Hope is Emo

I always thought it'd be funny to let my students take underlying societal issues and make a hyperbolic commentary on society and teenage life through video. It actually takes a lot of insight and critical thinking to be able to intelligently joke about real life. I love watching "Hope is Emo" videos because they're wildly exaggerated, hilarious, but kind of true.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2fMax7dSqo

This weekend I ate dinner with the Brewers, my fiance Nhu, Stephanie and Abby Owens, and Yo-Shin (the "foreign exchange administrator" from China). Among many other topics, we talked about the difference between Chinese and American classrooms. Yo-Shin was very surprised and impressed with the high level of student-instructor interaction, as well as the respect that teachers have for and the amount of freedom they give their students. What floored her the most was how much the faculty and staff at JBC- especially Dr. Eubanks- is willing to serve others. She said this was in stark contrast to the attitude and expectations of authority figures in China. Anyway, while this post isn't a lesson idea or classroom strategy, I think I needed a reminder that humility and respect in the classroom can change lives and be a witness more than subject matter or creative lesson plans.

Geography Fair

Almost every year, the 7th graders finish out the semester with a "Geography Fair." Each student chooses a country and spends about six weeks researching and preparing a presentation. At the fair (which is set up throughout the cafeteria), students wear clothes, play music, and serve food from their chosen country. Every teacher in the school takes turns bringing their class to mill around the exhibits, and it's always been a huge success. This year, however, the teachers decided to take a break because of the enormous amount of planning involved. Instead, we had our students choose a country, research basic interesting facts, prepare food, and bring in any artifacts/souvenirs they can find. We're having a mini Geography Fair! Even though the students were initially disappointed, now they can't stop talking about their projects! Sometimes it doesn't hurt to downsize. Learning and fun still takes place. =)

Bienvenidos, maestras!

Welcome to my blog! I want to use this site to share classroom ideas that are fun, interesting, inexpensive, and sometimes even easy to plan. Please don't hesitate to post your own ideas (no matter the grade level or subject matter) and make sure to share your suggestions for improving what I've posted. I love to share and compare...it keeps me on my toes. =)