I know I've neglected things here for a week, but I have a good excuse. School started two days ago, and I'm wiped. Getting up early is nothing new for us, since like all children the Terrors believe that the best part of the day is before 8:00 am. But 6:30 just seems so....early. Heck, I remember a time, back in the good ol' days, when 6:30 was going to bed time.....
It doesn't help that Girl Terror went to school a week ahead of us, and collected all the germs she could find in a grade one classroom, and brought them home for show and tell. She's feeling much better. The rest of us are wishing for death. However, I refused to call in sick on the first day of school AGAIN, so I went. At least in high school, very few student want to hug you. Well, there are of course those few girls who hug me every time they see me, but I tried to not sneeze on them.
The school year is looking good. My classes are small, and so far the problems are minimal. This crop of students don't know me well enough to realize I'm operating in a drug-induced haze. Won't they be surprised when I'm back to my normal self!!! As it is, I think I am the only teacher to play the "toilet paper game" as an icebreaker, or to throw candy at them for answering questions on the first day. From the looks on their faces you would think no one had ever chucked a hershey kiss at them before.
EDIT: Okay. I didn't explain the toilet paper game, and apparently, some of you want to play! This is how it works. On the first day, greet the students at the door with a roll of toilet paper. I actually wait until they are all seated, and then pass it around. Tell them to take as many squares of paper as they think they personally will need. Do not say anything else. Everyone must take at least one square. Without fail, one smarty pants will take reams of paper. Once everyone has their squares, tell them they have two minutes to write something interesting about themselves on each square. One fact per square. Have them share their interesting facts with the class. When students volunteer their answers, I throw candy at them. I also ask lots of questions about their statements. If students do NOT volunteer, I gently, but firmly, ask them what they wrote. Of course, I also give the shy students candy! It's a great ice breaker.
5 comments:
That's hilarious! You pick good candy to throw out.
I dropped a small roll of toilet paper on the floor at work today (it was just the last two feet or so of the roll) and ended up throwing it away because the whole thing had had contact with the floor and no one should subject their important bits to public washroom floor-contaminated toilet-paper, right? But it made me think of the toilet paper game we played one year in camp and the unfortunate boy who took about 5 yards of the stuff and ended up talking about himself for a good 10 minutes. LOL
I think I'd taken two squares and wished I'd taken a few more once I found out what the point of the game was!
Hope ya'll feel better soon.
I hope your school year definitely picks up! Imagine resorting to throwing candy at them all year long? But, what's the toilet paper game? Is that when you let them toilet paper the room? or you sitting at your desk? Hmmmmm. Something to think about.
only the best teachers throw candy!!
Uh, excuse my ignorance, but can you explain the toilet paper game?
Ah, thanks for the explanation! I only got one class with my 9/10s this week, and now they're off hiking the Chilkoot Trail. So, amidst the preparations for their week-long adventure, I had to do assessments to figure out where they're at so I can do some planning while they're gone. Not much fun for them. This activity will be a great ice-breaker when they get back. Thanks! (Hopefully I'll be able to make it up with the candy.)
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