We started MCAS today. Ugh!
I am so thankful Theatre is not a subject tested in MCAS. I am so thankful Theatre is something students look forward to BECAUSE it is not a subject tested in MCAS.
But that doesn't make MCAS week any easier on a non-MCAS subject teacher!
7th grade had their "Long Composition" this morning, I had them last block. CRAAAAZY! We got nothing accomplished. Thursday, Friday and next Monday all the kids are testing. I dread it so much. Last year they rioted throughout MCAS week. One teacher got trampled, there were a variety of injuries; teachers and students alike. Please, MCAS Gods! make this week easier than last year!
Pantomime...
The Pantomime Final has been nothing short of awesome for all my classes so far. My 8th graders really kicked some butt and I hope the kids this week can get something out of it.
While viewing them today, one 8th grader gave me an idea. He said, we should get to redo these and improve upon all the mistakes we made. That made me think: this year I'm going to try to give the kids a "semester final." What IF I let one of the options be to go back and take a previous performance and improve upon it?
I love the idea of doing this, because it encourages kids to focus on the process, but will they just get up there and do the exact same thing again (because they're lazy or don't really care)?
How can I make it seem challenging?
Moments like that one make teaching really really worth it---because I'm learning from them too.
Students...
On a side note, I have a few students I'm so worried about on a personal level. I feel helpless. More on this maybe, I don't know how much I can say without causing a problem. There is so much at school I feel like I can't discuss because it could come back and hurt me. I've heard enough blogging horror stories to know better.
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