To Say I’m Frazzled….

Our school year is at a close, and as usual, the last week feels like 10 weeks! It is bittersweet for me, as I part ways with some students I have been seeing regularly over the last four years. I am happy to see them grow and spread their wings, but sad that our chapter of life as teacher and students has come to an end.

I serve students at six different schools, split into seven classes. This last week, each class planned a party. I love how my students have learned to do this, and the different ways they like to celebrate the end of the school year. My favorite party activity had to be the “cupcake design challenge”. Each student chose a secret paper, which indicated the theme of the cupcake design. Students decorated their cupcakes, and had to tell a story about it. We had aliens, unicorns, beach balls, Cookie Monster, and watermelon designs.

Another fun activity I like to do at the end of the year is to make “ooblek”, which is a non-Newtonian substance (acts as both a solid and a liquid), made from 3 parts cornstarch to two parts water.

My middle school group celebrated by playing table games that we have bonded over for the past year. Favorites include “Anomia”, “Munchkin”, and “Coup”, along with “Apples to Apples”. I hope that through this type of interaction, they have learned that face to face game play can be as rewarding, if not more rewarding than computer gaming.

I am looking forward to planning for a new school year. I have been generating some ideas for activities that just need logistics and student interest to make them happen. Chess team, Rubik’s cube team, Destination Imagination team, Knowledge Bowl, STEM Fair, blogging challenges, and our area student run town. One other activity I have envisioned participating in, is a Model United Nations. I have fond memories of doing the Model U.N. As a young teenager.

In addition to my public work, I am transitioning into pre-retirement phase. I have to serve in public schools for two more years. I am gathering ideas for supplemental work after I retire. I will still be homeschooling the AoA kids, so it seems that a transition into that world would be appropriate.

So much to do…..

~AoA