I have two students with the same name, so usually I call them by their last names. But today one came up with an interesting solution. “Ms., how about you call me Lightning McQueen instead?”
While making paper plate clocks: “Hey Ms., these things really work! I control the time.”
Overheard at dismissal in the hallway: “Rock, paper, scissors, go!” “Rock, paper, scissors, go!” “Rock, paper, scissors, taser, go!” I look over and see two students pretending to tase each other.
After a miserable Monday last week– three different students threw up within two hours of each other– we’ve moved from having actual fevers to spring fever. Spring break is nine days away, and leprechauns will be visiting our classroom during lunchtime on Friday. Last Friday, in a moment of inspiration/realization that my math lesson plan was fairly terrible, I scrapped it completely, gave all of my students sidewalk chalk, and we went to town drawing fractions. New rules that require teaching with the door locked/silent hallways and cafeteria are wearing on us and we all just needed to be outside. The lima bean plants have exploded, and they have become these vines growing up the window. (Is this how lima beans are supposed to grow? No idea.) The whole classroom kind of looks like an explosion actually, posters are starting to tilt, post-it notes are falling off charts, the floor is permanently sticky from 124 days of breakfast in the classroom. But learning has exploded too, as I watched one of my students who struggles reading every single word blend CVCe words like a champ today. And a final thought/classroom management (strategy, bribe?) from this disjointed post. Pixar short film collection on youtube. The film is called For The Birds. It is 3:24 long. My students will pretty much do whatever needs to get done the other 400 minutes of the day if they get to watch this movie at the end of the day. No candy, no threats, no tears, just “the bird movie”. I don’t always understand what motivates my students, but this is safe, legal, free, and (if you’re like me and always looking for an excuse to squeeze in a character education/ bully prevention lesson) possibly educational. Win.
