Day Five - Shaving Cream

Monday, feel nearly ready ... teaching my first lesson. It is the Government unit and I am simply giving an introduction to the book helping the kids understand how to navigate the book (Contents, glossary, index etc).

I had 15 minutes and got through just over half of the work I had prepared - I had prepared for 30 minutes so timing was okay and we will finish it off today or tomorrow. But ... I just have to tell you about shaving cream.

In the morning I got into class at 7:50am (I thought there was a staff meeting but it was in the afternoon). Mrs C was putting items in her "Goodie box" (kids get their names for being good during the week in a container and then at the end of the week Mrs C pulls out 3 or so names to pick a prize from the goodie box). Part of her purchases was shaving cream ... I did not ask why I just assumed it was for home.

Mid-morning ... I have done my lesson and Mrs C asks everyone to clear away their tables. She gets out shaving cream and puts a strip on their desk - I kid you not. They can play with it and they know not to throw it around or put it off their desk.

We then get down to work ... Mrs C calls out a spelling word and the kids write in the shaving cream with one hand (well two sometimes get involved). Once finished they put both of their hands up (I will try and attach a picture so you can see this). It was amazing. Once we had done about 10 words she allowed everyone to play again and then we wiped it up with paper towels. Absolutely awesome lesson and the tactile response, listening and learning that involved so many senses was fantastic.

Finally, I am pulling together two of the class to do a special assignment on computers as they are not as engaged in the class as I would like. I found a brochure on the weekend and an ad linked to the brochure and am going to ask the two kids to research one computer in the brochure to compare it to others on the market and tell me if it is good value or not. I also want them to look at how the ad is laid out and why they do it in a particular way, what audience are they trying to sell to etc. Mrs C is excited about it, so that is a good start.

I am getting assessed today in my Maths lesson - a external teacher is coming in that represents my University ... my lesson is on Patterns (2, 4, 6, 8 etc) - but let me just say one word .... Bieber ... be afraid.