I always get asked what my favorite subject to teach is, and I've always had a hard time answering that question. Until I realized that my favorite part of teaching isn't a subject, it's the kids. It's those moments within various subjects where you see a spark, authentic learning, teachable moments. These happen daily in small and big ways, fun and sometimes not so fun ways. However, last month I had two within one week that have stayed with me.
This first one has a bit of a long background story, so I apologize...
The first one came in spelling, definitely not my favorite subject to teach :). We are trying out a new spelling program this year, that involves teaching kids' patterns for spelling, but ultimately they choose words for their lists that are a good fit for them. Words within the pattern that they don't know how to spell, or want to learn how to spell.
This particular week, two of our patterns were -aw and -aught. I had 4-5 students who were having hard time finding words within the pattern that they didn't already know how to spell. I knew, based on their spelling abilities, that this was probably true. We talked about sometimes, as a strong speller, spelling isn't necessarily what they'll need to focus on. Rather, they may need to work on expanding their vocabulary. I started asking them if they knew what various words meant, trying to push them a little.
Rewind to earlier that morning, where I was meeting with some of my college girlfriends. We have been reading the book Dance, Stand, Run together and meeting once a week to discuss a chapter. This same day, a section of the book referenced Proverbs 6:16-19, where it says there are seven things that are detestable to the Lord. The first of those is haughty eyes. After diving into this passage and reading more in the book, I realized I had no idea what haughty eyes meant - to have eyes that look down on other people, to think of yourself as better than others. Ouch. Let's just say the first of the seven already hit home for me that day.
Okay, fast forward to spelling time where these kiddos were trying to think of words. Of course, you know where this is going. I asked them if they knew what the word haughty meant. They looked at me with puzzled, embarrassed, giggly faces. No, not "hottie," "haughty," I said, restating the word. They had no idea so they went to the dictionary, problem solving through how to spell it. They found the word, the definition and we talked through what that meant. I showed them how that was in my book I was reading that very morning. I even told them they should go over to Miss Patterson's room and ask her if she knew what haughty meant. (She's in the reading group with me).
Sure enough, not 10 minutes later, and one of those same students came up to me with the book he was reading. He said, "Mrs. Iehl, look at my book." There it was, the word. The text said something like, "'Blah, blah, blah,' she said with a haughty look in her eyes." Oh man. So perfect. I just love those moments.
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Moment two came in the same week. My sister-in-law is a Technology Instructional Coach at the junior high, and she asked me earlier in the week if I wanted to use the Osmos and iPads for my class that week, as she had them checked out, but only needed half of them. If you have no idea what an Osmo is, neither did I! All I knew was there was a program called Pizza Shop that students could use with the iPad, and we were hoping to do this later in the school year.
So, I took a chance, having no idea what to do. Thankfully our tech coach came in and helped me launch the Pizza Shop and the kids loved it, as did I! Basically, each pair gets to open their own "Pizza Shop." Customers come in, and they have to make their pizzas using real manipulatives. Later, when their customer is ready to pay, they have to make change. Throughout the process, they are having to balance taking orders vs. making change, meeting customers needs, etc. If they make a pizza wrong, their customer will leave without paying, leave a bad review on the shop, or not tip as well. If they provide great service, they get more tips. As they get better, their days get busier and they have different goals to meet. I loved watching them, because the skills they learn are so valuable. It is exactly what we talk to our employees about at Tropical Sno - customer service, and having balance in taking orders vs. making orders.
A couple days into the kids' getting to run their Pizza Shops, one of my students says to me, "We are trying to make enough money so we can buy the bigger oven. [Another group] said that they HAD to make get the bigger oven, because they weren't able to make their pizzas fast enough for the customers with the small oven, and their customers kept leaving. They said the bigger oven is SO much faster at making pizzas."
Oh my heart just swelled. Precious entrepreneurs.
Another boy said to me, "We just got a bigger oven, but now we want to get enough money to buy some more seating for our store, so people can have a place to sit while they are waiting."
I just loved their conversations while they were "playing" Pizza Shop. It was a mix of two of my worlds - teaching and Tropical Sno.
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