Sunday, March 3, 2013

March & St. Patrick's Day

March.  The beginning to the end of the year.
Ack, too many units still to finish, not enough time to finish them.
Looking towards final assessments and culminating activities.
And report card writing time will be here before we know it.

I came across these fun activities for St. Patrick's Day.
Something light and easy to print off for the students to do while I am continuing with my student conferences.

http://www.teach-nology.com/gold/stpats.html

Thanks,
D

Friday, January 18, 2013

Save Time & Money and Become an Effective Educator

Have you read Marjan Glavac's book How to Make a Difference?

Some great stuff for staying positive and motivate.

Check out the exercises from his book that you can do with your class to create an upbeat and positive attitude.

It reminds me of  a story "Rest in Peace: The I Can't Funeral" written by Chick Moorman, and found in the first Chicken Soup for the Soul book.


1. Hand out paper to the students and tell them to write down all the things they can't do.  Give them about 10 minutes or so; and you do it as well.

2. Take all the papers and put them in a metal bucket.  Take the bucket and the class outside and "cremate" the excuses.  Perform a little funeral ceremony by doing the following.  Say "Boys and girls, please join hands and bow your heads."  Wait patiently for this, as this is serious.
Continue, "Friends, we gather here today to honour the memory of "I Can't."  While he was with us on earch, he touched the lives of everyone, some more than others.  His name, unfortunetely, has been spoken in every public building, including schools, city halls, hospitals, and governments.  He we have provided "I Can't" with a final resting place.  He is survived by his family: "I Can", "I Will", and "I am Going To Do It Right Away."  While they are not as well know as their famous relative, and not as strong or as powerful yet, some day, with our help, they will make a bigger mark on the world.  May "I Can't" rest in peace and may everyone present pick up their lives and move forward in his absence."

3. Follow this up by going back to the classroom and have a wake with ice cream, cake, and other goodies/treats.  Have students create a tombstone/poster with the date and an inscription.  When studnets tell you that they can't do something, point to the Tombstone poster and remind them that as a class, we buried "I Can't."