The best lesson ever

I'd just had a Grade 2 class who were all but bouncing off the walls and I'd had to abandon my lesson plan completely to retain any semblance of order. The worst lesson of my week!

Afterwards, I walked into my second Grade 2 class several minutes early, and their previous teacher was still there, haranguing them for something or other (in Chinese, of course). Seemed a little harsh to be cutting into their break time with whatever it was, but maybe she just needed a minute. So I eat my mango outside and give her a few minutes instead of hanging out with the kids like I normally do during break time.

I come back 5 minutes in and she's STILL THERE. Seriously, they're seven years old. whatever's going on, give them a break! Come on, lady, what if they have to pee? Not to mention, this is starting to impact my lesson because the kids are gonna be all loopy and not have had time to blow off their steam. Eventually I walk into the front of the class, gradually coming closer to teachers' desk to get her to catch the hint. She doesn't. She yells at them for the ENTIRE break, and when the bell rings, she leaves. So I am standing there in front of these poor kids who just got the shit verbally beat outta them, and they are sitting quietly in their desks with their hands folded, just as they should be at the end of break time.

But they didn't GET a break! Besides ordinary sympathy which I'd think anyone would have (previous teacher excluded), I'm foreseeing a repeat of my earlier hellion class and I'm not liking the idea. I tell them all they can take 5 minutes' break now, if they need to use the washroom or do whatever. Once they get it, a few zip off right away, confirming my foresight. The rest remain in "ready to start class" position. I go around having "break time" myself, asking them silly questions and generally messing around, until a few of them catch on and mess about for a minute or two. By minute three, everyone is back in their seats, ready to go! I stand by my five minutes plan and resolutely fuck around until it's up. Then I begin class.

They are so stiff that I want to loosen them up a bit, but they are so quiet that it might be the perfect time for a story! I was going to do it at the end but this might be better. I tell a bang-up story so I decide this might accomplish both of my aims. Since I don't yet have a proper story corner with pillows and comfy goodness, I get them to bring their chairs to the back of the room and make a semicircle, which there is just enough room for. I sit on one of the back desks and bust out my ace in the hole, The Paper Bag Princess.

Now, if you are not lucky enough to have been born Canadian (it's okay, I still love you), you will not know the brilliance that is Robert Munsch. There is nothing I can do to salvage that emptiness in your childhood, so suffice it to say that he's the best kids' author ever, and The Paper Bag Princess is his most famous story.

Anyway, I bust out The Paper Bag Princess and the kids, already intrigued by the change in chair setup, are totally riveted. The TA (their Chinese English teacher, who sits in on my lessons "to translate", meaning she normally feels totally useless, I'm sure, since I don't want anyone speaking Chinese in my class), who is now more than ever superfluous, sneaks out and comes back with a camera. This may partly be because I am a crazy physical story-teller (blame a series of good drama teachers in junior high), but also because the kids are visibly way into it, leaning forward and waiting anxiously to find out what happens next, exclaiming in delight when they get to see the pictures.

After the story we play Going on a Bear Hunt, in which everyone is completely engaged and loves, and in our few minutes left we learn to play I Spy.

After the bell I am left with 30 smiling faces leaving my English class, and the Chinese teacher congratulating me on a wonderful lesson. I didn't need her to tell me how much the kids loved it; I could see for myself, but it was extra nice to get such a compliment from a more seasoned teacher. :)

I am an awesome teacher!!!