Avoid Sharks

In Shark-tracking app finds 6 Great White sharks congregated off Florida coast, it states that a researcher

“…says shark attacks are very rare, but he does recommend avoiding the water in regions where sharks are known to be if there are also groups of seals in the water, too.”

I would not tempt fate especially since I’m lower on the food chain than the shark.

I believe that is a good action even in real life. It is important to teach students where they fall on the food chain. This could be in the classroom, at home, at work, or in society.

Frequent discussions about this should take place in the classroom. By verbalizing it and discussing it, it gives students to wrap their heads around this concept. It helps them think about their behaviors and the consequences before they take certain actions.

If the teacher is in control of grades and whether you move to the next grade or not, the student needs to figure out how to do what is needed to succeed. The student may not want to do certain assignments, but the student has to suck it up and do it anyway. The teacher is higher up on the food chain.

If your boss controls whether you get paid or not, then you need to do what you agreed to do whether you want to or not. You might not like doing a certain task or the hours you have to work but if you want to keep the job, you have to grit your teeth and get the job done. Your only alternative would be to quit which means you won’t have a paycheck or money to do what you want to do. Your boss is higher up on the food chain than you are.

As much as kids hate doing what they are told at home, if your parents are paying the bills and giving you food and shelter, you have to respect their rules and wishes. As long as parents aren’t abusive, then they have a right to expect certain things in their own homes. Many adult kids are moving home to live with their parents for financial reasons, and even they need to respect their parents’ rules and wishes, or they need to move out. The ones who pay the bills are higher up the food chain then you are.

If there are certain groups of people who may do questionable things, then they need to be avoided. You might not know if they are higher up on the food chain or if you are, but if that is an unknown, it is best that they are avoided until you get the whole picture. They may be sharks and it might turn into a terrible situation that you could have avoided if you waited until you knew what was going on. It doesn’t hurt anyone if you are cautious.

How do you help your students avoid sharks? Please share.

Photo by Alex Steyn on Unsplash