Authentic Lessons

Beginning of the day jitters

Seeing the glimmer in a child's eyes when he or she really 'gets it' motivates my enthusiasm for teaching.  Because the BFA Chronicle  has wanted articles about the elementary school, the enthusiasm, the creativity, and the pre-requisite glimmer are alive and well.

On a whim, I asked some fifth grade students to write an article about the elementary school Thanksgiving celebration.   They became excited when their article was published by the BFA Chronicle.  Next came the Christmas program.  Two girls wrote a good article and it, too, was published.  After the Christmas break I began dreaming about subjects the 5th graders could write.  By coincidence, their teacher and his family had witnessed the eruption of Mt. Etna on January 5th, and he had sketched the eruption.  Four of the girls developed questions to interview him which became an article in this month's Chronicle.  The girls had caught a bit of the vision for writing with a purpose-authentically!

Bianca found it difficult to make pottery
 with a cast!  She shadowed Sabrina on the left.

At the same time, the small Chronicle staff caught the same vision and invited the 5th grade writers to spend the morning at BFA to attend classes and to participate in the newspaper staff meeting.  Of course, I volunteered to chaperon the visitors!  We had an insightful and exciting time as the girls shadowed the staff in their first two classes.  Romans, ceramics, piano, American lit, and French classes hosted one or more of the visitors.

Tea with the Chronicle staff

During third period all eleven of us convened in the Chronicle office, drank tea, and talked about our time at BFA.  The newspaper staff writers took the 5th grade responses for an article due out after Easter break.

Brianna, Liz, Bianca, and Jessie back
at Wollbach Elementary

In the mean time, the 5th grade writers and I will be meeting in the library at Wollbach to discuss the next articles they will write.  My heart sings with joy over the opportunity the girls have to write because it has purpose rather than because they must complete an assignment.  An authentic lesson at its best; an opportunity utilized.