The Daily News
1 Some fun.
2 My classes are working on skits. I get to do a mini-drama unit every spring, and each year I forget how fun it gets.
3 We’re also well into both Romeo and Juliet AND Much Ado.
4 It is difficult to believe that my freshmen by and large know nothing about Romeo and Juliet.
5 As we get older, it seems that everybody walking around knows the plot of Romeo and Juliet.
6 As I gave them a vocab lesson on the words in the play, I also told them the story that contains the words. I looked out, and saw them riveted by the story.
7 They were all ears and braces.
8 Their skits are due on Wednesday, so after a brief lecture and some desk work, I turned them over to art supplies, group work, and fun music.
9 I watched and listened to them workshop scenes. Many already had scripts written. They were pretty excited. Lots of fun collaboration.
10 My job became providing background music as they created.
11 I began with a rare jewel of a song: You and Me and Rain on the Roof by the inimitable Lovin’ Spoonful. Lovely little song on a cloudy day.
12 I kept the volume a little low. In a way it was my own sound show to the day. I graded papers, answered questions, walked around listening to the different ideas, and enjoyed a rather relaxing Monday that was filled with laughter and great music.
13 I played Daydream, just for good measure.
14 Fine old tunes. The students didn’t know if they were old tunes or young tunes.
15 I didn’t know if I was old or young.
16 Sometimes it all blends. The setting worked. A love of drama, and a workshop of skits. A lot of music. Good mix.
17 I thought that I’d bring the music up to the twenty-first century, but what turned the corner was Michael Buble’s cover of a fine old song called Put Your Head on My Shoulder.
18 In an instant, one student pulled away from his group and ran to my desk.
19 “Is that Paul Anka?” he asked.
20 I smiled big. “Michael Buble, but good guess!”
21 He smiled big and ran back to his group.
22 They kept working and enjoying the day. Why do Mondays have to drag? We had absolute fun the entire day.
23 Each period I played the same tunes.
24 Toward the end of the period I began bringing the music a little louder, deliberately causing a bit of chaos and excitement. I put on Buble’s Haven’t Met You Yet and a bunch of students knew the tune. Nearly every period I would hear one kid or another shout, “I LOVE this song!”
25 I finished the period off with Home, commenting in my morning class, “This is a perfect Monday song.” A few chuckles.
26 Because it was overcast, I was able to keep my curtains open and use some daylight as my lights for a few periods, making everything more pleasant. My windows look out on the lush East Hills of San Jose. During my second class, I randomly put on the Beatles I Will, another jewel of a song. One girl lit up, saying, “My gramma used to play this for me.” I used to sing it to Caitlin. This was the first Beatles’ song I ever played for my EV classes.Timeless.
27 Really fun day, and it should remain a pretty fun week full of music, laughter, and skits.
28 I work these guys hard during the first part of the year. We have fun, but a lot of it is all business. I teach them to write using the rules of grammar. You don’t say, “I seen this dude…” in my class, for instance. They realize I am serious about speaking correctly. I realize they are serious about speaking correctly as well. It is truly a two-way street.
29 It is pretty difficult work. They must learn a bazillion rules of the language. I sometimes tell them that even a baseball player has to know the rule book.
30 Somebody needs to answer why the English language rule books have disappeared from our schools, and have been replaced with cheap substitutes.
31 During November and December they wanted to die. I pushed grammar and conciseness like a huge broom.
32 I confessed to constructing lousy analogies too, making me turn human.
33 Beginning on Valentine’s Day, I turn it all around. The theme becomes love, and I introduce them to Shakespeare on Valentine’s Day. I teach seasonally.
34 And then I begin my drama unit.
35 It is so full of enrichment, fun and music that I look WAY forward to going in each day.
36 Today they will put vocab sentences on the board, probably to Jack Johnson tunes from Curious George. That album tends to be the anthem album for my classroom. Upside Down in particular rocks each class.
37 Today when they workshop I think I’ll begin with David Crosby’s rare gem Music is Love.
38 Then go Motown.
39 Kickin’ it Old Skool.
40 Music.
41 Love.
42 Skits and fun.
43 Smiles. Cuteness. Ears and braces. Intelligence.
44 And we still have to move through the Shakespearean plays, and THEN we have to move through poetry before they get bombarded by state testing.
45 And visits by the WPC.
46 White People with Clipboards.
47 In the midst of really reaching kids, we always have people out of the classroom coming in and making sure that everything is copacetic.
48 That’s a Robert Hunter/Jerry Garcia word.
49 God I’m old.
50 And wise.
51 The two really do dance fancifully.
52 I planned all of this carefully, and it works. When students climb all over each other with ideas, when students share ideas enthusiastically, when I hear laughter and comfort flowing through my room, I know that something is happening.
53 And I smile big.
54 Gottago.
55 Live life.
56 Love life.
57 Peace.
~H~
www.xanga.com/bharrington
The Daily News1 Some fun.2 My classes are working on skits. I get to do a mini-drama unit every spring, and each year I forget how fun it gets.3 We’re also well into both Romeo and Juliet AND Much Ado.4 It is difficult to believe that my freshmen by and large know nothing about Romeo and Juliet.5 As we get older, it seems that everybody walking around knows the plot of Romeo and Juliet.6 As I gave them a vocab lesson on the words in the play, I also told them the story that contains the words. I looked out, and saw them riveted by the story.7 They were all ears and braces.8 Their skits are due on Wednesday, so after a brief lecture and some desk work, I turned them over to art supplies, group work, and fun music.9 I watched and listened to them workshop scenes. Many already had scripts written. They were pretty excited. Lots of fun collaboration.10 My job became providing background music as they created.11 I began with a rare jewel of a song: You and Me and Rain on the Roof by the inimitable Lovin’ Spoonful. Lovely little song on a cloudy day.12 I kept the volume a little low. In a way it was my own sound show to the day. I graded papers, answered questions, walked around listening to the different ideas, and enjoyed a rather relaxing Monday that was filled with laughter and great music.13 I played Daydream, just for good measure.14 Fine old tunes. The students didn’t know if they were old tunes or young tunes.15 I didn’t know if I was old or young.16 Sometimes it all blends. The setting worked. A love of drama, and a workshop of skits. A lot of music. Good mix.17 I thought that I’d bring the music up to the twenty-first century, but what turned the corner was Michael Buble’s cover of a fine old song called Put Your Head on My Shoulder.18 In an instant, one student pulled away from his group and ran to my desk.19 “Is that Paul Anka?” he asked.20 I smiled big. “Michael Buble, but good guess!”21 He smiled big and ran back to his group.22 They kept working and enjoying the day. Why do Mondays have to drag? We had absolute fun the entire day.23 Each period I played the same tunes.24 Toward the end of the period I began bringing the music a little louder, deliberately causing a bit of chaos and excitement. I put on Buble’s Haven’t Met You Yet and a bunch of students knew the tune. Nearly every period I would hear one kid or another shout, “I LOVE this song!”25 I finished the period off with Home, commenting in my morning class, “This is a perfect Monday song.” A few chuckles.26 Because it was overcast, I was able to keep my curtains open and use some daylight as my lights for a few periods, making everything more pleasant. My windows look out on the lush East Hills of San Jose. During my second class, I randomly put on the Beatles I Will, another jewel of a song. One girl lit up, saying, “My gramma used to play this for me.” I used to sing it to Caitlin. This was the first Beatles’ song I ever played for my EV classes.Timeless.27 Really fun day, and it should remain a pretty fun week full of music, laughter, and skits.28 I work these guys hard during the first part of the year. We have fun, but a lot of it is all business. I teach them to write using the rules of grammar. You don’t say, “I seen this dude…” in my class, for instance. They realize I am serious about speaking correctly. I realize they are serious about speaking correctly as well. It is truly a two-way street.29 It is pretty difficult work. They must learn a bazillion rules of the language. I sometimes tell them that even a baseball player has to know the rule book.30 Somebody needs to answer why the English language rule books have disappeared from our schools, and have been replaced with cheap substitutes.31 During November and December they wanted to die. I pushed grammar and conciseness like a huge broom.32 I confessed to constructing lousy analogies too, making me turn human.33 Beginning on Valentine’s Day, I turn it all around. The theme becomes love, and I introduce them to Shakespeare on Valentine’s Day. I teach seasonally.34 And then I begin my drama unit.35 It is so full of enrichment, fun and music that I look WAY forward to going in each day.36 Today they will put vocab sentences on the board, probably to Jack Johnson tunes from Curious George. That album tends to be the anthem album for my classroom. Upside Down in particular rocks each class.37 Today when they workshop I think I’ll begin with David Crosby’s rare gem Music is Love.38 Then go Motown.39 Kickin’ it Old Skool.40 Music.41 Love.42 Skits and fun.43 Smiles. Cuteness. Ears and braces. Intelligence.44 And we still have to move through the Shakespearean plays, and THEN we have to move through poetry before they get bombarded by state testing.45 And visits by the WPC.46 White People with Clipboards.47 In the midst of really reaching kids, we always have people out of the classroom coming in and making sure that everything is copacetic.48 That’s a Robert Hunter/Jerry Garcia word.49 God I’m old.50 And wise.51 The two really do dance fancifully.52 I planned all of this carefully, and it works. When students climb all over each other with ideas, when students share ideas enthusiastically, when I hear laughter and comfort flowing through my room, I know that something is happening.53 And I smile big.54 Gottago.55 Live life.56 Love life.57 Peace.~H~
www.xanga.com/bharrington
Comments (1)
I like Michael Buble too. Barbara doesn’t. But before I criticize her for not loving Buble, I have to confess that if you switch Buble and Motown, she’s me and I’m her. If you know what I mean.