Memories: Teaching My Class

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As a Teacher in my class room I always prepare my first lesson to a new class carefully. I laid out before me some fist size rocks, a container with grainy sand and pebbles and one jar and one basin. And yes, I actually teach this way. Student Centered Teaching. My Topic was Goals and Priority. Then I got my students to identify important things in their lives. I had one child write them down in the blackboard and another to write it on a slip of paper. We attached the important things as the rocks and the not so important thing…but necessary things, as the pebbles and meaningless and mundane things as sand. Then I challenge the class to fit all of rocks and pebbles into the jar. About four students were chosen to participate with the class shouting helpful comments. First all the sand and pebbles were pour in, but the jar was so filled that there was no place for the rocks. Then the jar was emptied, and the rocks were put in, but all the pebbles and sand could not fit. Then we chose about four rocks, place a few in with some sand and pebble and finally, most of the rocks, sand and pebbles were able to fit in the jar. Then I challenge the class to identify the symbolism of what we had just done. The students got it right: important goals, important events and important everyday necessity and entertainment. I asked the students to say what we have been doing in the lesson and what might we have done in real life. We were prioritizing the important things in our lives. Yes, they got that right. What were some observation? Big rocks took more space…important things take a large amount of our time. We were not able to fit all the big rocks…we had to make sacrifices. The jar was too small. What did it represent? The Time we have to do things was limited. The best mix was a combination of all three things…life is a balance in the way we do things and in the way we choose different things. Then we are not bored. So, what might be the best path? A little of everything but with the focus on the large goals. My final question to the class was “Are you motivated now?”…Yes, Miss. I guaranteed you my students never forgot me. Years after, when they meet me, they’ll say, “We haven’t forget you, Miss”. I just laugh. It was fun, wasn’t it? I have also done variations of this lesson using balloons. I have done workshops and seminars too. *Memories of my days teaching in a Secondary Government School in Trinidad and Tobago. Picture taken from the internet, public domain. Do you have any remarkable memory of your school days? Of a particular lesson? Or a particular teacher?