Teaching at its best!

The past two days have been great in an odd kind of way. I've wanted to make the writing lessons be more interactive and hands on. Yesterday I read The Three Questions by Muth, this book is adapted from Tolstoy's work. LOVE IT!!!! Anyway the kids seemed to get it as well.

I've been struggling with getting this class to actually take the time to reread and revise their writing. So today I brought out playdough. I talked briefly about writing and the writing process and then told them, oh let's just have some fun. Everyone had a jar of playdough and they were suppose to make an object. They had 15 minutes, when the time was up, I said they had two minutes to make an addition, then I gave them two minutes to take something away. This was when things got interesting. The students who are excelling with their writing made objects with great attention to details, those struggling made a pancake, cookie, burrito. It was like a light went off in my head. This needed to have been done the first of the year to see their creativity. One who is struggling with me and I saw in a totally different light today made a bowling ball and bowling pins. Another who is struggling and I can't seem to reach, made a smiley face, then went and told the RESA woman, "I don't like to write, but it is okay. I'm in TAG, so I'll be in all the advanced classes in middle school." AAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH

No wonder I'm not making any impact! I felt like a light had come on and a load had been lifted. That to me is a child I can't help, they don't want to be helped! I've struggled with months over her.

Now I need to make my mind up about my couches. Tax woman has encouraging news tonight! Dan will meet with her on Saturday. Plus looks like Dan may have a job!!!!