Whitman was an American poet who became known for transcendental poetry that was both realistic and emotive. Whitman wrote this poem to honor the brave men, women, and children who struck out-in spite of all odds-in search of a better life. Whitman's work particularly salutes pioneers' resilience, courage, and determination.

One of the more powerful aspects of this poem is that Whitman refuses to speak as the detached historian or observer; instead, he frequently utilizes the first person plural "we"-particularly in his call-to-arm proclamations. In doing so, he not only inextricably inserts himself into this poem, but he forces the reader to join him, intensifying the involvement and exhilaration around these pioneer adventures and experiences. Whitman clearly and effectively makes the point that everyone is a pioneer, and, as such, everyone has ability to change or impact their destiny.

The significance of this poem reoccurred to me after I had the pleasure of spending a good portion of the day in the Pioneer Room at Crow Island School with Ms. Richards and her class. Although students were not taking up arms or fighting the elements for their very survival, they were learning about the realities-both hardships and rewards-of pioneers' daily lives in a very authentic, hands-on manner. Students grappled with many issues, procured supplies, established procedures for getting through the day, delineated appropriate division of labor for chores, prepped and cooked meals, and shared their "pioneer family" stories and anecdotes about travelling west. It was clear that over the course of their time, students developed several key understandings. Time was clearly our fledgling pioneers' most precious resource, from hunting, to cooking, to cleaning, basic survival skills could quickly exhaust the daytime hours. Basic essentials also had to be carefully planned, including making candles to burn at night, churning butter for the afternoon meal, or separating cotton seeds from the fiber to make it usable for clothing, linens and the like.

In his poem, Whitman is clearly proud of the pioneers and the work they did to move our country forward in so many ways. I felt something of the same pride for our students, who actively applied new learning to solve individual and collective problems, and to collaborate on the challenges placed before them throughout the day. These types of authentic learning experiences are the ones that students remember for years to come. They combine the powerful elements of socialization and experiential learning with discrete knowledge and skills. This allows students to make deep, lasting, and personal connections to their own learning-a universal goal of educators, but particularly a core value of the teachers in Winnetka.

A personal key learning of mine during my time in the Pioneer Room (and with Whitman's writing!) is that we have the extraordinary charge of creating pioneers everyday, children and youth who are striking into the world on their own great explorations. As such, we have the important charge of giving them skills and habits of mind and practice that ensure their success no matter where that road might lead. It is a mission we embrace thoughtfully and energetically.