Okay, I'm starting to miss the kids maybe a little bit. That doesn't mean I'm not getting a lot of things done and enjoying a chance to get a breather before the rest of the school year comes racing towards me. Today I cleaned my office-- just a little bit. Don't get too scared. It's still plenty messy so it's not like I've had an entire personality change or anything.
I'm keeping tabs on youth through facebook and twitter but I'm also enjoying being home from Nashville and eager to spend the next 3 days on the part of my life that doesn't happen inside the walls of the church. Yipee for vacation!
I hope the rest of you Wintersetians are enjoying your break if you're getting one and if you're not getting one, I feel for you. Hopefully the weather will warm up sometime soon and we'll get to walk a little slower when we're outside so we can savor it.
Happy Spring! :)
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Off to Nashville
The blog will be quiet for a bit. Today I fly to Nashville for some time with my grandma, two cousins and two babies. I'm not sure how babies fit in... I never did get the second cousin once removed trickery.
Anyway, I'll be gone until Tuesday. I hope you have a great weekend and if you're going somewhere fun for Winterset's spring break be sure to get some pictures! :)
Anyway, I'll be gone until Tuesday. I hope you have a great weekend and if you're going somewhere fun for Winterset's spring break be sure to get some pictures! :)
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Game Days
Every Thursday is game day in the Underground. It started as a way to get kids motivated to play games with each other. (Silly that getting them to have fun requires bribery.) Amazing how sometimes kids complain about being bored and it doesn't even occur to them to just ask another bored kid to play a game.
Anyway, the way game day works: For every game you play you get $2 Underground. If you win, you get $3. It encourages sportsmanship because if there are fights or if someone is a poor sport, they don't get Underground dollars.
Underground dollars can be cashed in for things like free pops, picking something out of the treasure box, candy... that kind of thing.
Lately the game of choice seems to be Foosball
But pool is always popular, too.
Anyway, the way game day works: For every game you play you get $2 Underground. If you win, you get $3. It encourages sportsmanship because if there are fights or if someone is a poor sport, they don't get Underground dollars.
Underground dollars can be cashed in for things like free pops, picking something out of the treasure box, candy... that kind of thing.
Lately the game of choice seems to be Foosball
But pool is always popular, too.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Spotlight on JUG
I think we have a fun combination youth that show up for Junior Underground (JUG). It's been kinda cool this year to see what they're interested in and to take some time to get to know them better. I haven't kept them to a certain curriculum or game plan-- I've been experimenting as we go. What I've learned is that half of them love and get Nooma videos. The other half isn't conceptually there quite yet. Discussion and planning for things seems to go over pretty well but maybe what's worked best out of everything is the game Friendzee put out by Group Publishing.
I would describe it as a Christian Cranium minus the competition element. It mixes in the game with quality lessons about different character qualities. The one we have comes with six different words and working through the game on one of the words takes us about 3 different meeting times. We focused on the word "integrity". The different cards give different activities. Some involve looking up a Bible passage and discussing it. Others are activities like drawing, writing a letter, acting out a scene... that sort of thing.
Their favorite part seems to be this question beach ball that comes with it. You toss the ball and the game gives you directions on which question you have to answer based on where your hand is on the ball. It's cool.
I would describe it as a Christian Cranium minus the competition element. It mixes in the game with quality lessons about different character qualities. The one we have comes with six different words and working through the game on one of the words takes us about 3 different meeting times. We focused on the word "integrity". The different cards give different activities. Some involve looking up a Bible passage and discussing it. Others are activities like drawing, writing a letter, acting out a scene... that sort of thing.
Their favorite part seems to be this question beach ball that comes with it. You toss the ball and the game gives you directions on which question you have to answer based on where your hand is on the ball. It's cool.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Happy St. Patrick's day!
Today we'll celebrate with a little Green action in the Underground.
And of course, if you know me at all, you'll know that the green action in question is jell-o. After jell-o-ing (yeah it's a word), I'll head to Bandorama with Schnurr. If you're not familiar with Bandorama, it's a concert with all the band students grades 5-12 playing together. I find it cool to see the middle school kids alongside the high schoolers. I think the older kids probably greet the night with an eye roll, but I know it means the world to some of the younger kids to play with their heroes.
And of course, if you know me at all, you'll know that the green action in question is jell-o. After jell-o-ing (yeah it's a word), I'll head to Bandorama with Schnurr. If you're not familiar with Bandorama, it's a concert with all the band students grades 5-12 playing together. I find it cool to see the middle school kids alongside the high schoolers. I think the older kids probably greet the night with an eye roll, but I know it means the world to some of the younger kids to play with their heroes.
Monday, March 16, 2009
VBS excitement
I'm already starting to get excited about VBS. Today the weather is in the seventies, spring is inevitable and summer is just around the corner. Cokesbury had their annual VBS discount so the VBS materials are now in my office. The calendar has been updated: VBS will be the first week of August. Sunday, August 2-Thursday, August 6th. Get it on your calendar and share your ideas, please. :)
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Kendra asked for an update
And I like Kendra, so here's her update.
Kids are a little more antsy this time of year. I suppose this blog wouldn't be an accurate reflection of the Underground if I only shared the highlights so I'll be honest and admit this past week has been pretty brutal. I think the back and forth weather (it's cold, then it's spring, then it snows, then it's spring) combined with their tests (ITEDS? Iowa Basic Skills is what we called them) makes everyone a little more jumpy.
And I speak in generalizations and I want to write this with love but I have to admit, sometimes it's a struggle to constantly be the bad cop. I have been limiting my foosball games with the kids and I know that sounds minor, but it's one of the best ways to connect with kids. They talk more, they laugh, we play... it's relationship building. But I haven't been able to as much because it seems like just as a game gets going, one of the youth will do something worthy of a time out.
Man, the time out thing is genius. Sometimes I wonder if it makes the youth feel like little kids. I would ditch it in a heartbeat if I could find anything half as effective. I almost put myself in one on Thursday because really, don't we all just need some away, alone chill time sometimes? Instead I got yelly. Okay, honestly... I was cranky most of the week. Some of it was justified, the rest was inexcusable. If you're one of the people I was yelly with, I apologize.
I was inspired, however, when I read a post from a teacher friend of mine on her facebook page. She mentioned having a meeting with one student in particular who was acting up a bit. She said after talking, she promised him a fresh start. They shook hands and he's been better since.
I guess that's my hope for this new week. I know I'm in need of a fresh start and I bet some of these youth are, too. The stretch between Christmas and Spring Break is a long one. Looking at the weather forecast, it seems bright and optimistic. Maybe this week will be better than the last.
(So there's your update, Kendra. I hope that confession time about me being yelly and cranky with youth explains why I didn't blog as much last week. And if you're not Kendra and you're reading this, you'll find her blog on the side now in the links menu.)
Kids are a little more antsy this time of year. I suppose this blog wouldn't be an accurate reflection of the Underground if I only shared the highlights so I'll be honest and admit this past week has been pretty brutal. I think the back and forth weather (it's cold, then it's spring, then it snows, then it's spring) combined with their tests (ITEDS? Iowa Basic Skills is what we called them) makes everyone a little more jumpy.
And I speak in generalizations and I want to write this with love but I have to admit, sometimes it's a struggle to constantly be the bad cop. I have been limiting my foosball games with the kids and I know that sounds minor, but it's one of the best ways to connect with kids. They talk more, they laugh, we play... it's relationship building. But I haven't been able to as much because it seems like just as a game gets going, one of the youth will do something worthy of a time out.
Man, the time out thing is genius. Sometimes I wonder if it makes the youth feel like little kids. I would ditch it in a heartbeat if I could find anything half as effective. I almost put myself in one on Thursday because really, don't we all just need some away, alone chill time sometimes? Instead I got yelly. Okay, honestly... I was cranky most of the week. Some of it was justified, the rest was inexcusable. If you're one of the people I was yelly with, I apologize.
I was inspired, however, when I read a post from a teacher friend of mine on her facebook page. She mentioned having a meeting with one student in particular who was acting up a bit. She said after talking, she promised him a fresh start. They shook hands and he's been better since.
I guess that's my hope for this new week. I know I'm in need of a fresh start and I bet some of these youth are, too. The stretch between Christmas and Spring Break is a long one. Looking at the weather forecast, it seems bright and optimistic. Maybe this week will be better than the last.
(So there's your update, Kendra. I hope that confession time about me being yelly and cranky with youth explains why I didn't blog as much last week. And if you're not Kendra and you're reading this, you'll find her blog on the side now in the links menu.)
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