Teacher Samples

These are my teacher samples:

Not sure if I will keep them and change the entire lesson, or roll with what I've got at this point.

An awesome site where I've found awesome videos is The Kid Should See This. I think I could spend hours going back through it's archives and watching everything! And really, the kids should see this. I may grab some inspiration from this sight in the future. As a matter of fact it is in my "Inspire Me" favorites folder! Also inspiring and offering an infinite source of knowledge and creativity is my Dad's school librarian blog. You should check it out! Browse past posts.

Wait, that wasn't yesterday?

Gotta say, it's pretty weird learning about how to teach a middle school student! I mean, I was JUST there! I wish I could have given my old teachers some of the articles we've looked at so far. I did actually sent my dad, who is the middle school and high school librarian, the two Surrealist game articles, telling him that he should scatter them about the teachers room and even just play them at home with my youngest brother and my mom!

I feel that most teachers get stuck in a very repetitive loop.

They give the same monotonous spiel year after year without change.

All they do is provide information that the students will be tested on in the future. They forget that these students have other needs. Other interestes. Other things going on. In 'A Middle School Curriculum' James Bean points out that teachers often separate the skills from the main focus. But that "misrepresents the reality of life." They won't be able to apply them when needed if they are taught separately.

Also, that 'middle schoolers' is not all that they are. That was important to say. I find myself doing that a lot. I see someone that age and think Middle Schooler. And that's it. Not about anything else going on, whether it's brother or swimmer or bike-lover or LEGO-player. We, or at least I know I do, have the tendency to label children that age as a middle schooler. They have a lot going on. They are basically being molded into what they will become. They are conscious of everything around them.

I remember when I was in eighth grade I so badly wanted to fit in with the popular music scene of kids my age, although I totally hated that music. I listened to my dad's old records. The Doors, The Who, Carly Simon, Frank Zappa, Harry Nilsson, and The Dubliners. I loved them. I wanted to listen to Avril Lavigne, System of a Down, Green Day, Usher, and Missy Elliot. So I bought some of their CDs. I hated them. I put up a face and whistled the songs as I unlocked my locker combo, hoping someone would hear and be surprised that I knew that music. Stupid idea. Those CDs didn't last very long either! But this goes to prove, these kids are trying so hard to fit in with their peers and also growing into themselves! I know, I JUST did it!

If and Then

Played the Surrealist game 'Conditionals' with Shaun on Monday night. But it really developed into 'If and Then'.

My favorite?

"If leg hair grew as fast as the hair on your head, then I would be your biggest fan."

Most relevant?

"If yellow was the only perceivable color, then all artists would be killed and the world would be devoid of art."

Black = Rachel

Blue = Shaun

So what's a Surrealist game?

Or would you rather start with, 'what's a Surrealist?'

Start with looking up these people: Wifredo Lam, Remedio Varo, and Salvador Dalí.

Notice anything? All pretty crazy, dreamlike and bizare, right? Surrealism doesn't only come in visuals though. Look for André Breton, Paul Éluard and Aimé Césaire. Writers, poets, creative beings. Crazy, wonderful, free beings! All these people!

These artists had ways of gathering their images and their words through playing games. These games help generate poems, stories, and images through a fast paced flow of automatic responses.

This game, Conditionals, is one of many.