4th of July
A month or so ago, the head teacher pulled me aside and asked if I would plan our day on the 4th of July. I was absolutely thrilled to have an opportunity to teach the entire school body about America's birthday, but the task of keeping nearly 400 children busy all day was a bit daunting. When I asked for some guidance, he asked, "Well, what would your kids back home be doing at school on this day?"
Yes, it was incredibly strange to be teaching on the 4th of July, not only because it is our largest national holiday, but because it is July, and I'm still teaching! However, today was most definitely my most memorable Independence Day!
Once a term, the school has a "Super Learning Day" where the time table collapses and pupils are taught all about a variety of topics not necessarily in line with the national curriculum. When planning the calendar last year, in knowing that they would be hosting an American teacher, they set the 4th of July as the summer term Super Learning Day.
For the morning, the pupils stayed in their form classes and moved about to four different teachers doing a variety of activities. All pupils got a brief history lesson of the founding of our country and a geography lesson about a few states and landmarks in the country. Pupils also researched a state of their choosing, baked chocolate chip cookies, sang "This Land is Your Land" and "America the Beautiful," played baseball and American football, or redesigned the American flag. I am so incredibly thankful to all of my colleagues who helped to make these lessons such a success! Some of them planned the cooking, the singing and the sports, none of which I would have done very well! All of my colleagues taught with enthusiasm, spirit and excitement this morning as they taught some unfamiliar topics! (I loved hearing so many of the teachers say, "I learned something, too!") When I peaked in to check on lessons, the children were all happy and engaged - what a pleasure!
When planning for the day, I wanted to make sure that the kids would learn something about my home country, but also have fun. I thought about what my students back home would be doing, and all I could really think about was playing outside. So, I modeled the afternoon after our school Spirit Day that we have back home at the end of every year. The afternoon was packed with over an hour of relay races. The form classes raced against other forms in their year level in races such as: fill the bucket, potato sack, three-legged, egg and spoon, penny on your shoe, ball between your knees, and roll the hoola hoop. We had music blaring in the background, warm sunshine on our faces, children decked out in their red, white and blue and lots of cheerful laughter. It was a truly glorious afternoon; as Mary Poppins would say, "practically perfect in every way."
As a final touch to our day of celebration, we all enjoyed popsicles together!
I missed grilling out, watching fireworks and being with friends and family back home, but after such a wonderful day, I don't think I would have traded it for anything! I'll be back home next summer, eager to see some fireworks, but the sparks I saw in the pupils faces today were brighter than any that could light up a sky!
Thank you to everyone who helped to make today a true celebration!
Yes, it was incredibly strange to be teaching on the 4th of July, not only because it is our largest national holiday, but because it is July, and I'm still teaching! However, today was most definitely my most memorable Independence Day!
Once a term, the school has a "Super Learning Day" where the time table collapses and pupils are taught all about a variety of topics not necessarily in line with the national curriculum. When planning the calendar last year, in knowing that they would be hosting an American teacher, they set the 4th of July as the summer term Super Learning Day.
For the morning, the pupils stayed in their form classes and moved about to four different teachers doing a variety of activities. All pupils got a brief history lesson of the founding of our country and a geography lesson about a few states and landmarks in the country. Pupils also researched a state of their choosing, baked chocolate chip cookies, sang "This Land is Your Land" and "America the Beautiful," played baseball and American football, or redesigned the American flag. I am so incredibly thankful to all of my colleagues who helped to make these lessons such a success! Some of them planned the cooking, the singing and the sports, none of which I would have done very well! All of my colleagues taught with enthusiasm, spirit and excitement this morning as they taught some unfamiliar topics! (I loved hearing so many of the teachers say, "I learned something, too!") When I peaked in to check on lessons, the children were all happy and engaged - what a pleasure!
When planning for the day, I wanted to make sure that the kids would learn something about my home country, but also have fun. I thought about what my students back home would be doing, and all I could really think about was playing outside. So, I modeled the afternoon after our school Spirit Day that we have back home at the end of every year. The afternoon was packed with over an hour of relay races. The form classes raced against other forms in their year level in races such as: fill the bucket, potato sack, three-legged, egg and spoon, penny on your shoe, ball between your knees, and roll the hoola hoop. We had music blaring in the background, warm sunshine on our faces, children decked out in their red, white and blue and lots of cheerful laughter. It was a truly glorious afternoon; as Mary Poppins would say, "practically perfect in every way."
As a final touch to our day of celebration, we all enjoyed popsicles together!
I missed grilling out, watching fireworks and being with friends and family back home, but after such a wonderful day, I don't think I would have traded it for anything! I'll be back home next summer, eager to see some fireworks, but the sparks I saw in the pupils faces today were brighter than any that could light up a sky!
Thank you to everyone who helped to make today a true celebration!
We really enjoyed all the little british accents singing "This Land is your Land". Charlie clapped and said "Yea!" at the end. Glad you had a fun celebration so far away.
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