Teaching | BulgingButtons

May 31, 2017
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Countdown to Summer Writing Camp

I’m really fortunate that I’ll be spending my fourth summer with young writers through a unique summer writing camp. Each year it gets better and better. At least I think so. That’s because each year I try out some new things, and I go into it excited, which the kids pick up on.

What do I have up my sleeve this year? Fun, of course. We’ll be rolling the dice, squishing in slime, writing poetry inspired by paint-chips, creating coffee filter planets, and more. We’ll be exploring our college campus, creating unusual characters, and taking time out for mother nature. And yes, we’ll write. Will we ever.

This week I get my supplies, meet my teaching buddy, and visit the site (a new one for me). Then, Monday morning, it’s go time. I can’t wait! What fun things do you have planned for this summer?

February 22, 2017
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Greek Mythology Like Never Before

My fourth grade students have been studying Greek Mythology over the past few weeks, and it’s been so much fun. I’ve taught this content before, of course, but never quite this in depth, and never with some of the techniques we’ve been using. Boy, what a difference!

Some of the changes this time around:

more versions of the same myth (in particular Hercules’ Quest: when we view the Disney film it will be the fourth version we’ll examine)
more myths (Psyche & Eros, Arachne, Medusa, and others)
incorporating drama into our study (tableaux of various scenes, forcing students to deeply explore the characters’ feelings and actions)
incorporating more art into our study (resulting in some wonderful projects)
allowing students to not only choose various ways of expressing their learning, but letting them create the various choices (and they were so much more engaged in the activities they designed themselves)

Just spending more time in Ancient Greece has been so beneficial to the students. They’re seeing recurring themes including jealousy, vanity, bravery, and sacrifice. They’re drawing parallels between characters and stories and they’re becoming quite knowledgable.

As an added bonus, the Rick Riordan books (the Percy Jackson series) have been flying off the library shelves, as have the other mythology books. The students are excited!

I’m so pleased with their enthusiasm and their level of commitment to their work. I believe we’re building a strong foundation for future learning as they’re developing a love of these ancient tales. I don’t know if this work will show up in the form of growth on their end of year standardized tests, but I know it’s beneficial. For that reason, I’m feeling successful and yes, a little bit proud. I can’t help but feel a bit like Zeus on Mt. Olympus, looking down at the mortals with affection and feeling pleased with their successes.

February 17, 2017
by BulgingButtons 5 Comments

Over the Hump

So this tiniest month is turning out to be sort of a mountain for me. It’s nothing terribly serious, just a bunch of smallish things, not the least of which is a bout of allergies that is bringing me down. In fact the other day my principal took one look at me and sent me home.

allergies_cartoonopt Normally I would have fought this banishment, but I welcomed it that day. I fretted for about three minutes over what would become of my students for the rest of the day (he, and my fabulous teammates, handled it) then I headed home to bed. Ah sleep. Sweet sweet relief from the sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, and wheezing. I wish I could sleep more.

Needless to say, I didn’t get all my steps that day. No dance party on my wrist that day (that’s what I call it when my Fitbit celebrates me reaching my daily step goal). I fell woefully short and didn’t give it another thought, until the next day when it was too late. I felt like a failure. After all, my step goal isn’t that huge. I could have walked around my house in a sneezy runny nosed fog, right? I suppose, but the more I thought about it the easier it became to forgive myself for missing one day and move on.

I’m still not feeling great. Something in the air is kicking my butt, even with my arsenal of remedies, but I’m up and about again. I’m making my step goals and keeping positive, and looking ahead to March. Why March? Spring break!

How are you doing with your tiniest month challenge? Any obstacles? Hurdles? Road blocks? Keep going warriors! We’re on the downward side of the month, you can do it!