I never thought I would have The Wiggles on my itunes let alone ipod. Now I dance, sing and teach English with my Wiggle cd. It was probably the most fun I've had with my 1st - 3rd grade students. We learned how to shake, nod, clap, jump and stretch our sillies out, and wiggle them all away today.
In all seriousness it is a great tool. I'm going to use the song "Dr. Knickerbocker" for the parts of the body lesson, "Fruit Salad" and "Hot Potato" for different types of food... etc. The kids got so excited when I pulled out the stereo, everyone was listening and participating...most importantly speaking in English! Its hard to come up with activities for the youngest groups, there are only so many times I can ask the kids to repeat a word then color the picture before they revolt. Plus, they get rid of excess energy they may have used to interrupt or distract others in class.
If anyone has children cd's that your family has outgrown, including holiday music, please let me know! I would love to use as much music as possible.
"Were gunna shake, shake, shake our sillies out..."
Monday, May 9, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Jazz Chants
Thanks to our IST-In Service Training, I learned how to make and use Jazz Chants in order to teach English. They are a big hit with both my elementary school students and adult community class students.
A Jazz Chant is a rhythmic poem you can create in order to teach vocabulary, grammar structures, commands, etc. Verses are often repeated to reinforce the lesson and it is not necessary to make everything rhyme. Students can simply sing the words alone or add clapping, snapping or stop their feet to the rhythm. When students feel comfortable with the vocabulary you can separate them into groups and make a sing-off competition.
In order to teach Jazz Chants;
1. I introduce the vocabulary or grammar structure by itself. Write it on the board and have students copy the information.
2. I bring a hackie sack with me to every lesson, another great tool. I pass the ball around and quiz the students, then let the students ask each other.
3. I write the new Jazz Chant on the board, which incorporates the lesson into the song and have the students write it in their Jazz Chants mini book.
4. We practice singing! The first couple of times I sing a line and the students repeat.
With younger students I like to make paper bag puppets they can use to sing the song. Sometimes we change our voices to a higher or lower pitch or make dances to go along with the words.
In all cases, elementary or adult, the students have a lot of fun learning the songs and spend the rest of the day singing what they learned.
In my Adult Community English Classes they are learning: introductions, greetings and basic conversations starters. For example: Hello, good morning, What is your name?
Here is of the Jazz Chants I use to teach this subject...
A Jazz Chant is a rhythmic poem you can create in order to teach vocabulary, grammar structures, commands, etc. Verses are often repeated to reinforce the lesson and it is not necessary to make everything rhyme. Students can simply sing the words alone or add clapping, snapping or stop their feet to the rhythm. When students feel comfortable with the vocabulary you can separate them into groups and make a sing-off competition.
In order to teach Jazz Chants;
1. I introduce the vocabulary or grammar structure by itself. Write it on the board and have students copy the information.
2. I bring a hackie sack with me to every lesson, another great tool. I pass the ball around and quiz the students, then let the students ask each other.
3. I write the new Jazz Chant on the board, which incorporates the lesson into the song and have the students write it in their Jazz Chants mini book.
4. We practice singing! The first couple of times I sing a line and the students repeat.
With younger students I like to make paper bag puppets they can use to sing the song. Sometimes we change our voices to a higher or lower pitch or make dances to go along with the words.
In all cases, elementary or adult, the students have a lot of fun learning the songs and spend the rest of the day singing what they learned.
In my Adult Community English Classes they are learning: introductions, greetings and basic conversations starters. For example: Hello, good morning, What is your name?
Here is of the Jazz Chants I use to teach this subject...
Hello good morning
How are you?
I'm fine, thank you (x2)
Hello good afternoon
How are you?
I'm good and you? (x2)
Hello good evening
How are you?
I'm bad (x2)
GOOD NIGHT!
(students like to shout the last line)
Last night I challenged my students to write their own Jazz Chants using the vocabulary we practiced and any other English words/phrases they know. It was a big success! One group came up with a chant that I think is hilarious!! Here it is...
Hey, good morning
Good morning (x2)
What's your job?
I don't work (x2)
SORRY!
My host brother's group came up with that Jazz Chant. I couldn't be prouder...hehe
I hope they will let me video record some of their songs in the future.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Nature Girl
I live in a tropical climate, which means lots of bugs and weird animals. Its awesome when I get to snap a shot of a sloth, or a toucan is chilling in a tree outside my window. What I'm not use to is finding all the other creatures inside my home. When people come to visit I feel like their should be an entrance fee for the wildlife exhibit, do not pet the animals sign and a departure rabies shot. (Well, maybe thats a bit of an exaggeration, but my house is always full of surprises!)
On the plus side, my reaction timing has improved, the flying cockroaches love aiming for your head. I'm going to be great at dodge ball when I get home. Who wants to start a team?
Most recently, a bat has decided to make his home in our bathroom. He doesn't do anything, except hang upside down in the shower. I use to get surprised when I would go to use the bathroom, look up and find him right next to me. Now I think he is kind of cute, plus he eats the spiders and mosquitoes.
The most irritating is the gigantic herd of mice living in the ceiling above my head. They love to come down on the other side of my wall into the house and fight. I use to be really afraid of them, especially at night, but now I feel like I'm in that Disney movie, Ratatouille. Remember the scene in the beginning where Remy, the main character and a mouse, is in the old lady's house. He was looking for food to bring back to the colony of mice when the old women walks in with her shotgun and starts shooting. Remy and his brother try to escape by climbing back into the ceiling where the family lives, but the old lady shoots too many times and the ceiling caves in. Hundreds of rats fall down into the home and begin run everywhere. That's my room. I'm the old lady living below a colony of mice who are a few gun holes away from caving in on me. My mosquito net will save me right?
On the plus side, my reaction timing has improved, the flying cockroaches love aiming for your head. I'm going to be great at dodge ball when I get home. Who wants to start a team?
Most recently, a bat has decided to make his home in our bathroom. He doesn't do anything, except hang upside down in the shower. I use to get surprised when I would go to use the bathroom, look up and find him right next to me. Now I think he is kind of cute, plus he eats the spiders and mosquitoes.
Friday, April 1, 2011
IST- In Service Training
March 22-31
IST- In Service Training happens 3 months after swearing in. TEFL is a pilot program, the first English education group for Costa Rica. Therefore there are a lot of issue to work out. IST was much needed and appreciated.
Tico 21, my Peace Corps group, got to stay at the Crowne Plaza Corobici for 10 days. I walked into this swank hotel after 6 hours on a hot bus, rocking my chaco sandals and camping backpack. I'm not exactly their type of gringo customer. I was sweaty, dirty and my hair was more of a don't than a do. There was air-conditioning, hot showers, I had 4 pillows all to myself and a flat screen t.v. with shows in English! We were there to work but it felt like a mini vacation.
Training was amazing, we were able to vent about the negative and learn about all the successes. I felt like I was able to get back in the driver seat and take control of my projects and not let them control me. I gained direction and perspective and feel more prepared to work with my schools and community. Thanks IST!
Finally!
I've been waiting 6 months to get a picture of a sloth!
When I arrived in my community I asked what kind of animals lived in the area. Coope has many different species of birds including toucans, there are congos, sloths, iguanas, ect. It has been my mission to get photos of a sloth, toucan and congo.
I told my host family that I love animals and would like to take pictures because none of these animals live where I do in the states. Before long the whole town knew that I wanted to take pictures of animals. Since then, people come running or call my house in waves to tell me which animals they have seen and where they are.
Today was the day I finally got my picture of a sloth. It was in a neighbors yard in a small tree. I could have reached out an touched it! Did you know sloths hiss?
When I arrived in my community I asked what kind of animals lived in the area. Coope has many different species of birds including toucans, there are congos, sloths, iguanas, ect. It has been my mission to get photos of a sloth, toucan and congo.
I told my host family that I love animals and would like to take pictures because none of these animals live where I do in the states. Before long the whole town knew that I wanted to take pictures of animals. Since then, people come running or call my house in waves to tell me which animals they have seen and where they are.
Today was the day I finally got my picture of a sloth. It was in a neighbors yard in a small tree. I could have reached out an touched it! Did you know sloths hiss?
Monday, March 21, 2011
Cafecito Time!
Cafecito time is my favorite time of the day! It happens around 3pm. We sit a drink coffee. Thats it. And I love love love it.
During school days cafecito time is earlier, around 1:30pm.
Today, while at school, the teachers went for cafecitos and found a frog in the school's coffee maker. Awesome!
During school days cafecito time is earlier, around 1:30pm.
Today, while at school, the teachers went for cafecitos and found a frog in the school's coffee maker. Awesome!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
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