Well, we have just about made it through another school year. I have 3 half days to go and I'm sure they are going to fly by. Next Thursday is our last day of the regular school year. We will get a 3 day weekend and then start ESY on the following Monday. All of my class but one will be attending this year and I will keep my same staff so it will almost be just like a regular school year day except the kids will leave to go home around the time they used to leave to go to lunch. Oh, and I don't have to stay for my prep period, soooo I will be done with my work day at 11:30 a.m. Not bad at all!
I teach all the same classes during our extended school year as I do during the regular year with the exception that I try to make them a little more fun. Adding extra cooking classes, extra art projects, outdoor time that might include a water balloon or two, and even a real movie. That still leaves plenty of time for our core subjects like life skills, social skills, money management and so on. I have put their monthly morning workbooks together but this year I added all the pages we will use for the other classes as well to make my life a little easier as every page they will need will be together in one place and I won't have to pass out any other papers all summer!
We are going to do a few new things this year. Remember this lesson that was going around a year or so ago? We did these last summer during ESY. This year we are doing something very similar but each page will represent different people and the boundaries we have for them. Strangers, community members, acquaintances, friends and family. Each page getting small than the one before (ME being smallest). I'll post a pic when we are done so you can see the finished product. The plan is to take time discussing each group of people and having the kids write a small definition and a few names that would fit under each one. I also purchased this movie called "When Zachary Beaver Came To Town" that we will watch as well. Seems from the reviews that it has quite a few lessons in it about friendship, empathy, and to not judge others. I'll let you know if it's any good either. My kids this year are not movie watchin kids but I'm going to try just one!
I hope your school years are winding down nicely and you're not to stressed out right about now. Just remember, very soon, we can put our feet up and get a well deserved vacation before it starts all over again.
