Freewebs won't let me upload photos so I'm moving... should have done it long ago... here is my new blog: http://jenniferpfeffer.blogspot.com/
According to Melissa I need to blog more... here is my start of what should be a rapid flow of blogs :)
Official rules: "Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 30 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you."
It all started as a way to make $500 extra a month (for the house). I went along with the motions and went to the "training." I talked to the other teachers and planned out what I would do each time we met. Thinking that I had it all together, last Tuesday started the game rolling. Six kids stared at me.
I'm sure that they were thinking, "what is this crazy women doing here and why in the world is she talking about my brain," however, it would probably be more appropriate to say that they were thinking, "I can't believe I can't goof off afterschool anymore and I HATE this women who is standing in front of me."
You see, I am tutoring eighth grade Algebra afterschool for the next fifteen weeks. I have five kiddos (lost two of the originals, gained a new one already) every Tuesday and Thursday for one hour. I had four of them last year as students and they are the TOUGH ones to love and reach. Thinking and stressing about this over the past few days, I came up with a plan.
Bribery.
Plain and simple.
Now, I know, they should want to learn and their learning should be enough. Come on, folks, we're in the modern age... nothing is enough without some good ol' fashion bribery. I made them each folders with their names on it, a pack of color pencils just for them, newly sharped cool pencils, and post it notes in the shape of light blubs. They get to add star stickers to their brain drawing when they share or do something positive. I spent time teaching them about their brain (how and why it works and sometimes doesn't work). Today we spent 20 minutes completing eight first grade math word problems using the strategies labeled by the "standardsplus" company and modified by my knowledge of the brain.
They were well behaved, engaged, and almost excited (although I'd never tell them that). I asked them to tell me what they liked/didn't like/wanted changed for Thursday without putting their names on it. Their comments touched my heart enough that it motivated me to write this blog.
Here they are:
