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Extracurricular Activities

Learning does not begin, or end, within the walls of our classrooms.

I’m here to say: encourage your students, encourage your child, to find an extracurricular activity whenever possible.

Extracurricular activities provide:

  • new learning experiences
  • added motivation
  • a chance to meet new people, and make new friends
  • added time and opportunity to process classroom learning
  • remediation
  • enrichment and extension
  • homework help
  • added exercise
  • more time outside, more play
  • an outlet for the imagination
  • a safe place and space for kids to do something productive until someone can pick them up from school

There is so much to gain, so much to learn, outside of the classroom. Find the right one to share with your students. Create new ones. Advertise the best ones. A classroom, a school building, is not the only place for learning–or fun.

 

Things I never knew . . .

Installment #12:

Five things I never knew . . . until I became a teacher:

  • Lean Cuisine is a staple lunch utilized by teachers
  • microwavable meals are easy, as such the best packed lunch for busy teachers
  • microwavable meals are low-fat because they’re tiny
  • microwavable meals are so tiny and unfulfilling I get hungry an hour later
  • I actually hate microwavable meals, especially Lean Cuisine

Why do I teach?

Installment #7:

I teach because I am creative.

I enjoy creative outlets and pursuits. I like to draw, write, color, bake, and paint. I can spend hours on Pinterest looking for imaginative ways to decorate any space. I enjoy making things colorful–bulletin boards, poster boards, banners, etc. I relish any task that provides creative leeway.

Teaching a standard doesn’t have to limited by a curriculum. A curriculum is a guide. Teaching is not limited to a standardized calendar of events and deadlines. Learning is not linear, nor is it steady.

Teaching does have limits. There are specific standards to teach, deadlines to meet, and tests to be taken. Nevertheless, teaching does allow for quite a bit of creativity.

I can read a single book, or many books. I can add books to a specific unit. I can teach the standard algorithm or a number of other methodologies. I can come back to a standard or leave it behind. I can reteach with a book or a project. I can revisit a standard today, tomorrow, and next week. I can provide a song to help my aural learners, a poster to help my visual learners, a dance to help my kinesthetic learners. Whatever I do, whatever I choose to add to augment, accelerate, or assist the learning experience is a creative endeavor. And these creative opportunities are beautiful. Teaching is a creative profession, and for that I will always be grateful.