BRB, dying

I am swamped with papers to check AND write, but I must post an entry now (lest I give up writing one altogether), so here I am.

Bricolage is a term I got from one of my favorite classes in college, Literary Criticism. I forget how Jacques Derrida used it to explain deconstruction, but I do recall that it means using whatever works.

So I'm using it as a tag now to compile all the things I have used that work.

VISUAL TIMER

I have always used a timer to keep track of... time, what else did you have in mind? I post on the board the remaining minutes for the group activities I've prepared. It worked for a while, but the students got used to having extensions that they didn't really care about the writings on the board (and the time they wasted). And since the school has already integrated technology into the curriculum, I may as well jump on the bandwagon.

And jump I did. I tried using a visual timer with Grade X just to keep them on their toes, and voila! Problem solved. I just hope this trick doesn't get old too soon.

LAZERTAG AGREEMENT

I was never really a fan of extrinisic motivation (still am not; I love learning for learning's sake), but I'm not the focus (but still a part, nonetheless) of the learning process so I decided to change tack. I have five hyperactive boys; what can catch their attention, entertain them, and teach them at the same time? Having a deal that involves playing games.

Grade 7 has been dear to me since last year (not that my other classes haven't; I digress), and although I stopped teaching them after the second quarter, we still managed to spend time together by playing Lazertag. Lazertag has always had that little extra something because of them, so I thought of using that to my advantage. I struck a deal with them; we will no longer play Lazertag once they fail to submit assignments n times. I've been hearing positive feedback from teachers since the implementation of our contract, so I'm pleased.

And just like that, my train of thought ended. I guess it's my brain's way of telling me I should go back to checking papers.