Inspired to Teach: I Still Want To Do More!

Sunday, June 10, 2012

I Still Want To Do More!

Plenty of time left in the school year, including more testing, but what do I want to try and get to before the summer ~~job search~~ break begins?

The American Revolution. Still working through Colonial America -- houses to build! newspapers to write! maps to illustrate? Colonial Games Olympics! -- but definitely want to give 1776 some attention.
Recycled Rollercoasters: they've started collecting "shape-able" recycled items (no cans or glass) and I'll have teams design/plans/build a track for a marble to roll down, extra credit for loops and jumps.
"I'm an Expert" presentations. What do they know? One of my phrases is "29 Teachers in this room" and now they get to teach us something.With visual aids, demonstrations, and hands on activities?
Book Reports. I've been showing class examples of, and encouraging them to think about/attempt, other ways to demonstrate their knowledge. We've watched videos on School Tube, explored right/left brain concept, did a little blogging, brainstormed alternates to daily (probably very boring by now) Reading Logs. Now let's see what they can put into action! I've heard there's already one rap in the works...
Create Your Own Scientific Inquiry. We've listed "I wonder..." questions and topics all year, I wonder how much of their curiosity they can turn into an experiment? No explosives, please.
How to read/understand/appreciate/create graphic novels -- looking for good websites for my students to make their own comic on?

2 comments:

Teachinfourth said...: It's funny that I reach the end of the year with still far too much to teach...; June 22, 2012 at 11:38 AM
Mr. Nauton said...: I was just thinking my final weeks plan was perfect, I could fit and finish most stuff in, when they added 5 more Music classes and 3 extra P.E. hours! I just gotta talk faster...; June 30, 2012 at 10:11 AM

Post a Comment

Praise Song for the Day

Elizabeth Alexander

Inauguration Poem 2009

Each day we go about our business,
walking past each other,
catching each other’s eyes or not,
about to speak or speaking.

All about us is noise. All about us is
noise and bramble, thorn and din,
each one of our ancestors
on our tongues.

Someone is stitching up a hem,
darning a hole in a uniform,
patching a tire, repairing
the things in need of repair.

Someone is trying to make music
somewhere, with a pair of
wooden spoons on an oil drum,
with cello, boom box, harmonica, voice.

A woman and her son
wait for the bus.
A farmer considers
the changing sky.
A teacher says,
Take out your pencils. Begin.

We encounter each other in words,
words spiny or smooth,
whispered or declaimed,
words to consider, reconsider.

We cross dirt roads
and highways that mark the will
of some one and then others,
who said I need to see
what’s on the other side.

I know there’s something better down the road.
We need to find a place
where we are safe.
We walk into that
which we cannot yet see.

Say it plain: that many have died for this day.
Sing the names of the dead who brought us here,
who laid the train tracks,
raised the bridges,

picked the cotton and the lettuce,
built brick by brick
the glittering edifices
they would then keep clean
and work inside of.

Praise song for struggle,
praise song for the day.
Praise song for every
hand-lettered sign,
the figuring-it-out at kitchen tables.

Some live by love thy neighbor
as thyself, others by
irst do no harm or take no more
than you need.
What if the mightiest word is love?

Love beyond marital,
filial, national,
love that casts a widening
pool of light,
love with no need
to pre-empt grievance.

In today’s sharp sparkle,
this winter air,
any thing can be made,
any sentence begun.
On the brink, on the brim,
on the cusp,

praise song for walking forward
in that light.

I know it's probably copyright infringement, and I promise I'll teach my students to never, ever plagiarize, but these are awesome words-- probably just the weight and emotions of the day, but didn't you feel she was speaking directly to you?

Mandated Disclaimer:

“The views expressed on this site do not reflect the views of the San Diego Unified (or any) School District. This site contains user-created content which is not endorsed by the District. The purpose of this site is”…(then specify the purpose).

The (multiple, related, connected) purpose(s) is to learn, share, discuss, collect, reflect, whine, practice, read, watch, organize, test, adapt, refine, laugh, listen, and yes, show off sometimes, anything and everything about my career and life as an Educator.