This was originally posted on http://www.yetthereismethod.net/
Being a teacher of third graders has its challenges, but there are a few things that come pretty easy to me. Playing basketball with my students, for example. Being 6’ 4” tall allows me to dominate on a court with an 8’ hoop. Not many students beat me with multiplication flash cards, either, and I’m usually a lock at checkers. Old age and treachery always overcomes youth and skill, as the saying goes. (Not that I’m very treacherous…)
Today, though, we didn’t play basketball or work with multiplication cards. We did, however, have our Den Days. Our school has a monthly event in which every student participates in a “den.” (We’re the Endeavor Cubs, so we don’t do clubs, we do dens.) Each faculty member has 15 or so students for an hour, and we get to share something we enjoy with the kids. The dens let students participate in everything from board games to singing to yoga to crochet to drawing–that’s what I lead.
As with basketball, I’m really not particularly skilled at drawing, but I have the basics down. That allows me to deal in a currency that my students appreciate: Pokemon character drawings. Today, I learned about Karrablast and Glaceon. Certainly you know who they are, right? Yea, me either. I used them today, though, to teach a few art basics and develop some relationships. That’s a win, even if it’s a little treacherous, in my book.
Strange, but true, fact: My niece is employed as a graphic artist and works for a Pokemon licensee. She really does draw them for a living. Pretty cool.
Yet There is Method 