I completely forgot to post about this idea that totally saved a near end-of-year lesson meltdown.
We were studying Robert Munsch.
I love his stories, the kids love it's stories, he's great.
The class listened, enraptured, as I read "They Share Everything."
They laughed. They cheered. They chorused the lines.
As soon as I closed the book, though, they were goners.
Even the ones I can always count on.
Goners.
Hopeful, I explained the writing activity - an easy one.
Some groaned. Some whined. Some harrumphed.
And then they groaned and whined and harrumphed altogether.
It was a collective mess.
No one wanted to write.
I explained the activity again, this time with a smile and what felt like a pathetic little "he he..."
I'm sure I heard crickets.
One or two half-heartedly picked up their pencils.
I knew I was losing them.
And then I thought I might lose my cool...
But in the last instant, I blurted, "You know, I have a special reward for the awesome writers today. The awesome writers today get to be my Mini Munsches!"
I hardly knew what I was saying...
Eyebrows raised. Shoulders straightened. Ears bent.
I told them I was going to use my time while they were writing to make some special awards.
So while I got busy, they lifted their pencils and they wrote.
Oh, they wrote! They wrote amazing things!
It was some of the best writing I've seen all year from some.
Here's what my awesome writers took home:
We were studying Robert Munsch.
I love his stories, the kids love it's stories, he's great.
The class listened, enraptured, as I read "They Share Everything."
They laughed. They cheered. They chorused the lines.
As soon as I closed the book, though, they were goners.
Even the ones I can always count on.
Goners.
Hopeful, I explained the writing activity - an easy one.
Some groaned. Some whined. Some harrumphed.
And then they groaned and whined and harrumphed altogether.
It was a collective mess.
No one wanted to write.
I explained the activity again, this time with a smile and what felt like a pathetic little "he he..."
I'm sure I heard crickets.
One or two half-heartedly picked up their pencils.
I knew I was losing them.
And then I thought I might lose my cool...
But in the last instant, I blurted, "You know, I have a special reward for the awesome writers today. The awesome writers today get to be my Mini Munsches!"
I hardly knew what I was saying...
Eyebrows raised. Shoulders straightened. Ears bent.
I told them I was going to use my time while they were writing to make some special awards.
So while I got busy, they lifted their pencils and they wrote.
Oh, they wrote! They wrote amazing things!
It was some of the best writing I've seen all year from some.
Here's what my awesome writers took home:
Phew.
Crisis averted.
Check out Head Over Heels for Teaching for more motivational ideas:
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