EDUO9107: A Great Day in Education

 I am currently in my 21st year of teaching.  During my time as a teacher, there were many great days.  

I taught in a variety of positions (4th grade, 5th grade, middle school science and technology K-5), but no matter what role I was in, I always found that the best days were the days where the students left school or class with a buzz of excitement; when they left chatting about whatever activity we did in class that day, and couldn't wait to go home and tell their families or friends in other classes about it.  

I often found that the "buzz" was created by activities where the students were engaged in hands-on experiences.  Although there were many days that stand out in my mind, a few of my favorites are mentioned below.  

One great day was when my 5th grade science class worked in groups to make "elephant toothpaste" while learning about endothermic and exothermic reactions.  The name, elephant toothpaste, itself peaked the interest of the students, but the reaction of the students to the temperature and texture changes were priceless.  Here is a link we watched after doing the experiment about the world's largest experiment to create elephant toothpaste.  There was lots of excitement while watching this. The World's Largest Elephant Toothpaste

Another great day actually happened annually in my fifth grade classroom - the egg drop!  Students worked together over the week to create a device to protect an egg from breaking.  On the "big day" the devices were tested by being thrown off the roof of the school building-four stories high (by adults of course)!  Students watched from below to observe how the devices faired, and were able to pick them up and see if their eggs "survived" the fall.  The cheers, "oohs" and "ahhs" from the crowd of 5th graders was incredible.  Many other classes in the building also often came out to watch and cheer along!

Lastly, a day that stands out as a great day was the culminating day of our social studies project - the Colonial Day tea party.  Students came to school dressed as a a character from Colonial times (George Washington, Phyllis Wheatley and so many more).  They attend a tea party (with hot cocoa and cookies) and stay in character throughout the event.  Parents and other students can socialize and ask questions about the different characters and their accomplishments.

A great day is any day where students are engaged in learning, excited to participate in class activities and walk away from the day with a big smile and some fond memories!

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