And they let you teach?

Today I embarked on the week long process of teaching the holidays. To teach one, you have to teach them all. So, we cover, Christmas, Hanukkah, Diwali, Eid, Winter Solstice, Chinese New Year and Kwanzaa. I started off with Christmas today. I found a video that showed the history and how it is celebrated around the world. God forbid MCPS allow us to incorporate a little kid-like fun into the curriculum so we have to do our best to work it in. I chose to use it as a Write to Inform (one of our grading points this quarter) activity. So, after the kids watched the video, we talked about connections, and shared with a partner. A couple of my kids don't celebrate Christmas... 2 for religious reasons and a few others who are new to the country and probably think Americans are nuts.
I realized what a massive failure this "lesson" was...and I use the term lesson loosely here. After looking over their writing I saw two kids that totally missed the boat and a few others that were a bit confused.
In the missing the boat column comes 2 noteworthy writing samples. One started with "Christmas is a holiday celebrated by Jewish people." Yes, this was completely factually inaccurate, but the topic (or hook sentence as I call it) was awesome. And then another student actually wrote a letter to Santa. I asked this student about his writing......I said, "Did you tell me everything you know about this holiday?" He thought for a minute and very carefully replied, "Santa come down da shimney."
Another student kept referring to the "Christmas necklaces." This is his first Christmas. I was trying to make sense of these necklaces that go on the "stairs and the tree of Christmas." Finally, after he drew me a picture (always the go-to strategy when you have no idea what an ESOL student is referring to).....I realized these necklaces were in fact......well...let's see what your best guess is. What do you hink the Christmas necklaces that hang on trees and stairs are?
I love my kids.
It's such a joy that they are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Santa. Last week, one little boy was really worried and perplexed. When I asked him why he finally unloaded his big worry....How will Santa get into an apartment?
After explaining that Santa wiggles his nose and doesn't always need a chimney, the day could continue as planned.
Although my last post was sort of self-loathing, I have to say, the cheer and excitement kids feel about Santa, and lights, and candy canes, and decorating cookies with my mom (oh yes, she's coming in) and making gingerbread houses (and by gingerbread houses, I mean graham cracker houses with milk cartons) makes the excitement contagious.

and for Tia....just so you know.... all of my kids will have something to open. If anything, they've renewed my faith in the fact that the holidays doesn't have to be about giving. I appreciate all you do for them. Tahirih is warm. :) That is because of you...

On a completely different note..
one of the funniest things about teaching second grade is when you're out. I was out yesterday...and there is always one question that they HAVE to know the answer to:
Did you throw up?
It always goes like this:
Kid: Miss Mutchler! You're back! (hug)
Me: I am back! And I missed you!
Kid: Were you sick?
Me: Yes, I was sick. But I feel so much better now!
Kid: Did you puke?

Every time....


Playlist:
Winter Wonderland-Harry Connick Jr. and daughter
Around This Corner-Sarah Harmer
Rehab-Rihanna
Bell Bottom Blues- Eric Clapton
Girls Gone Wild- Ludacris