the spring semester is already in full force, and i've started my student teaching, which has been...interesting, to say the least.
i'm with the same class i was with last semester, which is great, because i already know the kids and they know me. it's also a little not great, because the honeymoon period was a lot shorter this time around. they're already bored with my shiny newness, and they let me know this by treating me like any other old teacher.
for the most part, though, they're really amazing. they've got lots of interesting things to say, and BOY do they like to say...sometimes i just can't get them to stop SAYING.
i got a head start on the books we'd be studying this semester over the winter break:
yep, two typical high school classics.
i came into the picture a little too late to be able to teach Lord of the Flies, but i just got to start Animal Farm with the kids.
they weren't very excited about the whole thing.
"miss! this is a book about animals? on a farm? really?"
and the kids who'd already read it had something to say about it too:
"miss, this book SUCKS."
so as you can see, i was working against the tide from the very beginning.
we did a couple of pre-reading activities that i think the kids enjoyed. i can only hope it peaked their interest a little--maybe they'll actually WANT to read the novel.
the first activity we did had the students respond to seven statements with AGREE or DISAGREE. some of the statements were:
"All people are created equal."
"Power corrupts the people who have it."
"People who can't read are easier to control than people who can read."
and so on.
i had the kids move to either side of the room depending on their answer for each question, and then they talked it out. it was a good thing i was acting as the mediator, because the conversation threatened to move to full out heated discussion a couple of times, and i had to say, "ok, guys. this is just a casual conversation. calm down."
a few times, one of the students tried to be NEUTRAL, but that wasn't one of the options.
so in return, this student asked me, "well, what side are you on, miss?"
"i'm not on any side. i'm in the middle. i'm neutral, like switzerland."
"i thought you said we couldn't be in the middle."
"yeah, well i'm the teacher."
i love getting to say things like that.
