Teaching Snapshots

I've enjoyed some good teaching moments this week.  Here are a few:

• In my English for teachers class, we covered the phrase "Ladies First."  This came up when the only guy in the class decided he could eat the popcorn first since he was the first one there.  We teased him about this and thus taught him the phrase.  However, he ended up liking it--not everyone arrives on time, so with each new arrival he practiced his phrase.  She got popcorn, then he got popcorn.  He decided this concept wasn't so bad after all.
• Movie theater terms this week lent themselves to being taught with a video.  With my 3rd/4th grade group, then, we took a field trip to the great room to watch excerpts from Up.  We discussed scenes, concessions, previews, etc.
• My sixth grade group is often one of two extremes after lunch: completely lethargic or bouncing off the walls.  They are almost never up for reciting and practicing their verse for the week.  Thus, under a moment of inspiration, I decided Psalm 139:21 needed to be recited preacher-style, in the vain of MLK, Jr.  Alejandro, who sits in the back of the room, cracks up every time I say it; I haven't quite convinced them to join me in this manner of recitation, but they have at least done the motions (talking with the hands) with me.
• Thank you, Leslie Robinson (?), for flashbacks.  Started doing these with my 6th graders, and I feel like now we are actually learning something from the getgo with class.