I am considering bringing my fuzzy into a class I teach at the Univ.  of
Maryland .  The class is "Mathematics for Elementary Education".  It is the
first semester of a year long course and is the last math course Elementary
Education majors take.  Most of my students will be seriously allergic to
mathematics.  Many of them will believe that math is something that should
be covered by the constitution under the "cruel and unusual punishment"
section.  Unfortunately, when they become teachers their students
(Kindergarten through sixth grade) will inherit this attitude.  Almost all
children start out incredibly curious about numbers, counting, shapes and
patterns, but by the time they graduate high school that desire for
knowledge has usually been replaced by fear and dread.
 
What has this got to do with my carpet shark?  If I had only one lesson to
give in this course it would be to get my students to encourage, not
destroy, their future students' curiosity about numbers and math.  I'm
hoping that the sight of a ferret confronted by a strange room full of
people she doesn't know still curious about every nook and cranny and
bookbag and sneaker and...  (well, you get the idea) will be remebered in
three or four years when it is time for them to start teaching.
 
I have checked the classroom and it is ferret-proofed (as long as the door
remains shut!!) and Ak has never bitten any human (as for cats or dogs,
well...).
 
Please e-mail me directly (so as not to clutter up the FML) with any
thoughts, suggestions, opinions or experience you may have had with ferrets
in the classroom or the idea I have outlined above.
 
Edward Swartz
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[Posted in FML issue 1457]