Unit planning, when there are actual students on the receiving end of it, is a lot harder than I thought it would be. For many reasons I think. First of all, I gave myself a challenge. I normally work exclusively with children under the age of 10. My Mom thinks I’m some sort of child whisperer. I’ve had days babysitting where a trip to the park with two kids ends up being me leading a group of 5-8 year olds as we storm the “castle” (i.e. the slide) for “treasure” (i.e. a broken car, some sticks, and a pile of leaves). However, now I am teaching 60 some 15-16 year olds. Somehow, I don’t think I will be storming any castles with them.
Secondly, I’m teaching a play I had never read before this week, The Merchant of Venice. It’s a good play, and I am excited to teach some Shakespeare, but I am struggling to come up with a relevant theme. What the heck to 15 and 16 year olds like?! I know, I know, I was in grade 10 not that long ago, but I was a bit of an odd nut, still am probably.
So right now I have a pile of resources, a kitchen wall plastered with poster paper, and a ceiling, which I starred at for about 90 minutes on Wednesday. Somehow, brilliance did not come out of the off white speckles. That being said, there is a very sad watermark on my ceiling, and I discovered, that if you look at it a certain way, it makes a face. Who knew?
I’m rambling, but I think you get a sense of my head space at this point. It’s almost like I have too many ideas, and too much that I want to do with my students. It is difficult to pin down a theme that will inspire both myself and my students. I just keep on flipping through books and waiting for brilliance, but it is hard to find at this point.
Secondly, I’m teaching a play I had never read before this week, The Merchant of Venice. It’s a good play, and I am excited to teach some Shakespeare, but I am struggling to come up with a relevant theme. What the heck to 15 and 16 year olds like?! I know, I know, I was in grade 10 not that long ago, but I was a bit of an odd nut, still am probably.
So right now I have a pile of resources, a kitchen wall plastered with poster paper, and a ceiling, which I starred at for about 90 minutes on Wednesday. Somehow, brilliance did not come out of the off white speckles. That being said, there is a very sad watermark on my ceiling, and I discovered, that if you look at it a certain way, it makes a face. Who knew?
I’m rambling, but I think you get a sense of my head space at this point. It’s almost like I have too many ideas, and too much that I want to do with my students. It is difficult to pin down a theme that will inspire both myself and my students. I just keep on flipping through books and waiting for brilliance, but it is hard to find at this point.