Last day of teaching - 5770

So today was my last day with the 125. Most of them students, some only there 'cause their parents forced them to school. I admit it; I'll miss them. A lot. The variety, the youth, the cheerfulness, the sauciness, the unexpectedness... the ability to make you feel alive. Even if that includes raising your voice, narrowing your eyes and trying to look tough.
Today was the last day.
In my third grade classes I had nice activities: a wordsearch with 26 words - one for each letter of the abc. In one class we had a party; the kids all brought something and I brought a ton of popcorn and plastic bowls. I was really surprised (pleasantly so) that the kid with whom I'd had the most trouble also brought a snack; a bag of bambas. In that class we played a game of bingo with prizes (I brought. Nothing fancy).
In the last five minutes of each class I got complete silence as I told them that I wouldn't be continuing with them next year. They were all really sad to hear that. One girl immeadately made me a card and slipped it in my bag. I explained to them that it was because of all the fighting and disruption - the principal had decided that he wants a tougher teacher. In one class my students reassured me that I wasn't a bad teacher; it was the fault of the badly behaved kids. In my fourth grade class the kids were furious. They wanted to meet with the principal and force him to change his mind. Several of them wanted it repeated to them that I had actually been fired.
The final thing I did was to was to hand out a cute note to each kid and a hard candy. They loved those! A sweet ending.
Wednesday is the final ceremony and farewell.

It's a little bit funny...

I had once told my students that whoever has any songs in English - can bring them to class and welcome. Well, this morning I came to my fourth grade class and was handed a double disc of... Elton John. Oh, yes. So I told my student that I have a free period and I'll try and think of something so we can hear a song. Sure enough, during that free time, I sat in the Teachers' Loungs and prepared a worksheet about Elton John. The musical genius who started playing piano at the age of three and won a scholarship to the Royal Academy at the age of eleven. Who loves his costumes and is very rich... The singer, songwriter and composer. A very talented English chappie.
I quickly decided what song we'd listen to; there's only one song of his that I like. Your Song. Also, the words aren't too difficult in it. So I printed off the lyrics. In class we read what I'd written about him, answered the questions, listened to the song and then wrote in our notebooks what we would choose to give to someone who is close to us (at this age most kids chose their parents and to give them a million dollars or a vacation in Paris).
It was an interesting lesson, and I'm proud of my flexibility. The funny thing was that a couple of my students actually said that they were impressed by my devotion...
Well, well. How wonderful life is when you're in the world.

Sing a song...

Finally! I've been trying to teach my fourth grade class the song "It's a Small World After-all" and for two lessons they just didn't get it. In the first lesson I pointed out the rhyming words and read the song with them. It didn't help. In the second lesson I tried to force them to sing it with me - they rebelled and sang it in Hebrew instead. I tried to explain to them how embarrased they would be come the English evening when the other fourth grade classes would know the song - and they wouldn't. It didn't work; they seemed delighted at the idea that perhaps they wouldn't have to perform after-all. Well, I gave them homework to read the song twice. And I sent them a Youtube clip of it to their emails.
Today in class I figured I would spend the entire lesson on the song if I had to, but that by the time I left the class they must know it. I handed everyone a copy of the song. I started humming the melody. A few kids joined in. I started singing. One girl started making hand gestures as she sang, and then her friend joined her. What the heck, I thought. I joined them - making hand motions that matched the words. Soon all the kids were making the hand motions, and slowly singing. Everyone knew the chorus real fast... We finished singing once and started again, and again, and again... Lesson over. I clapped my hands from relief and they all joined! A few announcements and I released them to recess.
Thank G-d
--Shifra

When things go well

A very pleasant day yesterday! After starting the subject of magic in my fourth grade class, we wrote our own spells. The children who had read Harry Potter had a great time including magic words like 'crucio' and 'Avada Kedavra' in theirs. Then was the question of what to add? A cow? a pig? Some children were asking me how to say vampire teeth and snails and slugs... I photographed the pages, put them through image graphic design and sent them to their parents. Hopefully on Sunday I'll put them on the English bulletin board instead of the present exhibition.
In all my third grade classes I gave them a page of matching the sentence with the correct picture and writing their name at the end. I was delighted to see that almost all of them got full marks!
Shabbat Shalom,
--Shifra

Mommy, it's over!

Boy, did I have the jitters last night. I felt just like I did in the beginning of the year. The only difference was that this time I knew all the children's names and their personality's. Did it help calm me down - not really. It just felt so strange for me, mentally, to put myself back into the shoes of a teacher. To try and be assertive, to take charge instead of just watching on the edge,, to be the influential grown-up...
It kept me up a lot, and so I woke exhausted. That of course was terrible. You haven't a hope with children if you're sleepy. Anyhow, I put on the first of the lipsticks I'd bought yesterday (lipstick makes me look older) only to discover that I'd purchased such a perfect match for myself that I couldn't even tell I was wearing some! Still, I guess the point was that I knew I had it on so that gave me confidence, right?
At school the little tykes were all delighted to see me - one fourth grader even telling me exactly how many weeks it's been since he's last had an English lesson. The girls noticed my hair-cut and most of them said my longer hair was nicer. I have yet to figure out why, but one child asked me if I'd gotten married.
Classes weren't too bad. In fact they were pretty good. There wasn't any fighting except for in fourth grade and that was because one kid had forgotten to take his pill; I finally had to call for the vice principal to take him. True, the noise level was high, but we accomplished learning. I didn't walk out of classes disgusted today. The only problem is that I walked out hoarse - I guess I'm out of practise and my vocal cords need to get used to this again.
So, it's back to school, hmmm.

It's Up!

Yes! They put it up... Check out the right hand side of this website:
http://www.orianit.edu-negev.gov.il/english/
and you'll find the link to the Shafir English newspaper!
A proud day :)
Have a happy Pesach,
--Shifra

Finally

Okay,
I got tired of waiting for our school's English newspaper to apppear on the Southern Inspectorate's website, and so this morning I kept at it and finally managed to put it on my school's website. I warn you though - my school has only just started a new website (I don't know why they tired of the old one) so it's all very new and fresh... and empty.
Here's the link: http://clickit3.ort.org.il/Apps/WW/Page.aspx?ws=9abbfaaf-5149-4f98-9abf-47a5e4f6bd37&page=2a8c5584-f94a-40e2-9e98-ae3814c85566
Enjoy.
--shifra