Program offers teachers a new lesson plan

Harrisburg, Arkansas – In order to be certified to teach those lessons in the classroom, The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission hosted a boater and hunter educational course for local schoolteachers.

Teachers from different school districts like Blytheville, Rivercrest, and Greene County Tech were at the class in Harrisburg. Many of the teachers who were there stressed that the course has more to offer than just outdoor skills and safety.

“Not only does this course teach skills for hunting, fishing, and boating, but it teaches them life skills,” said Blytheville High School teacher Ben Rutherford. “You learn responsibility and ethics; you also learn doing the right thing when nobody’s looking not just when someone’s watching you.”

In many cases, students do not have the time outside the classroom to take these classes, and that is why the course is effective.

According to Rutherford, not only do the students enjoy it, but it gives the teachers a chance to talk about a subject they do not cover often.

“It gives me the opportunity to diversify some of my classroom instruction,” said Rutherford. “I can hit some of those activities and things that some of my kids are involved in that aren’t necessarily academic.”