Every day is fun if you choose for it to be. Children know this. We need to remember this. If given the opportunity to test soil samples with their fingers, third graders dive right in and enjoy it! Seriously, all I had to bring in was a few piles of dirt and Science class was a blast for them! Tell them to build a structure that will be tested by an earthquake and they embrace the challenge! I watched them today and thought, wow, I would have looked at those marshmallows and spaghetti forever before I would try and put any pieces together. I would be timid about my structure being placed on that jello and shaken. I would be afraid it wouldn't stand the test. But guess what? I didn't see one student react that way. They just started building, and testing and placing it on the jello and shaking. All with a smile on their face. And when a structure fell, guess what? They just laughed. And picked up the pieces and started again. Wow. That's powerful.
It's math time. We are making arrays. I had each child make an array. Yawn.... boring, right? No! Bring in the stamp markers and each child gets a sticky note. Voila! It's a fun activity. Seriously. "Mrs. Simmons this is so fun!".
Do you know how funny it is to wear silly socks? I don't know how, but I forget. However, every year they come in giggling about wearing two different socks,and admiring each other for finding creative silly socks to wear for the day. If only adults could find such delight in such simple things!
Nothing makes me feel funnier than hanging out with 8 and 9 year olds all day. I tell the corniest jokes and repeat them way too much (just ask my biological children if you don't believe me). But, my students laugh at them every time! Even when they don't get it- that's the best part. They laugh because I'm laughing and they like to laugh! I think the world needs more people laughing just because it feels good to laugh.
Let's just call math a game today. Bring out a deck of cards, a spinner, or a dry erase marker and everyone starts smiling. They will work problem after problem if it is a "game". Why is it that when you try to make something a game for adults they just roll their eyes and get annoyed? Third graders have the right idea. If you have to do the work anyway you might as well enjoy it in a game setting!
You should see them at recess. They waste no time at all. They are happy the very minute they hit the door. You can literally see the energy in the air just watching them line up. I mean, these kids really know how to enjoy their free time. They run, yell, jump, and swing without abandon. They try new games, talk to new friends, explore their surroundings and soak up every minute of free time given to them.
I guess what I'm realizing as I write this is how blessed I am to be surrounded by these little mentors of mine. I'm going to make sure and have fun tomorrow. I hope you do too!
Here is a volcano they made as it erupted.
They are building structures to be tested by an "earthquake".
Here are the arrays we made in math.
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