some lights seem eternal
in this springtime of hope

ain�t no moron like an oxymoron cause an oxymoron don�t stop

November 16, 2004
Previous entry aside and having a Chicago song stuck in my head, today was a beautiful day. With the exception of one student embarking on copying the M Encyclopedia, everything went well.

First, I gave my favorite sermon in Religion class and then we had a science game this afternoon.

My favorite sermon discusses the difference between Judeo-Christian religions and the rest of the faiths in the world � from our perspective. From our perspective, we have a hope that is not mere optimism, it is not a wish or aspiration, it is a faith in knowing that God loves us. The Jews believe that God will send them a Messiah, God�s own Son to change the world for the better; Christians believe that he already has.

Nothing gives greater comfort than knowing that God loves you and wants what is best for you. The liberating feeling that comes from knowing that God forgives a contrite heart and is always there with you is like none other.

Life is hard for everybody; my life is easier because I have a friend along the way and a parent who is looking after me. I know that sounds corny, and perhaps it is, but it gets me up in the morning and keeps me going.

It even overcomes a Chicago song stuck in your head.


This is far more articulate than I am. Read this.

I try to do something fun on Tuesday afternoons, I have one student who valiantly refuses to have fun but will it give it a try and always fails at being a curmudgeon. I am more fun than a barrel of monkeys, when I decide to be charming and entertaining I light up the room. I reserve this superpower for ten year olds, funerals, and weddings.

In case you are wondering, the key difference between a funeral and a wedding is that you do not have to dance with your cousin at a funeral and the food tends to be better.

I have another student who refuses to have fun in school and instead attempts to derail any fun that other people may have fun. Today�s activity was in learning about the importance of some animal�s biological ability to camouflage their bodies. They were supposed to camouflage a pair of index cards and hide them in the room for the other students to find.

Grumpy Smurf decided to blab where his team had hidden their cards and attempt to deface the cards of the opposing team �which included his little brother. This is when he became Mr. Encyclopedia. I put them in teams to make things easier and contain the students into different parts of the classroom. They all knew that no one was going to win, they had the four-one-one about what was going on. Everyone but Mr. Encyclopedia had fun and learned a lot.

His brother was a genius at this � he taped his plain, white card to a poster someone had made about the parts of a flower, no one found his. A few other cards went unfound and I was especially happy for Dancing Queen because she colored her card to look like wood. I am kicking myself for not taking a picture of it because it was a really good match in colors and texture of the table. I am proud of my students because they come in everyday and give it their all, Mr. Encyclopedia is an exception.

I liked this activity because it was an equalizer and my classroom needs that. We have brilliant children and children who work hard and it seems that never the twain shall meet. This put everyone on the same field and they all had the same ability to succeed or fail.

I also think the students got the point of the lesson. They will not remember a lecture, sermon, or exposition but they will remember looking for things hidden in plain sight.

10:21 PM :: 2 comments so far ::
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