Sunday, January 20, 2013

Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » Week 16 and 17: Heaven, and the start of Spring…

Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » Week 16 and 17: Heaven, and the start of Spring…:


Week 16 and 17: Heaven, and the start of Spring…


That first week back from vacation I, and my class, were on fire. They seem to look forward to the topics we’re covering (a language arts unit on taking a stand for what’s right, ecosystems in science, and Ancient Africa and India in social studies). They were chatty, but much of it was on topic. It was one of the most productive weeks of learning we’ve had.
This week was not bad, but it wasn’t as good, and the kids are clearly getting ready for Spring. For those who have not taught or seen sixth graders in elementary school, Spring is a special time in the classroom. It’s full of wisdom and insights that you just can’t get with the younger kids. It’s also full of the impulsivity, noise, smell, and general drama that are typical of children turning 12 years old. In addition, as at many schools, we have a week-long (actually 4 days in February) class field trip, and the promotion ceremony to look forward to. I’m seeing new grey hairs emerge daily. In addition, my experiences at home with my 14 year old starting high