Kids Rock.
Had I posted this on Tuesday night, it may have been "Kids are awful, heinous, evil little @#$%s" however today is a new day, and two (actually three) great things happened today to make me smile.
1. I taught Grade 5. This is my favourite age of kids - old enough to have some intellectual interaction in class, but still without that "We're kings of the school" that Grade 6ers (can) have, or the growing pains that many of the Grade 6 girls are experiencing that make them just impossible for everyone, least of all a hairy round-eye like me.
Grade 5 loves me, and I love them. Awesome classes. It's so cool to be someone's hero.
2. I played basketball with some Grade 6 boys after school, and they had as much fun as I did (lots). This is the second time, and I can see it means a lot to them, this kind of relationship is almost essential for them to have any interest in English (sadly at today's school with 190 kids in GRADE 6 ALONE it's very difficult).
I wish I could do this more, for them, but also selfishly for me, as it gives me friends and allies in the classroom, and I need them.
3. Saved the best for last: I bumped into my old neighbour in the supermarket tonight, with her two littlies - son 3, daughter 2. They kinda remembered me, which was nice, but while talking to Mum, the little dude dropped an absolute cracker of a comment, I'll never forget it. Mum and I were discussing that I was just on my way home from work (hence the suit...yada yada yada) and that we were busy etc... when her son came out with
"Yeah, I'm busy too - got heaps of work to do at Kindy."
Mum and I both nearly lost it, not only at the comment, but the nonchalant way he just rolled it out - what a gem. Why do these things never happen when the video camera is rolling? (Excpet for the coconut-dance, but forget it Pop, that's a whole different kettle of fish...)
1. I taught Grade 5. This is my favourite age of kids - old enough to have some intellectual interaction in class, but still without that "We're kings of the school" that Grade 6ers (can) have, or the growing pains that many of the Grade 6 girls are experiencing that make them just impossible for everyone, least of all a hairy round-eye like me.
Grade 5 loves me, and I love them. Awesome classes. It's so cool to be someone's hero.
2. I played basketball with some Grade 6 boys after school, and they had as much fun as I did (lots). This is the second time, and I can see it means a lot to them, this kind of relationship is almost essential for them to have any interest in English (sadly at today's school with 190 kids in GRADE 6 ALONE it's very difficult).
I wish I could do this more, for them, but also selfishly for me, as it gives me friends and allies in the classroom, and I need them.
3. Saved the best for last: I bumped into my old neighbour in the supermarket tonight, with her two littlies - son 3, daughter 2. They kinda remembered me, which was nice, but while talking to Mum, the little dude dropped an absolute cracker of a comment, I'll never forget it. Mum and I were discussing that I was just on my way home from work (hence the suit...yada yada yada) and that we were busy etc... when her son came out with
"Yeah, I'm busy too - got heaps of work to do at Kindy."
Mum and I both nearly lost it, not only at the comment, but the nonchalant way he just rolled it out - what a gem. Why do these things never happen when the video camera is rolling? (Excpet for the coconut-dance, but forget it Pop, that's a whole different kettle of fish...)
posted by kurisu at 10:04 PM
4 Comments:
I nod that there is a deep gully between grade 5 and 6 kids. Share the same goal such as playing basket ball is very nice to grow comprehensions. For kids, oral communication is next step, maybe...
Once I taught some Jr. Hi's (teaching intern), first some of them ignored me a lot but I got 2 goals on soccer after lunch session, they changed their mind and became the one of my best students... Happy memories!
Aki
Thanks Aki - we've had he same experience! It's important to try to understand their world too.
I also have lots of great memories from this job.
Teaching is learning, my friend. Once I heard the finger for stimulation of a pressure point receive same stimulation from the point itself. Osu hito ga osaresu. Quite Zen thing!
Aki (Zaizen kid)
See, I knew you were a teacher - it wasn't just the beer!
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