Not yet, actually, but I will. I just completed my 8th grade history lesson plans for next week--my first week of teaching! Woo. Civil War. It's gonna be a fun one.
And I should probably figure out how to teach everything else. But it feels nice to have SOMETHING done.
It snowed this morning while I was walking to work: tiny little crystals stuck on my shoes and in my hair and on my nose, chilling wherever they touched bare skin. Rosy and red, I spilled my way into the classroom and through the day--a day filled with exciting new ideas and dreams of what's to come when I sit up there and project my ideas, my joy, my knowledge, and my ignorance (haha) upon the classroom of students.
Anyone have interesting ideas for "Journal Topics"? I'm going to have them write journals everyday. And a vocab test every week. Muhaha. Ahem.
By the way, these students are brilliant. They engage with the subject, they soak up information, they read a ton, and their verbal vocab is better than some college graduates I know (namely--me). :)
5 comments:
If I was the teacher...
I would have them bring their own composition book. One set completely aside for journaling. During the time allotted for journaling I would encourage them to write with out stopping, or a least never stop to erase anything that they wrote, so perhaps using a pen that flowed easily would be a good choice. Memories are always good to write about. In time they will be able to look back and remember events that they would of never recalled otherwise. I wouldn't stimulate the time very often using current events, most people would rather journal about their lives, and write papers on current events. I might begin with a poem, a song or a thought. If I did any devotional reading and writing in the morning I might try to start them off on those thoughts, but I would always let them know that they can write about what ever they want. It is their time, their thoughts, they are free to create their own world.
I am not sure when you get your kids during the day, but sometimes writing can be quite peaceful, and if you get a crazy group of kids give them the opportunity to ponder life for 5 to 10 minuets.
I the only rules that I would have is that you must write, even if you are writing "I don't know what to write" for ten minuets
Try to get them to see the beauty of writing out ones thoughts, Just quiet writing.
Ooooh, yes.....Civil War. I'm reading a book on Lincoln right now (Team of Rivals), and about to jump into another book on him. I'm just now getting into the Civil War part of the book.
If you need any suggestions, let me know. Sounds like fun!
my favorite journal days of honors english in tenth grade were the days we walked into the classroom and the teacher had written on the board "how are you feeling right now." suddenly I had a place to channel all of that pent up high school angst.
or let them come up with the topic
Free writes are always good. And if you make them do them everyday eventually they'll actually write something true.
haha. nice
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