“Who would want to kiss a dragon?”
Little kids ask the CUTEST questions.
And my LJ entry seriously just got blown up by my stupid laptop. *curses it*
I really hate it when a great idea pops into my head, like saving a copy of my post just for the heck of it, I ignore the idea, and then the world explodes because I was stupid.
So, for the next few weeks I'll be working at Quest Academy for the Gifted. I don't care what our "egalitarian" culture says, smart kids deserve a peer group just like everyone else. Their peers just happen to be a heck of a lot harder to find.
And for my daily log:
Quest Academy Day 1 - May 9th, 2007
Blue Whales (1st Grade Level Classrooms)
Nested in the arms of a welcoming, healthy green suburb, the school feels very much at peace with it's rather odd appearance. The bright colors that great me as I come inside are soothing after the sterile, bustling mass transit. Coming in, I'm welcomed by a receptionist who offers me a Visitor pass, inviting me to hold on to it for the weeks I will be here, but I know the label will disappear soon enough.
The kids are grinning as the substitute points out the math assignment for them, setting them loose on a few pages of rather interesting exercises. The kids help organize the cups of colorful counters, sharing them with their classmates when they can't find enough. There is an assistant in the room who's kneeling next to one of the children, helping them find their way through the worksheets. The questions are more activities than just fill in the blanks, as a young boy named Matthew finds his tens spilling over into the hundreds. He looks up at me as I watch and grins as he figures out the answer. The kids can sign themselves out to the bathroom while they're working.
I didn't know quite what was happening, but the kids did, as they rearranged the two adjacent classrooms to work with their peers on differentiated assignments. Some of the six and seven year-olds were poring over their multiplication tables as soon as the teacher told them where to start. It's a fascinating environment, and the best part is, the kids seem to agree.
...
Back from my first time around the classroom, pausing to help along with the kids brave enough to raise their hands, and asking the shy ones helping questions, we all worked through the “math boxes”. A few students finished early and grabbed fun sheets, with matching games, Sudoku, and the like. It's a shame I missed the “Blue Whale Warmup” this morning, it sounded like fun.
...
At the end of our math activities, many whisperings of a spelling test went around before the substitute announced the Grade 2 Assessment to the class. It was met with cheers as the kids put up their “privacy folders” and eagerly gathered their pencils to work on the test. What kind of place is this, where kids *enjoy* taking tests? When they are finished writing their names on the papers, the kids stand up to indicate their readiness. The substitute didn't understand, and a brave youngster, Matthew again, explained the signal. Even in absence of their teacher, they are all peaceful, quiet, and very well organized for a first-grade class. Daniel read the instructions to the class, and as the teacher helps clarifying, and eager young girl asks cutely, “Can we start?”
And my LJ entry seriously just got blown up by my stupid laptop. *curses it*
I really hate it when a great idea pops into my head, like saving a copy of my post just for the heck of it, I ignore the idea, and then the world explodes because I was stupid.
So, for the next few weeks I'll be working at Quest Academy for the Gifted. I don't care what our "egalitarian" culture says, smart kids deserve a peer group just like everyone else. Their peers just happen to be a heck of a lot harder to find.
And for my daily log:
Quest Academy Day 1 - May 9th, 2007
Blue Whales (1st Grade Level Classrooms)
Nested in the arms of a welcoming, healthy green suburb, the school feels very much at peace with it's rather odd appearance. The bright colors that great me as I come inside are soothing after the sterile, bustling mass transit. Coming in, I'm welcomed by a receptionist who offers me a Visitor pass, inviting me to hold on to it for the weeks I will be here, but I know the label will disappear soon enough.
The kids are grinning as the substitute points out the math assignment for them, setting them loose on a few pages of rather interesting exercises. The kids help organize the cups of colorful counters, sharing them with their classmates when they can't find enough. There is an assistant in the room who's kneeling next to one of the children, helping them find their way through the worksheets. The questions are more activities than just fill in the blanks, as a young boy named Matthew finds his tens spilling over into the hundreds. He looks up at me as I watch and grins as he figures out the answer. The kids can sign themselves out to the bathroom while they're working.
I didn't know quite what was happening, but the kids did, as they rearranged the two adjacent classrooms to work with their peers on differentiated assignments. Some of the six and seven year-olds were poring over their multiplication tables as soon as the teacher told them where to start. It's a fascinating environment, and the best part is, the kids seem to agree.
...
Back from my first time around the classroom, pausing to help along with the kids brave enough to raise their hands, and asking the shy ones helping questions, we all worked through the “math boxes”. A few students finished early and grabbed fun sheets, with matching games, Sudoku, and the like. It's a shame I missed the “Blue Whale Warmup” this morning, it sounded like fun.
...
At the end of our math activities, many whisperings of a spelling test went around before the substitute announced the Grade 2 Assessment to the class. It was met with cheers as the kids put up their “privacy folders” and eagerly gathered their pencils to work on the test. What kind of place is this, where kids *enjoy* taking tests? When they are finished writing their names on the papers, the kids stand up to indicate their readiness. The substitute didn't understand, and a brave youngster, Matthew again, explained the signal. Even in absence of their teacher, they are all peaceful, quiet, and very well organized for a first-grade class. Daniel read the instructions to the class, and as the teacher helps clarifying, and eager young girl asks cutely, “Can we start?”