Star Polishers

history test

2008-05-15T05:47:00.000-07:00

Ah, the joys of teaching history to our students.

After three weeks studying highlights of America's early days as a young country, I felt they were ready for a unit test. We've made flap books for key words. We watched videos about the discovery of North America by Columbus, the struggles of the early settlers, and the fight for American independence. We role played King George III, his soldiers and the colonies being unjustly imposed taxes for all sorts of items. We taste-tested a variety of tea and discussed the importance of the 1773 Boston Tea Party. We discussed and daily reviewed the comprehension questions from the textbook. We read supplementary books, Paul Revere's historic midnight ride, in particular, and organised information about Thomas Jefferson and George Washington.

Of course they dreaded the test even though I reassured them that assessments were not instruments of torture. The task was to describe ten items out of the key people, places and events listed in the contents of the unit.

Here are some of the good and the ugly responses they wrote:

Christopher Columbus - He went to find a new road faster to go to Asia. He went on a ship and he found out a new land. He didn't know about that land, He thought he was in Asia.
The Britain went to war with with France because they said this is my area.
The Boston Tea Party is closed for Christopher Columbus for he no come back more.
Paul Rivera (a Hispanic student's take on the famous hero of the Midnight Ride)
Philadelphia - h[a]ve write the p[a]per for [Indepndepedence] the write the p[a]per is Thomas Jefferson in July 4, 1776

I was shaking my head as I was marking their papers, and the pity party got rolling. How did this test go so horribly wrong? Have I been unrealistic in my expectations? What else could I have done to ensure their success?

After thinking long and hard about their dismal scores, I brought their papers to them the next day. Putting on my meanest face, if ever I could muster one, I gave them a lecture on taking a better attitude and approach to study. I told them that excuses and the words "I don't know" were not acceptable!

So we got out the index cards and wrote dot points for key people and places. We made accordion books that showed the year and an illustration on one side and then the corresponding event on the other side. The emphasis was not on making beautiful notes. We discussed how useless the notes were if not read, or committed to memory. They had to try and write the notes in their own words too because copying does not equate to learning. And lastly, I banned the words "I don't know" in my classroom! We discussed how this statement can reflect indifference to learning, and so instead, they must come with the premise of an open mind - How can I know? How can I understand?

It is an uphill climb to lead students on the road to intrinsic motivation for learning, but I don't want them going to their new school thinking they can't pass tests because they have a lower language level. I don't want them to discount and doubt themselves. I want to see them rising up to the challenge and be responsible for their own learning. I wanted to see them commit themselves to the rigours of education. To display a more positive attitude to learning. To expect more of themselves. To chase their dreams but not demand it to be served on a silver platter for them.

They sighed and groaned as I gave them the test every day till they passed it. By the second or third day, they knew I meant business and made the effort to know their key people, places and events. They might not remember every single detail in the lesson ten years from now, but I smiled as they researched on the key items on the history unit on their own. It was satisfying to see the students make a diligent effort to achieve success. They cheered when did they make the passing standard and excitedly rang a (single stroke) bell on my desk. Hopefully, a small battle won to remind them to:

Stop thinking in terms of limitations and start thinking in terms of possibilities.

Happy Final Exams Week everyone!

[Quote by Terry Josephson]

Garden Day

2008-05-05T15:30:00.000-07:00

Kind hearts are the gardens, Kind thoughts are the roots, Kind words are the flowers, Kind deeds are the fruits, Take care of your garden And keep out the weeds, Fill it with sunshine, Kind words and kind deeds.

-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Play ball!

2008-04-18T18:17:00.000-07:00

No matter what country you call home, everyone understands the language of fun and games!

A handful of international players from the Grasshoppers (baseball) team came to visit our school this week. These players face language and cultural barriers as they begin a new life in a new country, a lot like our students. It was fantastic to see them build rapport with our young achievers as they told their stories, and later talked with them and signed autographs for them.

The following day, we sat in the stadium, right behind the home plate, soaking the sights and sounds of an iconic American past time. It was touching to see some students placing their hands over their hearts as the national anthem was sung. Newcomers to the US, but now embracing their new home. There was lively music, cheering fans, hot French fries, ice-cool soda, cotton candy, (slushee). Our eager hands went up as foul-balls flew over the net. Some would still probably feel loyal to the world famous soccer but judging by their comments the next few days after, it seems others are taking up to the sport. Here we are as featured on Fox.

2008-02-21T06:43:00.000-08:00

"art is an expression of language--

an expression of sensations too subtle for words."

~robert henri

half-and-half

2008-02-12T17:55:00.000-08:00

"americans have so much but they insist on seeing the glass as half
empty instead of half full. to extend the metaphor a bit, when I lived in kakuma i didn't even have a glass."
[john bul dau, 2007 in God grew tired of us]

seeing the glass half empty is not peculiar to the americans. its all too easy to focus on what we don't have rather than what we possess now in our hands. having just passed the halfway mark in our school year,

it's so easy to see how we take education for granted.

some of our students had very little education. school is like manna from heaven and they treasure each day they are in the classroom. their eagerness is admirable but at the same time telling. where else would you hear students not too keen on being away from school during the winter break?

some of our students have never been to school. at the beginning of the school year it was astounding to find high school aged kids that were still developing simple motor skills such as colouring, writing and handling scissors. instruction evolved over time and over the reality of our students' literacy levels.

some of our students have high aspirations. but their low level in english imprison them and they are watching their dreams slowly float away from their grasp. reality check can be a painful process and yet, they may meet opportunity disguised some other way.

some of our students have never even dared to dream. night time is associated with dark memories - there is nothing to look forward to. until, someone showed them to look beyond midnight, look up to the stars and claim one as their own.

education and a new life in america is the next hurdle our students face in a journey that some may have not voluntarily chosen to take. people sometimes speak as if we only serve to hand out glasses or to top up half full or half empty vessels. what they don't realise is, the students hold a different cup altogether.

teach-somnia

2008-02-04T05:56:00.000-08:00

teach·som·ni·a /tEEch-som-nee-uh/ –noun
inability to obtain sufficient sleep, esp. when chronic; difficulty in falling or staying asleep; sleeplessness due to constant thinking and reflecting on one's own teaching, students or classroom.

[adapted from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/insomnia]

So [Un]cool

2008-01-24T16:44:00.000-08:00

Do you remember when you first learned to skate? Did you lace up roller skates or strapped on roller blades? For many of our students, our trip to Skateland in December marked another "first" in their life. Although we had some veteran skaters in our school population, most students - and some staff - excitedly slipped and tied on their roller skates for the first time, teasing each other and giggling at the funny-looking shoes they traded their comfortable shoes for.

Do you remember what it felt like to first skate? Did you have someone holding your hand or did you brave it on your own? Our school would have made fine candidates for "America's Funniest Home Videos" had we captured and recorded some of our students and staff members' first attempts at skating. The images play over and over in my mind. Students and teachers happily helping each other to stand and patiently instructing the learner to relax, bend their knees and slide each foot forward. The faces displayed exhilaration, frustration, and pure enjoyment. What a sight! Arms and legs were all over the air. Faces and bottoms landing on the floor countless times. If you happened to be there, you would've seen the popular math teacher from Jamaica flapping about, the lanky Somalian kid dancing instead of skating, and the lean Burmese girls clinging tightly to each other.

Do you remember falling many times and scratching yourself? Do you remember feeling wobbly and nervous at first, until finally, success? We were such an entertaining mass, such a messy attempt at skating. But the most admirable thing that struck me was how the students were unafraid and unconcerned about how clumsy and unco-ordinated they looked on the rink. They were so eager to learn, determined not to fall, and resolute that they too can fly like their more experienced peers and teachers.

I want to save that moment forever. The feeling that these students felt they could do whatever they set their heart to do, even at something seemingly simple like roller skating. Others may roll their eyes and mutter, So uncool... But in my heart, I shout: Go for it, mate!

At Peace

2008-01-23T14:45:00.000-08:00

It is one of those photos you wish your parents wouldn't show off so much to everyone. But it so marks a defining moment in your family's life it will definitely appear on someone's biographical or autobiographical account.

The photo shows a young family. Just stepped off a plane. If the chilly August morning was too cold, they tried hard not to show it. They have just flew in eight, or maybe ten hours from Manila, a quick stopover in Sydney, before finally landing at the humble Adelaide airport. Welcome to your new home.

The photo showed a young, gawky teen-ager with an awkward looking smile and hair that seems to defy what hair conditioners are made for. It was an exciting opportunity to live in another country but I was not prepared for the roller coaster of emotions that soon came after the euphoria of being on a plane for the first time.

Now I am thirty. Married. A teacher. In another country. The USA. I have somehow shelved the immigration experience, until late last year as I listened to my students tell me how old they were. Fourteen. Fifteen. Sixteen. In their teens and although they couldn't express it to me, I understood them. Bombarded by changes in the weather, food, clothes, school system, language, culture, friends...among other things. There were many times I couldn't understand why I became so withdrawn as a teenager. There were many times I didn't know who to hang out with - I seemed to stand out with my looks, my accent and my choice of clothes. There were many times I vowed I would return back "home" and so faithfully wrote to all my best friends back in the Philippines. And there were yet many times I choked on the question, "Where are you from?" and angry why people asked me where I learned to speak English.

Only in 2007 did I feel at peace. At peace with who I am and what I have experienced as a young immigrant. Perhaps you can say that all my life has been preparation. A gawky, young, fifteen-year old. Photographed with an awkward smile when she arrived in a new country. She didn't know she arrived on training ground to be a star polisher for her students. She didn't know until now.