Friday, February 25, 2011

Getting Re-Energized

Written February 23, 2011

Some times days tend to blend together leaving one feeling like Bill Murray in Ground Hog’s Day. But then out of the blue something happens to remind you why you’re here.

I was lucky to one of these such days yesterday while teaching my standard 6 class. I was on the downhill side of a crazy 24-hour bug that had kept both ends stuck in buckets…yeah, sorry for TMI but important to the story!

It had knocked me so hard I was unable to prepare a new lesson in Swahili. I did not want to miss another day of teaching after being out on vacation. So I decided to review the past three lessons. I always wonder how much they understand of what I say so this was the perfect chance to test them.

I should first explain this is my favorite class. Even when I was teaching the class ahead of them, these students just seemed to get it better. A few weeks ago they were so good I decided on an impromptu game of Simon Says. The kids loved it, and I felt really good.

But then the following week they were awful: throwing paper airplanes, talking, walking around the room. It was a nightmare! The game must have given them a false sense of being able to get away with anything. I even had to put a couple of them in the corner, and they just laughed thinking it was a game too. So when they again wanted to play Simon Says at the end of class, I said no way!

Yesterday I returned to the best class ever. I don’t think they have ever been so attentive! Best of all they remembered what we had been studying. They were able to answer all my questions about soil composition, erosion and habitats. I was so proud of them all.

So when class ended, I was able to explain they were good even to play another game of Simon Says! Though I’m thinking they really don’t get the concept of the game, more like just imitating me. Either way we have fun so it doesn’t really matter.

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