Almost Summer

I can’t believe that the school year is almost over, and that summer vacation is right around the corner.  I am ready for a break, but without the opressive heat, the year doesn’t seem nearing an end, yet.  Usually by now, the students are melted puddles of goo, and unable to learn anything.

We, are actually still working.  I have them convinced that “Learning is not for report cards, Learning is for Life!!!” and so far, they are buying it!!!  We are starting our third Shakespeare story : Twelfth Night!  They are really happy about it and fighting  over the parts.  (You got to be Oberon, you can’t be Orsino now)  But they are fighting over Shakespeare!!!  I love it!!! 

I also want summer break to be here soon, because working is interfering with my other plans– I need to be out in the garden, out for bike rides (but my bike is broken, and riding too long hurts my “special places”) and doing exciting things.  We have planned: BBQ’s, going to Centre Island and riding around (anybody know how to fix a bike?), going to the big Toronto art show, marking EQAO, picnic’s and then going to FLORIDA!!!

why would anyone want to stay here in school????  Blah

Macbeth and Grade 2/3

So we are finished our Midsummer Night’s Dream unit in Language.  In Drama, we have begun to block the show and they are having a great time.  I am bringing in the wall costume, wooden swords and fairy wings and the students are so excited.

In language, we have started reading Macbeth.  Well, they are not reading it, I’m retelling the story, but using them as characters.  THEY LOVE IT!!!!  of course, blood, swords, witches–its a great tale.

So today, we were at the part when Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are killing King Duncan.  So I got out red paint and two plastic knives–and Peter and Georgia came in with blood on their hands.  The class went nuts!!!!  (Hopefully it doesn’t scar them for life–but in Grade 11, they will thank me!)  They thought it was sooooo cool, and they want to know who else will die.  Someone has read ahead or talked about the play with someone, because Sebastien is telling everyone that Banquo is going to die.  I think this is great, but it does make for some awkward looks from my staff mates when they come to the door to borrow something, and two of my students have “blood” on their hands.

Yikes!

Seeing them grow……

My class is really coming together.  They are really showing that they are learning and changing and growing.  That’s what I really love about my career.  (yes, I like my job again). 

It always seems like just when they are “getting smart” and “acting like real normal people” I have to say goodbye to them.  Really, they are growing up, learning my style, and learning the curriculum.  But still, I really like this time of year.

Cool things they have learned include: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (which has moved out of language time and into blocking during Drama), we are now reading Macbeth in language time.  They can shelve non-fiction books in the library, and have really got the hang of related facts and drawing arrays.  The students are getting better at answering multiple choice and long answer (but I still dread EQAO testing  in two weeks).

They also seem “nicer”.  I am having to solve and deal with fewer inter personal problems.  They are quite nice kids and I have had a good year with them!

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

To get myself out of the “teaching funk” that I’ve been in this week, I have pulled an old favourite out of the “teaching closet”.  SHAKESPEARE.  Its a love that I have, and the classes here at Brother Andre, haven’t seemed the kind that would really enjoy a 400 year old story.  But this class is very weird so I thought they might like it.

First, I pulled all my Lois Burdett and told them about 4 stories.  (Lois Burdett is a Ontario teacher who has retold a number of Shakespeare stories in rhyming couplets)  I made the mistake of mentioning Macbeth, (which I can’t find the book) and now they want to do the play with the blood and the witches, but I will get another copy of that and we will do it next.   Out of Midsummers, Twelfth Night, Much Ado and the Tempest, they chose Midsummers.  I think it was a combination of fairies, dumb guys and the promise of a donkey guy that made the choice so easy.

Well, in two days they are Shakespeare crazy.  One little pet in my class (you know “the one”–who can fall off his own chair, fart on cue, etc) , this little soul, is playing the duke, and he is obsessed.  “When does the king come back??”  His hand has been up to answer all of the re-cap questions.  He knows all of the characters by name, and is always bugging to hear more of the story.  The class is loving it!!! 

I have been told–”That’s my mom’s favourite Shakespeare play too”  or “My dad didn’t know it, but I was telling him all about it and he remembered”.  The students  are remembering all the names, and every person in the class has been cast as a character.  I have lovers, mechanicals, fairies–all very happy with their parts!!!

We will be doing similar activities as the leprechaun unit–writing in role, drawing pictures.  They want lines, so we will have to perform scenes from the play.  (in regular english–but I will want to show them at least one speech in Shakespearian english)

I am still putting away my costumes from Cinderella, perhaps I should bring my fairy wings, crowns and other stuff for them here.  I think they would get a real kick out of it.