Have you seen the new Star Wars movie yet? AMAZING. My introduction to Star Wars came pretty early in life and Princess Leia ruled our dollhouse. I can remember that when I got the chicken pox in 1st grade Episode IV was on HBO...which means I have seen it hundreds of times. Total geek moment for me this weekend in seeing movie...there is something about those blue words, "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away" showing on the screen in blue and then fading into the star field and the yellow scroll. The icing on the cake: John William's iconic score...I can't listen to the score with our hearing my former piano teacher Mrs. Anderson hitting the side of the piano saying "Triplet one, two...triplet three, four"as my sister Kristi would play the piece during her lessons. But that score: Gets me in the feels EVERY time...
If you have more time (like 9 minutes), this clip is ALL the opening credits, excluding Episode 7:
I also encourage you to type "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away" into Google... We often feel like Jedi Masters, fighting the Dark Side in our classrooms (especially two days before Christmas break). We must remember that like Obi-Wan Kenobi...we may be some of these kids' only hope. Check out the following Star Wars gifs that perfectly describe teaching: http://www.buzzfeed.com/weareteachers/23-star-wars-gifs-that-perfectly-describe-life-as-h0xt If by chance you haven't seen Star Wars (WHAT??? Please don't tell me...I don't know if I can handle that...), you have time during break to watch them all. May the Force be with you.
Student teaching prepares you for a lot of things. You know how to write objectives. You know how to do lesson plans. You can determine reading levels. You know how to modify an assignment for a struggling student. There is one thing that student teaching may not prepare you for: teaching during the month of December.
The lights...the tinsel...the trees...the snow...it gets every student, no matter what the age, worked into a tizzy. Attention spans are shorten, the idea of having to do homework during the month of December seems ridiculous, and the countdown is on until break starts. Our jobs are a little harder during this time of year (and perhaps that could be due to the fact that we too get a little antsy this time of year!). We must try our best to keep things normal during a time of year when everyone's senses are overwhelmed with yummy smells, delicious eats, jingling bells, and the sight of magic and joy. Remember that part about the magic and joy...Christmas is a time of magic and joy. It is great to see our students get excited and experience the wonder that makes this time of year specials. While you may feel like these weeks are the longest of the year, take the time to enjoy this time with your students. Listen to them talk about what they are going to do over break, ask them about what are some of their family's holiday traditions...you can use this as a time to get to know more about your students and their families. Enjoy these last few days. Keep going strong and know that you are making a difference in the lives of our students. Smile and spread some joy!
