[HANASHIR:16630] Re: 6th graders

[Yonatan Koch <listmember...>]

Hello,

While I am enjoying a nice day off of work, due to this wonderful weather ;) I 
just wanted to take a minute to thank everyone for their wonderful suggestions 
both on and off the list. With much luck, and the fact that the service was 
postponed, by the time my 6th graders do their service in March, they should 
all be singing.

Yonatan Koch
NCRT-6th Grade Teacher
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Elissa Klein 
  To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org 
  Sent: Monday, January 12, 2004 8:36 PM
  Subject: [HANASHIR:16591] 6th graders


  When my little sister was one of the 6th graders that I taught, she asked why 
I smiled so much.  She said I looked silly.  I know it sounds aweful, but you 
might want to try letting go of some of that enthusiasm around 6th graders.  
Play it cool with them.  The tweens are a tricky age to work with.  They're 
insecure, and if they think that their friends perceive something to be uncool, 
they won't do it.  Over the top enthusiasm might not be cool to them.  Kitsch 
isn't cool, but too much seriousness is boring.  Be straightforward and honest, 
and don't be afraid to let your cynical side show.  Don't sugar-coat anything.  
Treat the students as adults, and let them have at least some choice in what 
they learn.  

  For example, one of my 6th grade religious school teachers thought our 
textbook was aweful.  Instead of putting on a smile and trying to convince us 
to love that book, she'd spend a few minutes reading us the notes she'd taken 
from the book.  She'd drop cynical comments here and there about the book's 
idiocy, and we loved it.  We'd discuss Jewish topics that we thought were 
interesting for the rest of class.  And she became a Jewish role model for many 
of her students.  6th graders are strange creatures.  Good luck with them, and 
I hope that this was helpful!

  Elissa Klein