I realize I haven’t posted since Halloween and with Christmas only a week away, this is fast becoming a holiday blog. But who doesn’t love the holidays?
Christmas time on my little English floor has been jolly, well for me at least. We’ve been preparing for our Christmas concert (tonight!) with the 2nd, 3rd and 4th graders which has slowed our progress in the actual curriculum. I never know when a teacher is going to hijack my class to work on their dance moves or whisk me away on my break time to make sparkly golden crowns and paper guitars. Every day starts with the booming of “All I Want For Christmas Is You” from the loudspeakers throughout the school. They’ve been drilling it into their poor little brains. Of course, I love it.
Best of all was last week Friday when I was instructed 5 minutes before class to have the kids make Christmas invitations to give to the parents. Instead of teaching math and the vocabulary for “going camping,” I drew pictures of reindeer on the board and passed out colored paper and crayons! I loved every minute of it. So I’ve decided that if this teaching English thing doesn’t pan out, I’m switching to Art because not only is it more fun, it’s basically a universal language. Don’t know how to say swimming pool? Draw one! I’m learning that charades will only get you so far. Please explain to me how you would act out “pumpkin?
Since I arrived, I've been pushing art/creative expression in my classes. And I find that I just can't help it. If we ever have to write anything I encourage them to illustrate it, or perform their story in front of the class. Most of their other classes are based on reading/writing and memorizing so I figure it’s a nice change, not to mention entertaining for me!
And God help them if I ever have a free period and I get to pick the activity! Because we end up with gems like these. I asked my lower-level fifth grade students to make sentences out of their names. My favorite is definitely Jack's "Jungle Acid rainy Candy King." When I asked him to make sentences, I thought he misunderstood, but then he came out with this drawing and I realized I was the one who had misunderstood. He knew what he was doing.
Steve is always hungry.
