My grade 10 History class were so tired by the time the last 100 minute lesson of the day arrived. One actually fell asleep within about two minutes of being in the classroom (and waking him was not easy), another one kept wanting to play a game called 'Sleeping Lions' or something where everyone has to lie still and they all have to try do it for the longest (I might try this game with my 4 year old when I need a nap) he also stretched his arms out over his desk every time he finished writing an answer down while the rest of the class all finished. It reminded me that these students have a full week of attending classes, processing and engaging with content, ideas, processes and so forth, that by Friday afternoon they are ready for the weekend. We all need time away from schoolwork and the daily grind, even our students who although we want the best for them, need to know that they need to recharge before they can begin again.
What I would love also are any history games or energises that I could do with them on that Friday afternoon slump. If anyone has any great ideas or resources I would LOVE them as I don't suppose coffee would be a good option;) I am wondering how to make World War II interesting and have considered our very own NERF gun war :)
On that note I am pretty wrecked myself and look forward to some rest and recuperation with my family on the weekend in between some school work, house work and maybe catch up on some TV shows. Have a great weekend.
Friday, 6 February 2015
Thursday, 5 February 2015
When God speaks #28days day5
This is going to be a short one because I am absolutely exhausted and still have some prep to do for tomorrow:
After the whole TV debacle (still coming - processing, pondering), I was clearing off the fridge yesterday and came across the following verses stuck on there: 'Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you,' (Psalm 55:22), this was followed by the verse 'Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you' (2 Peter 5:7). A few minutes after looking at this verse and feeling comforted, the daily verse on my Bible app came though to my phone, it was from Philippians 4:6-7 and the message was as follows, 'Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus'.
I have sometimes said that I wish God would send an email or text, and yesterday I feel He sent me a text message via my phone. We make mistakes, we have regrets and we experience heart ache but we have a God who offers us peace to calm our anxiety, a Creator who shows us love and speaks to us in countless ways and reminds us that His love is eternal, everlasting, unconditional and constant no matter the circumstances. So I put my anxiety before Him and have felt peace and thankful for the bigger picture.
Thank you for reading, Jacqui
Wednesday, 4 February 2015
Grey Wednesday #28Days Day 4
I teach part-time which means that I get two days off a week with my little one. I love our days together and next year when she starts prep (she is in kindy now) I imagine I will miss these precious times.
I had a bit of an unpleasant media experience this week (I am still trying to process it and wade through some insensitivities of others before I write about it - I think I may rant at this point LOL, so I will spare you all.) but then I have days with my little girl and I find perspective in the the silliness.
Today we went to Mainly Music where we got our 'crazies' on, danced, sang and had fun. I caught up with some of my mum friends there who made me feel loved and cared for despite having a grey day. Miss 4 and I had a picnic by the swings after Mainly Music - this has become a ritual for us, we enjoyed singing (if you could call it that LOL) along to the Frozen CD in the car on the way their and home again, hid under the doona (duvet cover) from a pretend dinosaur for ages, my daughter got into 'her' make up (we bought it for her dance concert last year) only to wipe it off again, she coloured in love hearts, 'counted' the money in her piggy bank (then we built coin towers to knock over), she made soup in a bucket with beach sand, pebbles and some grass she picked. It was nothing out of the ordinary, it was simply extraordinary that in the simplicity of it all, everything and everyone that matters in my life are radiate beauty and kindness and for them, for my life, my family, my friends I am truly grateful. I had a blessed day, a day that allowed me time to process but also just marvel in the beauty of the people I know and thank God for them, it gave me time to find laughter and delight in the love I have for my awesome little girl and cherish even more the moments we get to spend together.
So on that note, I leave you :) Be blessed. There is a lot of bitterness in the world, but this makes the beauty stand out even more. Blessings, Jacqui
I had a bit of an unpleasant media experience this week (I am still trying to process it and wade through some insensitivities of others before I write about it - I think I may rant at this point LOL, so I will spare you all.) but then I have days with my little girl and I find perspective in the the silliness.
Today we went to Mainly Music where we got our 'crazies' on, danced, sang and had fun. I caught up with some of my mum friends there who made me feel loved and cared for despite having a grey day. Miss 4 and I had a picnic by the swings after Mainly Music - this has become a ritual for us, we enjoyed singing (if you could call it that LOL) along to the Frozen CD in the car on the way their and home again, hid under the doona (duvet cover) from a pretend dinosaur for ages, my daughter got into 'her' make up (we bought it for her dance concert last year) only to wipe it off again, she coloured in love hearts, 'counted' the money in her piggy bank (then we built coin towers to knock over), she made soup in a bucket with beach sand, pebbles and some grass she picked. It was nothing out of the ordinary, it was simply extraordinary that in the simplicity of it all, everything and everyone that matters in my life are radiate beauty and kindness and for them, for my life, my family, my friends I am truly grateful. I had a blessed day, a day that allowed me time to process but also just marvel in the beauty of the people I know and thank God for them, it gave me time to find laughter and delight in the love I have for my awesome little girl and cherish even more the moments we get to spend together.
So on that note, I leave you :) Be blessed. There is a lot of bitterness in the world, but this makes the beauty stand out even more. Blessings, Jacqui
Tuesday, 3 February 2015
Values continuum - exploring values and opinions in grade 10 English relating to 'Tomorrow when the War began'
As mentioned in yesterdays post, today I did the value continuum. My class seem are happy to sit and stare at me. They have opportunities to share but are either not interested to do so, or don't feel confident enough. I feel that despite our discussions and opportunities to talk about the characters from 'Tomorrow when the War Began', the are not engaged with it - despite the fact that like them these are Australian teenagers. Anyway, I thought that a change of pace would be in order hence the little excursion outdoors.
I didn't need the rope after all, the lines on the basketball court offered the 'U' shape I was after. After answering some questions on the chapters they had read we ventured outside. I heard many groans as they were ushered out. The classroom is much cooler with the aircon on in contrast to the choking Queensland humidity outside. Anyway, once we they had dragged themselves a few metres from the classroom, I explained to the class that I would make a series of comments and they would have to choose to stand at one of three spots on the continuum. At one end of the U was the word agree, the other end disagree, whilst in the middle of the U I had a sign that said unsure (these were written on laminated A4 sheets). Once the statement was made, they were then encouraged to go to one of the words to show either agreement, disagreement or uncertainty.
Some of the questions I posed included: It is okay to kill another person if your life depended on it; looting is acceptable if it is for survival; if a mate gets hurt while you are being chased (by a perceived enemy), it is okay to leave them in order to save yourself and so forth.
Several questions resulted in students at more than one station. Some students agreed that it was okay to leave a mate if it meant your life was in jeopardy, whilst others felt they wouldn't leave a mate no matter the circumstances (I hope the class took note of those people should they ever be in this kind of situation). The whole class was on 'Agreed' when I said 'War changes people.' They were torn over, 'war can have good results' as they wrestled with the fact that it can save a country, but also that there are so many casualties. What it did was force them to think. They engaged with the topic without even knowing that they were putting themselves in somebody elses shoes. Although most agreed with killing another person is okay if it is to save yourself, knowing that if you don't you will die; but they raised the issue that they would probably feel guilty. We spoke about how being in an actual situation versus trying to imagine it might have very different outcomes. They wondered if they were in these situations, if this is how they would respond. After people made comments they could to another station if they had changed their minds.
I started off with the comment that 'All people are equal and deserve to be treated fairly'. Most of the class were in agreement, but about three students were not. Two were on unsure and one was on Disagree. The young man on disagree said that he disagrees that criminals have the right to be treated fairly. The young men on unsure offered that they felt that this is true in most cases, that people should not be judged unfairly, but if they are a menace to society, criminals or causing harm to others, that they should not be treated equally but lose their 'luxuries'. This was the one question that once these students had voiced their opinions, others moved to those stations to join them. They changed their minds. Again, we acknowledged this and how by discussing ideas, that we come to understand ourselves better, have the right to change our minds and that we can become better informed by listening to other's perspectives. We also noted that despite our different opinions, we can have respectful conversations and still get along with one another.
This change of pace did not open them up completely but it certainly got them thinking, all participating and more than usual contributing. More than this I can't ask for. Baby steps. I really hope that they take something from it and are able to see not only how this relates to the novel, but relate it to the real world. I would love for them to know that we are afterall human, we are vulnerable and powerful. I would love for them to realise that their opinions are worthwhile, that it is safe to discuss them, change them, stick to them or think about them. The world throws much our way and I want them to be independent thinkers, lifelong learners and really grapple with how real life is woven into books.
I didn't need the rope after all, the lines on the basketball court offered the 'U' shape I was after. After answering some questions on the chapters they had read we ventured outside. I heard many groans as they were ushered out. The classroom is much cooler with the aircon on in contrast to the choking Queensland humidity outside. Anyway, once we they had dragged themselves a few metres from the classroom, I explained to the class that I would make a series of comments and they would have to choose to stand at one of three spots on the continuum. At one end of the U was the word agree, the other end disagree, whilst in the middle of the U I had a sign that said unsure (these were written on laminated A4 sheets). Once the statement was made, they were then encouraged to go to one of the words to show either agreement, disagreement or uncertainty.
Some of the questions I posed included: It is okay to kill another person if your life depended on it; looting is acceptable if it is for survival; if a mate gets hurt while you are being chased (by a perceived enemy), it is okay to leave them in order to save yourself and so forth.
Several questions resulted in students at more than one station. Some students agreed that it was okay to leave a mate if it meant your life was in jeopardy, whilst others felt they wouldn't leave a mate no matter the circumstances (I hope the class took note of those people should they ever be in this kind of situation). The whole class was on 'Agreed' when I said 'War changes people.' They were torn over, 'war can have good results' as they wrestled with the fact that it can save a country, but also that there are so many casualties. What it did was force them to think. They engaged with the topic without even knowing that they were putting themselves in somebody elses shoes. Although most agreed with killing another person is okay if it is to save yourself, knowing that if you don't you will die; but they raised the issue that they would probably feel guilty. We spoke about how being in an actual situation versus trying to imagine it might have very different outcomes. They wondered if they were in these situations, if this is how they would respond. After people made comments they could to another station if they had changed their minds.
I started off with the comment that 'All people are equal and deserve to be treated fairly'. Most of the class were in agreement, but about three students were not. Two were on unsure and one was on Disagree. The young man on disagree said that he disagrees that criminals have the right to be treated fairly. The young men on unsure offered that they felt that this is true in most cases, that people should not be judged unfairly, but if they are a menace to society, criminals or causing harm to others, that they should not be treated equally but lose their 'luxuries'. This was the one question that once these students had voiced their opinions, others moved to those stations to join them. They changed their minds. Again, we acknowledged this and how by discussing ideas, that we come to understand ourselves better, have the right to change our minds and that we can become better informed by listening to other's perspectives. We also noted that despite our different opinions, we can have respectful conversations and still get along with one another.
This change of pace did not open them up completely but it certainly got them thinking, all participating and more than usual contributing. More than this I can't ask for. Baby steps. I really hope that they take something from it and are able to see not only how this relates to the novel, but relate it to the real world. I would love for them to know that we are afterall human, we are vulnerable and powerful. I would love for them to realise that their opinions are worthwhile, that it is safe to discuss them, change them, stick to them or think about them. The world throws much our way and I want them to be independent thinkers, lifelong learners and really grapple with how real life is woven into books.
Monday, 2 February 2015
First days being back in the saddle - #28 days
I am suffering from a slight case of writers block, not because I don't have anything to say, but rather because I am bombarded with so many thoughts and am at a loss as to where I should begin.
It's Monday, a work day(since I work as a teacher part-time; my work as a mom, wife and student is fulltime;)) and was a bit of a rush getting to school after kindy drop off. Kindy opened its doors late which kind of set the tone for my whole day, feeling rushed and a little frazzled. On the bright side though, I felt that I made some progress with my grade 11's. They just stare at me (though this was only our second lesson together). I am determined to have them laughing at my jokes (which I find hilarious) and sharing my enthusiasm for English, in particular 'The Crucible'. Right at this moment they don't seem to care that this atrocity occurred, no one even offered up an argument when one young man said that he agreed that witches should be put to death. At least he is willing to have an opinion and voice it. My mission: to have them all feel comfortable to share and all desperate to learn. Yes!
This same young man was the first one to offer to read as one of the characters for the play today - he chose to be a woman - I think he will be the first to appreciate my sense of humour. I can see he is going to be a real asset in helping me get the class enthusiastic about learning. Getting 2 people to offer to read was easy, the rest of the class were not so keen but eventually I had some volunteers and to their surprise the readers and rest of the class members enjoyed listening to their peers and seemed more invested in the play and what was going on.
I discovered two interesting facts today - one boy offered to read, he was in the first group of 4 to offer to read. When I met him for the first time last week, he gave me the impression that he was quiet and not into reading aloud (we did an activity last week and although he had a lot written down was not confident to share). This reminded me to not judge books by their covers. I just pegged as being a certain type and I don't pick on people who give me this impression until I know they trust me and feel more confident so I did feel kind of proud. Another young man in the class seemed a bit cautious to volunteer and his role was a few pages in, he even put on an accent which helped me feel that I am succeeding in creating a safe place.
My main goal though, is getting them excited and enthusiastic and hungry to learn.
My grade 10 English class are reading 'Tomorrow when the War began'. It is a fairly big class and I am not learning their names as fast as I would like to. They also seem on the cautious side with a few 'chatters'. Overall though they are a good bunch and work well. I am hoping to do an outside activity with them tomorrow. It works well in Peer Skills and so I have decided to adapt it to an actual lesson. I have acquired a piece of rope that I will shape in a 'U'. At one end of the U I will have the word 'agree', at the other 'disagree' and in the middle 'unsure'. I will then pose a series of questions relevant to the book and see where they choose to stand and why. I think a bit of activity and getting out of seats makes learning more fun and interesting, plus this will help make the events in the novel seem more relatable (well that is what I am hoping). If time permits I would like to see if by reading the text that if in a few weeks they will still have the same opinions.
This particular section is titled 'Heroes and Villains' so we have discussed several issues relating to superheroes, every day heroes and the same qualities can make you either a hero or a villain. As Peter Parker's uncle says 'with great power comes great responsibility!. Indeed and so we learn that power can be used for good or evil. Let us not forget every day heroes though and we have talked about this too with students mentioning parents, grandparents, soldiers and many more who are everyday heroes (And often not recognised for their deeds).
One thought have had (apart from now dissecting and discussing the Spiderman quote above LOL) is to have the class decide on a cause to support. Not because I think it is an heroic act, but to also give them real life ideas and examples. It may not relate directly to the text but it certainly does help create lifelong learners and encourage a culture of paying it forward, of being kind and of looking outwards more than inwards. Giving is a gift to be cherished and encouraged.
On that note, my 28 minutes is up so hopefully I have more to share tomorrow about the Values continuum and a little about my history class as I see them tomorrow.
Be sure also to read @jdtrivers blog :) He is a bit more structured than me :)
It's Monday, a work day(since I work as a teacher part-time; my work as a mom, wife and student is fulltime;)) and was a bit of a rush getting to school after kindy drop off. Kindy opened its doors late which kind of set the tone for my whole day, feeling rushed and a little frazzled. On the bright side though, I felt that I made some progress with my grade 11's. They just stare at me (though this was only our second lesson together). I am determined to have them laughing at my jokes (which I find hilarious) and sharing my enthusiasm for English, in particular 'The Crucible'. Right at this moment they don't seem to care that this atrocity occurred, no one even offered up an argument when one young man said that he agreed that witches should be put to death. At least he is willing to have an opinion and voice it. My mission: to have them all feel comfortable to share and all desperate to learn. Yes!
This same young man was the first one to offer to read as one of the characters for the play today - he chose to be a woman - I think he will be the first to appreciate my sense of humour. I can see he is going to be a real asset in helping me get the class enthusiastic about learning. Getting 2 people to offer to read was easy, the rest of the class were not so keen but eventually I had some volunteers and to their surprise the readers and rest of the class members enjoyed listening to their peers and seemed more invested in the play and what was going on.
I discovered two interesting facts today - one boy offered to read, he was in the first group of 4 to offer to read. When I met him for the first time last week, he gave me the impression that he was quiet and not into reading aloud (we did an activity last week and although he had a lot written down was not confident to share). This reminded me to not judge books by their covers. I just pegged as being a certain type and I don't pick on people who give me this impression until I know they trust me and feel more confident so I did feel kind of proud. Another young man in the class seemed a bit cautious to volunteer and his role was a few pages in, he even put on an accent which helped me feel that I am succeeding in creating a safe place.
My main goal though, is getting them excited and enthusiastic and hungry to learn.
My grade 10 English class are reading 'Tomorrow when the War began'. It is a fairly big class and I am not learning their names as fast as I would like to. They also seem on the cautious side with a few 'chatters'. Overall though they are a good bunch and work well. I am hoping to do an outside activity with them tomorrow. It works well in Peer Skills and so I have decided to adapt it to an actual lesson. I have acquired a piece of rope that I will shape in a 'U'. At one end of the U I will have the word 'agree', at the other 'disagree' and in the middle 'unsure'. I will then pose a series of questions relevant to the book and see where they choose to stand and why. I think a bit of activity and getting out of seats makes learning more fun and interesting, plus this will help make the events in the novel seem more relatable (well that is what I am hoping). If time permits I would like to see if by reading the text that if in a few weeks they will still have the same opinions.
This particular section is titled 'Heroes and Villains' so we have discussed several issues relating to superheroes, every day heroes and the same qualities can make you either a hero or a villain. As Peter Parker's uncle says 'with great power comes great responsibility!. Indeed and so we learn that power can be used for good or evil. Let us not forget every day heroes though and we have talked about this too with students mentioning parents, grandparents, soldiers and many more who are everyday heroes (And often not recognised for their deeds).
One thought have had (apart from now dissecting and discussing the Spiderman quote above LOL) is to have the class decide on a cause to support. Not because I think it is an heroic act, but to also give them real life ideas and examples. It may not relate directly to the text but it certainly does help create lifelong learners and encourage a culture of paying it forward, of being kind and of looking outwards more than inwards. Giving is a gift to be cherished and encouraged.
On that note, my 28 minutes is up so hopefully I have more to share tomorrow about the Values continuum and a little about my history class as I see them tomorrow.
Be sure also to read @jdtrivers blog :) He is a bit more structured than me :)
Sunday, 1 February 2015
Back in the saddle
I am participating in a 28 Day challenge to blog for 28minutes every day...
This year I have been blessed to be back in the classroom for three days a week teaching English grade 10 and 11 (OP) and grade 10 history (and my little person has started kindy...time flies!) Towards the end of last year I was offered this position and I fell in love immediately. My heart wanted to be back in the classroom more than I knew. I felt that even though the chaplaincy was a wonderful experience and opportunity that confirmed my long term goal (to be a school counsellor/guidance officer) that right now, being in the classroom, learning alongside students and challenging myself as an educator is where I want to be.
I have to admit that I have been inspired by the teacher I share a house with, my legendary husband Jacques (known as @jdtriver in the Twittersphere). His passion for his students, his love of teaching and his dedication and desire to learn more, know more and share this with others 'wows' me. He is totally invested in teaching, in his students, in education and thus offering his best to his students and fellow staff. He is hungry to learn and has also introduced me to Twitter where there is a wealth of knowledge and sharing. It is a platform like no other and it has become a valuable tool in my teaching kit, though as the year progresses and I get into the swing of teaching once again, I hope to use it more frequently to get ideas, share ideas and participate regularly in Professional Development that is free, informative and valuable.
I am so excited about being back in the classroom. The new school year for students only started on Tuesday (after Australia Day - though teachers were back the week before) so I am slowly trying to get to know my students, build a relationship with them and hopefully embark on an epic journey where I provide tools to enable them. I hope to inspire them to push their limits and not feel that they are constricted by the curriculum that the journey for them is fun, worthwhile and one where they learn more than just a subject, but about life, about expressing themselves and about thinking for themselves. I hope to encourage ponderers, students who challenge what is put before them, students who feel that the classroom is their place to share ideas, bounce opinions and thoughts around and in so doing also learn about life. I am so excited about this journey and hope you will join me on it, as I document how I am learning and loving the life of teaching.
Thursday, 2 October 2014
Kindness culture - human right and responsibility
“Kindness
and good nature unite men more effectually and with greater strength than any
agreements whatsoever, since thereby the engagements of men's hearts become
stronger than the bond and obligation of words.”
― Thomas More, Utopia
― Thomas More, Utopia
Recently I read a blog titled, Maybe It’s Time To Stop
Talking About Bullying, And Talk Kindness Instead by
Lisa Currie (http://www.teachthought.com/culture/maybe-time-stop-talking-bullying-talk-kindness-instead/) and it struck a chord. As the ‘bully’ culture grows and more
cowards take to social media to parade their ‘un-superhero’ capes, I wonder
what can be done to curb this ever growing concern.
I love the idea of a
culture of kindness. Social media, technology, connectedness is here to stay,
so we have to embrace it and teach kids how to use it appropriately. Just like
we have to teach respect and good manners, we need to teach them to be kind
both on and off social media. Why not focus on kindness culture? There are
projects like TAG you’re it and Acts of Random Kindness that promote this idea,
but we should adopt and nurture this attitude so that it is not a one-off, but
rather a way of life, integrated into our daily thoughts. What can I do to help
someone else? Both big and small acts should be encouraged as we adopt a
culture of embracing differences and celebrating them.
It is also suggested that
people affected by mental health issues, particularly depression and anxiety,
can actually feel better by helping others, by taking the focus off themselves
and this rewarding experience can offer a healing process. Kindness is a
medication.
I have become more active on
Twitter of late and even become involved in some very encouraging topics
regarding tolerance and stigma. The media plays a significant role in
manipulating our emotions, and many people allow them to do just that. As
educators, it is our role to teach students to think for themselves, not be
swayed by media portrayal, fear mongering and rather challenge opinions. Unlike
when I was at school and acquiring information was much more tedious exercise,
we have information at our finger tips and have very little excuse to not be
informed. This is empowering. Knowledge is powerful, but applying this
knowledge is key.
We need to teach students
how to acquire accurate knowledge and once they have this knowledge, what to do
with it. One comment I saw on twitter also suggested that the word tolerance is
actually more restrictive that liberating. I had never thought of that, it’s
true. It is about celebrating differences. We all form part of different
cultures and even within these cultures, we are not the same but we are equal. We
are humans and with all our influencing environments, we are unique. Adopting a
culture of kindness will ripple out into the community. Fostering kind relationships,
responding kindly, reciprocating kindness and being kind when it isn’t easy are
just a few ways we can shift behaviours. No, we won’t ever live Utopia, but we
can aim to get as close as we can. The change starts with me. Let’s change the
world, starting with kindness.
Thanks for reading. I
would love to hear from you, Jacqui.
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