Riding on the crest of a wave

Mister Dean · Post by **Mister Dean** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 8:01 pm

Hello,

I would be interested to hear from you, to find out what was one of your best memories in teaching and what were you doing- when things clicked and suddenly the kids were "learning" and the magic had just happened and you know that you were the one that caused it to happen.

I had one such moment- I have a child in my class who is always just getting by or off centre. I spoke to her parents last week and on Friday told her "You will study for your exam on Monday, now won't you"

We have been revising and yet I didn't feel that she was going to do anything spectacular in the exam. She is in third grade primary and so I was so pleased to see that she had studied and had got it in her to "pull" it off.

I was so pleased. It would be hard for me to pin down just one moment- in teaching there are so many "special" moments when all the pulling out of my hair is worthwhile.I know that this question isn't asking for activities or links to other sites where I can find stuff- (which is OK) but I would just be interested to hear your story.

Best regards,
Dean

Senorita Daniels · Post by **Senorita Daniels** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 4:46 pm

One day, I was with a new first grader, and he needed to sharpen his pencil. The teacher doesn't allow the kids to get up and sharpen pencils during class, so he had to ask, in English, to borrow a pencil. I told him how to say it. He was upset, because shouldn't asking me in Spanish be enough???? He cried as he repeated me word by word, and the teacher loaned him one. He had no problems picking up new words and using them later.

Another student- a kindergartener. We read "Mrs. McNosh Hangs up the Wash" in centers (small group activities). Then we colored in some pictures and made our own book about her. In the book, she washed a turkey. I kept saying turkey, but he said, "No, chicken" clearly in English.