have ever known.


Posted Nov. 03, 2017 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
louisee

Join Date: 06/29/15

Posts: 143

RE: When Kate Shaw arrived in Baines Creek, she expected to be doing the teaching. What were the things she learned instead?

Kate learned that the people of Baines Creek were very smart in the ways of the land and how to survive where they lived. She learned she would have approach teaching in a different way. She needed to gain the children's trust and feed them before she could teach them book knowledge and the ways of the world. She was willing to do what it takes to educate the children and anyone else who wanted an education.


Posted Nov. 03, 2017 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
reene

Join Date: 02/18/15

Posts: 497

RE: When Kate Shaw arrived in Baines Creek, she expected to be doing the teaching. What were the things she learned instead?

Kate was a smart woman in that she realized she would need to learn a few things in order to be a successful teacher on Baines Creek Mountain. She did learn very early that you cannot teach children who are hungry. The apple and the potato were a wonderful idea to win over their trust and to encourage children to come to school. But Kate, herself had a lot to learn. She had to become familiar with the mountain language so she could understand their speech. She had to learn to survive in conditions she was not used to, like hiking up the mountain, placing pots and pans to catch the water coming in her cabin from the leaking roof. She had to learn to read in the poor light. Basically she had to learn to become self reliant, protect herself and the friends she was making.


Posted Nov. 05, 2017 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
pennyp

Join Date: 03/22/12

Posts: 353

RE: When Kate Shaw arrived in Baines Creek, she expected to be doing the teaching. What were the things she learned instead?

I think Kate learned about a world she did not know existed. I also think she learned something about herself. The traditional teaching methods did not work for kids whose basic needs were not being met. She learned ways to help them through food incentives, she also learned about emotional survival. I think she learned as much as she taught.


Posted Nov. 06, 2017 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
PiperUp

Join Date: 10/27/15

Posts: 146

RE: When Kate Shaw arrived in Baines Creek, she expected to be doing the teaching. What were the things she learned instead?

I think Kate learned that there are different types of intelligence based on who one is & where one lives. While book smarts may be of much use in some areas...they're not much use in others. I think Kate's eyes were also opened to true real poverty & the struggle of people who live in such poverty.
I think it's a lesson that a lot of people who live in urban areas & on the coasts of the US could stand to learn. It may have assisted them with understanding how Trump could become president. Instead of calling people from rural areas of the US "racists"...perhaps attempt to understand the economic pain & struggle that these people in these areas have been experiencing over the past couple of decades.


Posted Nov. 25, 2017 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
taking.mytime's Gravatar
taking.mytime

Join Date: 03/29/16

Posts: 364

RE: When Kate Shaw arrived in Baines Creek, she expected to be doing the teaching. What were the things she learned instead?

Kate learned she was smart in book learning, but not in tune with nature or the gifts that grow in the wild. She also learned that labor and food were a medium of exchange. She saw severe poverty and how faith helped people survive. She was able to learn life saving techniques in exchange for teaching mental preparations.


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