I had debated in my mind whether to post it at all.  This was something I knew I could pull off.  Something I knew I could make funny.  Something I knew I could make appropriate.
    I wanted to come up with an engaging, funny way to get my kids to see the difference between figurative and literal language.  For whatever reason, I thought of cheesy pick up lines.  I imagined giving examples of figurative language from poetry, from our daily lives, etc., but also throwing in these 1 liners from time to time.
    I thought it was a rousing success.  As mentioned in my previous blog, I even used 1 of the lines in front of the entire school when I won (err, lost?) the "Teacher Kiss a Pig" contest.
    Well, that gets me back to posting the lesson.  And by posting it, I mean posting it on www.teacherspayteachers.com.  I decided I would post it, but keep it free so anyone that wanted it could enjoy, and anyone who did not wouldn't feel cheated. 
    I thought I would never hear about it again; however, 1 week later it was staring back at me when I was scanning the Free Downloads of the Week for the TeachersPayTeachers Newsletter!  I definitely had mixed emotions because I knew what would transpire: Some people would love it and some people would hate it.  Over 2,000 downloads later, my prediction came to fruition as I got both fantastic comments and scathing reviews. 
    So where does that leave me?  I feel the same as before I used the PowerPoint.  I know the relationship I have with my students and the ability to make concepts engaging in a fun, interactive way.  I also understand some people would not feel comfortable

I'm interested to read your take.  If you are interested in the free download click here.

Until next time.

Keep it Creative,

PowerPoint Guru

There is nothing I find more fun to teach than figurative language.  Whether it be through idioms, metaphors, similes, or personification.  The way the English language can be twisted and turned into something beautiful, creative or funny is something I never get tired of teaching to my students!
Perhaps more than anything, I love to hear my students come up with their own examples of figurative language.  They use figurative language in almost every sentence they utter, but very few realize the name of the tool they are utilizing.
One of the fun ways I've taught figurative language this year is through the use of cheesy pick up lines.  In my PowerPoint Oops!  I'm such an Idiom our class explored how certain pick up lines can be taken literally vs. figuratively.  It takes a strong relationship and trust with your students, but I've had a great time sprinkling these lines in as we've built lessons around the unique qualities of language.  If you're brave, you might be able to weave it into your own lesson on language at some point!

The big pay off came at our last school rally.  As "winner" of the Kiss the Pig teacher competition ("winner" has perhaps never had more irony attached to it) I was charged with kissing  a cuddly 30lb pig in front of the entire student body.  Right before delivering the kiss, I called out to my junior class: "Hey, this one is for my juniors!"

I then promptly delivered the immortal line to my pigmate: "Hey, was that an earthquake?  Because just rocked my world!" 

The crowd went crazy, I delivered a kiss, and hopefully a subtle lesson about the power of language.

Until next time.

Keep it Creative,

PowerPoint Guru

It is often around this time of the year that the grind really starts to dig in.  5 day week, after 5 day week, after 5 day week, slowly takes its toll; the teachers, as well as the students, can lose a little bit of purpose.
I always like to read to my classes Rick Reilly's "The World's Strongest Dad" around this time in the year.  The article focuses on themes of overcoming obstacles, overcoming disabilities, and building enduring relationships.  As a father myself, the story of Team Hoyt, a father-son duo who compete in strenuous Ironman races together, brings me back to reality.  Dicky Hoyt shows his son the type of love and never failing strength I hope to give to my own daughters; Rick Hoyt, battling crippling disabilities, shows his father the type of respect and courage I hope my father's give me as they mature and age.
It is so easy to get lost in our own problems, our own frustrations and our own limitations, that we lose focus on all of good things we have in our own lives.  Rick and Dick Hoyt are great reminders of all of this.

Until next time.

Keep it creative,

PowerPoint Guru

Probably my biggest mixed emotion about teaching is planning.  I'm the sort of person who thinks, and thinks, and thinks about my lesson plans.  It probably could be said that I even obsess over them.

And that's why I hate the Friday Thoughts.  If you are not familiar with the Friday Thoughts, it's when you don't have anything planned for the next Monday (or have to create something for that next week) and then start churning different ideas, projects, or units in your mind non-stop.  This happens to me often.  In my mind I'm telling myself, "Out, OUT!! Wait until Sunday!!!"

Of course, sometimes all of that obsession and flipping back and forth in my mind leads to some inspiration and thoughts that make my classroom more exciting for both my students and me!  I guess it is the trade off all teachers must endure.

We'll see if all the hand wringing was worth it in a few hours!  Until

I've tried the rubric, and it is great on the first essay.  It's pretty good on the second essay.  And I'm already tired of it by the third essay.  To me, it is not what writing is about.  In my own mind writing is like a canvas.  There may be strokes or images on the painting that do not appeal to the viewer, but the painting as a whole can still be viewed with delight and awe.

Sometimes that is what happens when I'm grading writing.  There will be a misspelled word, a mistake in citation, a heading that isn't quite in order.  These things bug me, but I try not to let it take me away from the purpose: to see kids put down ideas in a unique, creative and organized way.

Of course that same kid has to to know that those mistakes are important.  Hence the debate. 

It may just come down to the hand I write with everyday of my life: the left hand.  I tend to look at things from a creative perspective more than a technical perspective.  All of those numbers on a rubric can be overwhelming for a lefty like me!

What are your thoughts on grading writing?  Do you take the more holistic approach or are rubrics where your bread is buttered?

Back in the year 2001, I remember scrambling from 1 activity to the next with only one thought in mind: survival.  Of course, one of those survival lessons was the good old, never gonna let ya down, never gonna fail  ya 5 paragraph essay.

Ugh.

Looking back on it all, it is pretty embarrassing.  I'm pretty sure I taught the entire 5 paragraph essay in 1 day: prewriting, introduction, body, and conclusion.  1 day.  Beautiful.  Golden.  It was something I could come back to once or twice a month. 

As the year went on, I had less to teach about the 5 paragraph essay (remember, I taught it in 1 day!).  My solution was to simply require the kids to write LONGER essays. 

I'm pretty sure that despite those kids writing countless essays they improved very little as writers those early years of my teaching; that makes me sad.

I have found as I've grown as an educator that my love for teaching writing has continued to grow and become much more involved and sophisticated.  All the little steps, ins and outs,  and ups and downs fascinate me (although the grading still does...not...fascinate....me).

So with all of this being written, I'm going to focus my next few blog posts on the art of teaching writing, and how each step in the writing process should be handled with expert care and expert planning.  I will also write on the difficulty of handling the teaching of writing so that students feel engaged and interested.  I can sometimes seem like a daunting challenge! 

If you are interested in starting the writing process in your own class, check out my FREE DOWNLOAD on Number Notes.  Until next time.

Keep it Creative,

PowerPoint Guru

Your students hear you announce the day's lesson.  Their reaction is immediate: UGHUGHUGUUGGGHH!!
You explain, awkwardly, the importance of the lesson, and that it won't be "so bad."
We've all been there.  And, for some of us, we've even secretly agreed with the students!
I was faced with this very same problem this week as I opened my new unit on Classicism in my English classes.  This particular literary time period has never excited me the way Modernism or Romanticism get my blood flowing.  Having my blood flowing and enjoying my own lesson plans is something I strive for everyday in the classroom.  I was determined to come up with a lesson to help introduce Classicism that would do exactly that.
After brainstorming on the topic for a day, it finally hit me: a picture of a dancing Ben Franklin popped into my head as well as the addictive whistling of Maroon 5's number 1 single Moves Like Jagger.
Before the long the makings of a PowerPoint that combined creativity, comedy and some actual critical thinking were being hatched. 
After that, I added some other elements:  the actual music, some Mick Jagger Dance moves, some animation, and the structure of the plan.  However, it all started with that jingle and the title!

If you have any interest in checking out Moves Like Franklin go the Free Downloads link.

Keep it Creative,

PowerPoint Guru

Continuing this week's exploration of titles, I wanted to write a little about my favorite titling technique: alliteration.

Alliteration has been a prominent part of American Literature since the age of Romanticism, but really like to think of Stan Lee as being "the Man" to bring it into the realm of pop culture.  Stan "the Man" Lee basically invented the universe of Marvel comics.  Within his comic character were often named using some form of alliteration.  Some of these names were hokey, but, most importantly, they were always memorable!

I may also seem hokey, but I've given myself a nickname in the classroom.  And just like Stan Lee's characters, it makes me more memorable to my students.  So often students find a way to create names about their teachers behind their backs, but a good nickname you give yourself is just one more way to connect with your students while also protecting yourself from their slings and arrows.

Think hard about that letter that starts your last name.

Instead of being boring Mrs. Davis, transform yourself into the Dynamic Mrs. Davis.  Instead of being mean old Mr. Osborne, transform yourself into the Oracle Mr. Osborne.

You get the idea.  To share more title-tastic ideas with your own classroom, don't forget to upload my free PPT from www.elaclassroom.com

Signing off,

The Legend Coach Lee

AKA The PowerPoint Guru

Titles are important.  When you really, really think about it we carry our titles around like badges that immediately identify us with a certain group.

So, what's your title?  Are you a Mr or a Mrs to your students?  How much more credibility would you get if your name was slightly altered in some way so that you had a title like Dr or Coach or even a nickname like Mrs. B.  Names can make a teacher seem hip, cool and approachable, or they can make a teachers seem cold, old and distanced!

The same can be said for titling works within your own classroom!  Do you give your own assignments titles?  Think of ways to immediately engage your students and make them think they are about to do something interesting by supplying them with a cool, creative title!

In my own classroom I love to use alliteration, subtitles and a variety of other devices to make my titles pop!  Sometimes my titles are long, long, long both to get the purpose across to my students and for a little bit of comedy. 

It may seem like a small thing, but these small things are what add up to a great classroom.  On my free downloads page enjoy my Title-Tastic  PowerPoint for for the next two weeks (10/9-10/23/11).

Keep it creative,

PowerPoint Guru