Listen, when it's time to listen
Work, when it's time to work
Play when it's time to play.
Their behaviour has actually improved a lot in just a week so, who knows, maybe it's working.
Tuesdays are bad days for us. We have no less than five, count 'em five, 45 minute math lessons on Tuesday and most of what I'm teaching them I've not used since I was their age. So yesterday we
I resumed explaining all about how the mode is the most frequently occurring number in a data set but the noise levels began rising and after 30 seconds of me trying to be noticed above the din I just yelled.
Everything stopped and, quietly, I began to speak, "Shall I tell you a secret about life?"
There were wide eyed stares and head nods.
"You get out of it what you put into it. You can show up here to school and do nothing. Just put in time-don't finish or bring your homework, don't listen to the lessons, don't do your work, talk and play through everything. But, if you do, don't expect to get anything out of it. If you put nothing into it, nothing is what you will get back. Because what is zero plus zero?"
The Wee One's hand shot up into the air.
"Yes?"
"A mode!"
Sure, they always have an answer for the rhetorical questions...
3 comments:
You are SUCH a teacher! I remember a certain Jr. High teacher of yours telling me he thought you should become a teacher. He believed, even back then, that you were adept at managing the classroom after you taught a class as one of the projects in his classroom. He was particularly impressed that your peers responded so positively to your methods. He would be so proud of you . . . AND SO AM I!
Aw, thanks, you're making me blush.
I think I'm actually learning more than my students at this point, but I really do love it.
Unfortunately all the promises of training haven't come to fruition but I think I'm doing quite well without it.
There's a girl in my class who reminds me of you or, more precisely, who I imagine you were when you were ten. It's kind of strange and I have to work hard not to favour her but it's nice too because I think of you every day. I hope you're well and enjoying nice weather!is
If ever there has been a semester where I feel that I have learned less from my students than they from me...I consider that semester a failure.
Post a Comment