Classroom Questions

What is the acceptable noise level?
Why do I have to follow the standard “norms” established by other teachers?
What things could they build?
What could they squash at their desk?
How can I use their creativity? – We need to do explorations.
OH! Wouldn’t THAT be fun!!! (Idea?!)

What do 6 year old boys NEED to be doing? I have looked to Almanzo Wilder, as pictured in Farmer Boy, as an example of what boys should be doing. But I don’t think his example is possible to imitate.

Here is what I can see and use:

They MUST move. How can I tire ‘em out? How can I teach them how to expend their energy and then come inside ready to concentrate?
I have tried turning them into soldiers for the Lord. I have tried wall-sits, push-ups, sit-ups, jogging around the room, hand-claps, and dance steps. I think the rhythms in the dance steps have been the most successful because that takes concentration AND movement. And the beats change -- double time, quarter beats, etc.

But, in fact, that's the real irony: how can Alicia Martin teach a person to CONCENTRATE??

hahahaha

Wait! I can concentrate. Just like that orange juice concentrate. It reminds me of a nice smoothie at Jamba Juice. I always go with Katherine. There was that one time we laughed so hard we couldn’t go to sleep. Our energy was bouncing off the walls. Bouncy balls are so amazing. I was once tempted to buy a “how-to-make-your-own-bouncy-ball” kit. I thought that was an unwise use of my money. Stewardship is an important thing. God has placed us as stewards on this world. We are stewards of more than just our money. We are stewards of the souls of others. I really like Ezekiel and how he was steadfast as a steward/shepherd. Just imagine how good our Shepherd is. How can we be a shepherd like Jesus was? We need to be others’ and heaven focused. Like I said, I can concentrate. Concentrate?? Concentrate… has a nice ring to it.