All I want...

...is for my kids to get the best education possible... despite themselves.

The 6th graders (highest level of Elementary) sit for these huge exams at the end of the year that will ultimately decide the kind of job they can get.  These exams will determine which schools they can go to from here, which determine the colleges they can get into, which determine the job they can get.  The majority of them are 11 in American age, and not thinking about things like this.  All they're thinking about is that they want to comb each other's hair or hit each other or even flirt with each other.  I totally get that.  I mean, the book we're using is pretty boring.  But, I feel like it's my job to care about this stuff for them when they can't.

SO... can you help me out?

1. Will you commit to praying for them?  I've got roughly 31 kids in each of 5 sixth-grade classes.  They are known by their number to their teachers (1-31), so you can even just pray for them with the date of the month (mostly).

2. Will you hit me with some ideas as to how to make past tense and comparative/superlative language fun?  I've got a couple ideas, but they won't last forever.  The kids aren't used to doing anything resembling independent/critical thinking, but I think that that is one of the main ways that they'll internalize the material, so such games are okay, but remember that it's baby steps!

One of my sixth-grade classes.  Zoom in on this picture (by clicking on it); it's worth it to see all the poses these kids are in.

I'll keep you posted on how they're doing (whether you like it or not). :)

PS.  Click on the title of this post to be linked to a video a fellow American made to teach my upcoming lesson on comparatives.  I think you'll like it, and my kids will definitely be watching it. :)