How thankful I am for the weekend. The work week went by quickly and was strangely and profusely productive for me, but I will never look the Friday gift horse in the mouth. Oh, yay it's Friday! When you wrangle 120 kids EVERY day. Uh yeah. It's nice to, ya know, not see them sometimes.
I really enjoyed this week at school. My 6th graders finished our bio novel on Helen Keller and all the activities that go with it (like our sign language lessons that are so hilarious to watch), and we wrapped up with the Anne Bancroft-Patty Duke version of the Miracle Worker. I like the newer version as well; however, I absolutely love being able to watch the kids go from the horrified expressions of learning that I expect them to watch a BLACK AND WHITE (GASP!!) movie to seeing them totally enthralled and begging to let them watch it all over again (which can't happen because we have to start our new novel next week!) So we finished our movie today, and oh, there were more than a few weepy sixth graders when it was all said and done.
Interesting Helen Keller factoid. Did you know she introduced the Akita breed of dogs to the United States? The dog was given to her as an official gift of the Japanese government.
I wish we could read Helen's autobiography, Light in My Darkness, but it's a wee bit over the heads of this age group. I made a very strong plea for any and all who would remember to read it as they made their way through the halls of 8th grade or high school, and I have a feeling a few of my girls snatched our library's copies off of the shelf before the day was over. Maybe I say this every year in this blog, but please read it. You'll be glad you did. Of all I've learned about Helen Keller over the years, I think I'm still most impressed with what I've learned about Anne Sullivan. What an amazing life. I don't think I know of anyone else in history who overcame such hardships to touch the world in such a way. Between her gender, her social class, and her handicaps (not many people know that she spent her life almost legally blind and did eventually lose all of her sight), I can't imagine the determination that it took to be who she wanted to be. Amazing. So there you have it class, your mini-lesson for the week!
Well, not only did I wrap up Helen Keller (hahahaa), but I managed to entirely catch myself up on my grading for 6th and 7th grade. Oh my goodness, does that make me feel good! Not to mention I ended today with my lessons ready for next week and the week after! Go me.
The kids are spending the night at my parent's house tonight, so PDaddy and I are going to dinner in Shreveport later when he finishes shooting a Homecoming ceremony. It will be a late meal, but I am starving and will be glad to wait, seeing as how I declined the soybean burger from the cafeteria today. My innards are attempting to eat me for dinner.
Tomorrow we'll be hayriding, and Sunday Sophy has a birthday party to go to.
I better scoot.
Happy Weekend~
No comments:
Post a Comment