I have had many wonderful classes over the years. Each class
has been different. Last year my class became obsessed with flying paper
airplanes. Another class I had loved to make up games during free time.
This year, my class is into applause (and I love it!) For
example, we were watching a news story about how the manatee has been removed
from the endangered species list. After the story was over, they spontaneously
applauded! We all were happy about the event,
but applause makes you feel even better.
My favorite applause moment was when we were in the midst of
number talks. Number talks require the students to come up with several
solutions to a math problem in their heads. They then supply the answer and I
choose students to defend their answers. One of our students that often struggles
with this process offered up an answer.
This student had never participated before, and I called on him to
defend his answer. He gave his reasoning and the class burst out in applause!
It brought tears to my eyes.
When I was a kid (so long ago) I was at a movie with my
class and we applauded at the end of the movie. When we returned to school, the
teacher told us that you only applaud live performances. That has always stuck
with me but now I think she was wrong.
I recently went to see the movie Beauty and the Beast and everyone applauded at the end. Yeah!!! When
you applaud you are expressing your approval and happiness for something that
has happened. I love that my students are so lighthearted in my class that they
often express themselves this way.
Let’s fire up our endorphins and throw conventions to the
wind! Come to my class if you want to hear some applause!
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