Yup...teacher speeches. And I have to admit, I stole this little idea from the guy who wrote 32 Third Graders & One Class Bunny. But it's so, so true. And my favorite speech of the year is one I just gave...the glitter speech.
Goes like this:
*hold up glitter bottle* "Class, this is a bottle of glitter. We are going to use the glitter this afternoon. Let me show you how to properly use glitter." *hold glitter slightly above table and gently shake* "If I see you wildly flinging the glitter bottle, you are done. If I see you pouring glitter onto any part of your body, you are done. If you decide to see what happens when you blow on glitter, you're done. If you throw glitter onto another person, even a person who just called you a naughty name, you are done. If I, at any point when you are over at the table working on your project, see your glitter doing anything it's not supposed to do, you are done. Are there any questions about the glitter?"
Perhaps you think I'm overdoing it a little...afterall, these are 5th graders, they ought to know how to use glitter by now, right? poor, naive soul...I also believed that to be true at one point in time...and when my first class of fifth graders were done with their projects, it looked like the glitter fairy had violently attacked half my students and started a war in my room. Thus, the glitter speech was born.
And it works, too...here's proof:
See how nicely he's holding the glitter bottle and gently tapping? Yup, Mrs. Bolton would be proud...
3 comments:
I think you need a little more Christmas spirit! I think some glitter flinging would've brightened up your room.. I should've been there!
Ok, so I understand the need for speeches. Today, in the 7th grade classroom, we were working with volume, irregular objects, and water displacement. Think about it...thirteen year olds should not need a similar speech, and yet they do!! I tell you, the rules were laid out very clearly. If you throw water, act unsafe, or downright stupidly, I will send you to the office. There will be no, "Go to the hallway, today." You will go straight to the office.
AND YET, I still sent two boys to the office for varying offenses, and I had three beakers broken by the end of the day. Alas, they still need the Kindergarten type speeches.
Keep up the good work, teach!
I didn't take Mrs. Bolton's speech class...I wonder how I got out of it. But she probably would be proud. =)
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