Well, I'm a week back into the new school year. Apart from major scheduling problems, things are going well.
Below is a video of a poem I played from my class on the first day of school. The video might seem a bit elementary, but it worked well for a group of middle school aged advanced Language Arts students. I think it was a nice departure from the usual first day rule reading that happens in most rooms. Additionally, it served as a great discussion starter about student expectations, first day anxieties, teacher-student micommunication, and the need for wordplay in every Language Arts class.
"First Day at School" by Roger McGough
A millionbillionwillion miles from home
Waiting for the bell to go. (To go where?)
Why are they all so big, other children?
So noisy? So much at home they
Must have been born in uniform
Lived all their lives in playgrounds
Spent the years inventing games
That don't let me in. Games
That are rough, that swallow you up.
And the railings.
All around, the railings.
Are they to keep out wolves and monsters?
Things that carry off and eat children?
Things you don't take sweets from?
Perhaps they're to stop us getting out
Running away from the lessins. Lessin.
What does a lessin look like?
Sounds small and slimy.
They keep them in the glassrooms.
Whole rooms made out of glass. Imagine.
I wish I could remember my name
Mummy said it would come in useful.
Like wellies. When there's puddles.
Yellowwellies. I wish she was here.
I think my name is sewn on somewhere
Perhaps the teacher will read it for me.
Tea-cher. The one who makes the tea.
-Welcome back!
